Pull to the left
Pull to the left
Author
Discussion

janszott

Original Poster:

218 posts

281 months

Friday 20th June 2003
quotequote all
I got my 91SE late last year and I noticed it pulled to the left on flat straight road. I just had 4 wheel allignment done - toe in and RF caster were off. It's now nicely within spec but it still pulls slightly to the left - nowhere near as bad as before.
It had been in an accident but the frame was measured and does not seem to be bent.
What do I look for next?

Jan
91SE
73TC
Canada

JK1

469 posts

278 months

Friday 20th June 2003
quotequote all
A new SE......

Just kidding.

Have you checked the tires or gotten new ones since you noticed the problem. If not, I think that would be the next likely suspect. Rotate the tires right to left and see if that changes anything.

Did the alignment techs feel that everything was in "spec" now?

Jim

adrianmugridge

12,458 posts

308 months

Friday 20th June 2003
quotequote all
My GT3 pulled to the left ( safer in the UK than Canada ! ). I had the tracking done and it much better but it still pulls a bit. One of my front wheels is buckled, maybe that could be a problem ?

Adrian
97GT3
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk

lotusguy

1,798 posts

281 months

Saturday 21st June 2003
quotequote all
Hi,

When you did the alignment, did you specify you wanted a true alignment?

With so many modern roads containing a 'crown' to help channel off water in the wet, many shop and machines add some left bias to overcome the tendency for the crown to push the car right. This can cause the car to veer left if the road is flat.

Many people who track, or autox their cars direct the shop to do a true alignment. Of course, this means that you will slightly fight the wheel when travelling on 'crowned' roads. Hope this helps. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

lotusguy

1,798 posts

281 months

Saturday 21st June 2003
quotequote all
JK1 said:
A new SE......

Just kidding.

Have you checked the tires or gotten new ones since you noticed the problem. If not, I think that would be the next likely suspect. Rotate the tires right to left and see if that changes anything.

Did the alignment techs feel that everything was in "spec" now?

Jim


Care should be taken to insure you're not traveling on 'Directional' tires. These will be running reversed if you switch sides with them and could be hazardous. The only way to swap directional tires is to remount them so the proper rotational direction is maintained

Carefully inspect the sidewall to make sure there is no direction or rotation indicator on it before switching them. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

janszott

Original Poster:

218 posts

281 months

Saturday 21st June 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice.
I did get a 'true' alignment. I watched him do it. (the car very rarely goes out of my sight)
I'll try swapping tires next - they are not directional.
I'm going to order a new set soon anyways. It looks like Dunlop Sport 9000 are the only one available in stock sizes.

cnh1990

3,035 posts

287 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
Sometimes the brake calipers will stick causing extra drag on one side. the floating calipers are supposed to be lubed once in while though many do not. The bolts that the calipers ride on will dry out and may need to be freed up if that happens with caliper grease.
Calvin

lotusguy

1,798 posts

281 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
Calvin,

Great thought! This could well be his problem. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

superdave

936 posts

280 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
cnh1990 said:
Sometimes the brake calipers will stick causing extra drag on one side. the floating calipers are supposed to be lubed once in while though many do not. The bolts that the calipers ride on will dry out and may need to be freed up if that happens with caliper grease.
Calvin


Calvin,

Can't he perform an easy check by jacking the car up and take the wheel off to see if the spins freely.
Surely if the caliper's dragging he'll feel it.

BTW my car pulls to the left due to poor alignment. This was made worse by me top ball joint having too much play. It's been rectified now but it's still slightly pulls. I can only put it down to Jim's explaination as it's not all the time.

Cheers,


Dave Walters

GreenV8S

30,999 posts

308 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
If the corner weights are out this can make the car pull to one side.

cnh1990

3,035 posts

287 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
superdave said:

Can't he perform an easy check by jacking the car up and take the wheel off to see if the spins freely.
Surely if the caliper's dragging he'll feel it.

BTW my car pulls to the left due to poor alignment. This was made worse by me top ball joint having too much play. It's been rectified now but it's still slightly pulls. I can only put it down to Jim's explaination as it's not all the time.

Cheers,


Dave Walters



Sure can, most times a person does not even have to pull the wheel just jack the front and give it a good spin. It usually just one side that drags (outside pad).

Calvin

>> Edited by cnh1990 on Tuesday 24th June 19:56

lotusguy

1,798 posts

281 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
If the corner weights are out this can make the car pull to one side.


Hi,

Corner Weights?????...on a street Esprit?? You got the Lotus Part # on that? Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

janszott

Original Poster:

218 posts

281 months

Monday 23rd June 2003
quotequote all
Let's assume for the moment that corner weights are the problem.
Do you add weights to the light corner or take them off the heavy corner?
Corner weights are not listed in the parts manual (but then again, neither are a lot of other things)
I tried to get some from www.kalecoauto.com but they are out of stock.
On the other hand, in keeping with Colin's theory of "add more lightness", can you get "corner lights"?

MikeyRide

267 posts

289 months

Tuesday 24th June 2003
quotequote all
Not sure who's pulling whose leg here, but:

corner weights relate to the actual weight each tire is supporting. It all adds up to the total weight of the car, obviously, AND both front/back & side/side totals are constant (well, mostly), BUT it's possible for two opposed corners to be supporting more weight than their opposites. Picture a four leg stool with one leg too long - that leg and its opposite will carry most of the weight.

Race cars usually have threaded shocks that let you adjust spring preload - in effect allowing you to make all four legs the same "length". Street cars almost never do.

I have no direct experience, just a bunch of reading, so I have no idea how far out you'd have to be to cause a pull in one direction.

Did that make any sense or am I just muddying the waters?