Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 19:15:56 GMT From: Paul Halliday <pjghnopsamyonder.co.uk> Subject: Re: Centering steering wheel
in article 6v9couo6ro3u20idre701t9csvvnsc7qkknopsamcom, Bob at uctraingNOSPAMnopsamanet.com wrote on 16/09/2002 19:54: > On 16 Sep 2002 13:37:05 GMT, davehinznopsamcop.net wrote: > >> Oh, I agree, there could be nothing wrong and the wheel is off-center, >> but I think the minimal cost of having that verified is worth it; if the >> car is slightly out of alignment, and *that* is the cause of the wheel >> being off-center, then something much more expensive than an alignment >> may be wearing because of it. > > I concur there too. If the car was previously "correct", and now it's > not, something has changed. I'd want to know that everything is ship > shape before pulling the wheel. If the suspension checks out OK and > the alignment really is within spec, then maybe you play with the > wheel. My steering was centred, but I got my 900i checked for tracking and alignment because my tyres were wearing. Once the wheels were in-line, the steering was *not* centred. I needed new shock absorbers. End of story!!! A simple test for tracking problems is to run your hand over one of the back wheels in the direction that they drive and then back over the tread. If you feel any resistance moving your hand back over the tread, the tracking is out. This is called "feathering" and only occurs when the back wheels are being dragged. Ask your tyre shop to show you a diagram :) Once tracking/alignment is checked and done and the problem persists, get the suspension and shocks looked at. Regards, Paul 1985 900i 16V 1989 900 Turbo S (taken away today for an engineers test and might be back) http://pjgh.go.dyndns.org/saab/index.html