Car pulling to the left.

[paulmchurd]

Hey guys.

My 133 I've noticed over past 2 months has started to pull to the left. Some days having to hold te steering wheel to stop it turning. Other times it doesn't do it at all. Heard they have a lot of problems with steering column/rack is this an issue with mine? It's out of warranty

Cheers
Paul

 

[LC]

Uneven Tyre Wear
Alignment (easy to knock out)
Steering rack/column would knock if damaged

Mine had this problem and it was just the tyre wear

 

[paulmchurd]

A constant knocking sound? Or just on start up or randomly? Had some pretty bad knocks on my front to wheels but this was a good year ago. I guess I'll just have to take it into a garage and hope for a cheap fix.

Cheers for the quick reply

 

[LC]

It would knock when you turn to a certain point in either direction my old car would go straightish with a broken rack

 

[paulmchurd]

Ah no knocking sound but do get the occasional click when going full lock. Just to scare me what is the price of a new steering rack?

 

[oscar]

shuttup luke, scare mongering poor dudes into the worst case scenario lol

paul, does the car still pull to the left when you brake regardless of how much braking force is applied? check the tyre wear on your car, is it uneven and if so show us a picture (so that you don't need to try to explain the wear pattern!). do you hear any knocking sounds when you corner sharply?

so my thinking is that sometimes brakes can seize in a certain way where the pad, even just on one side is rubbing against the disc permanently which in effect would cause the car to pull to one side. this could be a probable cause, but if we include the state of tyre wear on one side it may be a dead giveaway. there is nothing wrong with your steering rack, take my word on that or your steering column. i'd be looking at your ball joints, and your track rod end - nothing else when replacing these, a good workshop will include in the price a wheel alignment as changing any steering or suspension related ball joint requires a realignment afterwards!

you said you get a click, that's definitely your ball joints away. jack the front of the car up paul and get the left wheel in the straight ahead position, wiggle the wheel from left to right quite .... infact i can't be bothered, watch this video an copy what he's doing. he will no doubt tell you what the ''top to bottom wiggle'' and the ''left to right wiggle'' means

[youtube]Xrp3eGgISRM[/youtube]

 

[paulmchurd]

Yes it still turns when braking. The front left brake also squeaks. On my mot they said it was part worn and need replacing at some point. No apparent uneven wear but the tread on th are getting close to needing replacing got 2-3mm left on each one. Going to eat dinner now will check back with pictures!

Cheers guys

 

[paulmchurd]

When first setting off the engine makes a knocking sounds . It only does it for a few seconds and only when setting off in first gear. It won't do it again untill the engine is turned off and on again. Some cars have abs checks on start up. Is this the case with twingos? I've never noticed it before. My girlfriend says it's always happened but never said any thing... Oh well booked in to a garage for today and I'll get back to you with what they come up with.

Cheers
Paul

 

[oscar]

twingo's have notoriously short 1st gear ratios, you'd be lucky to get past 20 in first gear and you'd chicken out by the horrible noise it makes it's pretty normal for this to happen on a cold start, it's the whurring / clicking sound of the gears making their way through cold transmission oil. once the engine heats up and you've been driving it for a good 10-15 miles everything is up to operating temperature and you'll be fine. it seems like you're track rod end has become excessively worn, if it was your cv joint you'd only hear the sound on cornering but wouldn't necessarily affect your alignment