alignment off? - Toyota Yaris Forums

mr_miles · 02-08-2012, 02:13 PM

I noticed it a few days ago on my way to work, about 3 days after getting my new wheels on. my car will go to the left just a little, but not always. It seems like a little deadspot in the steering, where i can set it and it stays there. Part of the time I can get it to go straight, or just to the right, but primarily to the left. I've checked my tire pressure, it's all pretty spot on. I haven't ran anything over or knocked anything. is there something i can adjust to help the steering re-center itself?

Kaotic Lazagna · 02-09-2012, 01:49 AM

If you got heavier than stock wheels, I don't think you can do anything but center the steering wheel itself.

sex · 02-09-2012, 10:01 AM

Switch the two front wheels

ilikerice · 02-09-2012, 11:43 AM

^what he said^

if the car pulls the the right after you switch the 2 front, its probably a separated tire.

To find out which one exactly, rotate one side front to back, test drive, see if anything changes, if not, do the other side. if it does, you found the bad tire.

It is possible to get a "bad" new tire. Rare, but it happens.

IF you switch the 2 front and it still pulls to the left, Id see about getting an alighnment checked.

Also, you mentioned, "Part of the time I can get it to go straight, or just to the right, but primarily to the left." This is a bit confusing though. Make sure your not confusing Road Crown to a pull left or right. most roads have grooves over time where the middle is higher then where the wheels usually drive on. so if your not dead center with the road, tires tend to wanna "pull" towards one side or the other. keep that in mind

Geoff Peace · 02-09-2012, 01:39 PM

If the situation is the same after switching the wheels, it may be caused by someone who has tracked the car and only adjusted one trackrod instead of both. Is your steering wheel centred? To check count the number of exposed threads on both trackrod inboard from the ends they should be the same, if not, the steering geometry of the car is out and the car is running crab. It will then pull sideways.
Regards Geoff Peace.

mr_miles · 02-09-2012, 02:03 PM

I have directional tires, so swapping the two fronts isn't a good idea i think :p

it's not the road doing it, I wish it was. its like the freeplay in the steering wheel before it actually starts moving the tires is the cause. It'll center and go straight, but if you barely move the wheel, it'll stay where you moved it. This is kind of hard to explain, lol.

my steering wheel is not centered, but it has been pulled before and could have been put on crooked. i will check the trackrod threads also.

Geoff Peace · 02-10-2012, 01:07 PM

If you have directional tyres change front to rear. Is the steering stiff? i.e. is the power steering working OK. Steering wheel should be centred, otherwise the cancelling mechanism for the indicators will not operate the same to both sides. Check that your front and rear wheels turn OK, and that a brake is not binding somewhere.

Regards Geoff Peace.

yaris-me · 02-11-2012, 03:05 AM

Check your tire pressure first. Then run the tires a few hundred miles, they MAY need to set a wear pattern before they track straight.

mr_miles · 02-12-2012, 03:05 AM

turns out my front passenger tire was toed a little off and cambered a bit, and the drivers side was cambered just enough to wear, but not enough to affect driving( other than my slight going left issue). they said the drivers side shock tower "floats" just a little, like less than 1 degree. would new suspension fix this?

Geoff Peace · 02-12-2012, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_miles

turns out my front passenger tire was toed a little off and cambered a bit, and the drivers side was cambered just enough to wear, but not enough to affect driving( other than my slight going left issue). they said the drivers side shock tower "floats" just a little, like less than 1 degree. would new suspension fix this?

The difficulty here is a language one, being on the other side of the Atlantic I do not understand the term 'floats' Do they mean that the top shock absorber mounting/bearing is worn? if so it requires replacement. Are the shock absorbers leaking? More precise information needed to help more.

Regards Geoff Peace.

mr_miles · 02-14-2012, 12:35 AM

He didn't say much else about it, so I assume something that keeps it all in place lol. Going to look it all over and see what's loose.

Viperoni · 02-14-2012, 12:57 AM

Depending on the wheels, could be a scrub radius issue too.

mr_miles · 02-14-2012, 01:58 PM

16x8 +0. I didn't think of scrub radius, and i don't really know how to manage all that, lol. I know its a few awkward imaginary angles, though :p

02-08-2012, 02:13 PM	#1
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	alignment off? I noticed it a few days ago on my way to work, about 3 days after getting my new wheels on. my car will go to the left just a little, but not always. It seems like a little deadspot in the steering, where i can set it and it stays there. Part of the time I can get it to go straight, or just to the right, but primarily to the left. I've checked my tire pressure, it's all pretty spot on. I haven't ran anything over or knocked anything. is there something i can adjust to help the steering re-center itself?

02-09-2012, 11:43 AM	#4
ilikerice Drives: 2010 black yaris Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: savannah, ga Posts: 2,868	^what he said^ if the car pulls the the right after you switch the 2 front, its probably a separated tire. To find out which one exactly, rotate one side front to back, test drive, see if anything changes, if not, do the other side. if it does, you found the bad tire. It is possible to get a "bad" new tire. Rare, but it happens. IF you switch the 2 front and it still pulls to the left, Id see about getting an alighnment checked. Also, you mentioned, "Part of the time I can get it to go straight, or just to the right, but primarily to the left." This is a bit confusing though. Make sure your not confusing Road Crown to a pull left or right. most roads have grooves over time where the middle is higher then where the wheels usually drive on. so if your not dead center with the road, tires tend to wanna "pull" towards one side or the other. keep that in mind __________________ -Derrick- "Racing is important to men who do it well. When you're racing... It's life. Anything that happens before or after, is just waiting."

02-14-2012, 12:57 AM	#12
Viperoni Drives: 2005 Toyota Echo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brampton, ON Posts: 505	Depending on the wheels, could be a scrub radius issue too. __________________ 2006 Saturn Ion Redline 2005 Toyota Echo RS 4dr hatch - Cyl #3 bad - sold 2000 Toyota Echo 2dr coupe - The track car - rusty & scrapped

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02-09-2012, 01:49 AM	#2
Kaotic Lazagna View User's Garage Drives: '14 GT86, '08 Vitz Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 9,873	If you got heavier than stock wheels, I don't think you can do anything but center the steering wheel itself.

02-09-2012, 10:01 AM	#3
sex View User's Garage Drives: 09 5DR Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NY Posts: 310	Switch the two front wheels

02-09-2012, 01:39 PM	#5
Geoff Peace Drives: Yaris 1.33 litre 2011 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wigan Posts: 124	If the situation is the same after switching the wheels, it may be caused by someone who has tracked the car and only adjusted one trackrod instead of both. Is your steering wheel centred? To check count the number of exposed threads on both trackrod inboard from the ends they should be the same, if not, the steering geometry of the car is out and the car is running crab. It will then pull sideways. Regards Geoff Peace.

02-09-2012, 02:03 PM	#6
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	I have directional tires, so swapping the two fronts isn't a good idea i think :p it's not the road doing it, I wish it was. its like the freeplay in the steering wheel before it actually starts moving the tires is the cause. It'll center and go straight, but if you barely move the wheel, it'll stay where you moved it. This is kind of hard to explain, lol. my steering wheel is not centered, but it has been pulled before and could have been put on crooked. i will check the trackrod threads also.

02-10-2012, 01:07 PM	#7
Geoff Peace Drives: Yaris 1.33 litre 2011 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wigan Posts: 124	If you have directional tyres change front to rear. Is the steering stiff? i.e. is the power steering working OK. Steering wheel should be centred, otherwise the cancelling mechanism for the indicators will not operate the same to both sides. Check that your front and rear wheels turn OK, and that a brake is not binding somewhere. Regards Geoff Peace.

02-11-2012, 03:05 AM	#8
yaris-me Learn to Relax Drives: 2007, Meteorite, LB Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 2,070	Check your tire pressure first. Then run the tires a few hundred miles, they MAY need to set a wear pattern before they track straight.

02-12-2012, 03:05 AM	#9
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	turns out my front passenger tire was toed a little off and cambered a bit, and the drivers side was cambered just enough to wear, but not enough to affect driving( other than my slight going left issue). they said the drivers side shock tower "floats" just a little, like less than 1 degree. would new suspension fix this?

02-14-2012, 12:35 AM	#11
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	He didn't say much else about it, so I assume something that keeps it all in place lol. Going to look it all over and see what's loose.

02-14-2012, 01:58 PM	#13
mr_miles Drives: 2013 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 914	16x8 +0. I didn't think of scrub radius, and i don't really know how to manage all that, lol. I know its a few awkward imaginary angles, though :p