Do unofficial alloys cause weird steering angles?

[SonicAaron]

I've just had it aligned so much. 3 different places and it's about £20 to £30 each and always the same.

When I dropped on the rear hub while I was diving could that bend the axel? I don't see how 3 garages could miss that though so perhaps this is all a bit in my head. I almost feel like asking for a new axel lol. Though that would cost a hideous amount.

I really wish I hadn't got it lowered or put the alloys on now

[Hoosier Daddy]

I can be wrong, but I remember a thread saying that conventional wheel alignment does not help the new 6R's. I'm not sure why, but only the toe of the setup can be altered. Anyway, if your steering angle is off then a rear suspension fault would not cause it. Probably go to someone reputable and has done work on a 6R prior to you going there.

[brad]

I can be wrong, but I remember a thread saying that conventional wheel alignment does not help the new 6R's. I'm not sure why, but only the toe of the setup can be altered. Anyway, if your steering angle is off then a rear suspension fault would not cause it. Probably go to someone reputable and has done work on a 6R prior to you going there.

yep. Been done to death

[SonicAaron]

Well that's an interesting development thanks guys!

Didn't know that :S So what was the guy supposedly tweaking when he made me full lock and was doing something behind the wheel :S.

It's also good to hear that it's all in my mind about the back being damaged. I thought if I'd bent the back when the wheel came off ; that would mean that even if I got my front aligned then the car would still need to steer at an angle to go straight to compensate for the back

[Lito]

If the chassis is anything like a mk4 golf ( and I think they're pretty similar). There is no adjustment in the rear, it's all fixed so they should only be charging you for a front wheel alignment. If something was out enough in the rear for you to have to compensate with the steering there'd be some pretty crazy wear on the tires and you'd definitely feel vibrations.

[SonicAaron]

If the chassis is anything like a mk4 golf ( and I think they're pretty similar). There is no adjustment in the rear, it's all fixed so they should only be charging you for a front wheel alignment. If something was out enough in the rear for you to have to compensate with the steering there'd be some pretty crazy wear on the tires and you'd definitely feel vibrations.

My concern is that I got them aligned. . .and the steering was off.

so I took it to another place and they said the alignment was fine. After telling him that my steering wheel needed to be a bit anti clock wise. . He then fine tuned the alignment more.

its still a bit anti clockwise. . .how far can it go? I mean if it was aligned (by two garages) and I've still made them fix it more. . .and then need to go back and have more done. . .am I not getting into territory where it isn't aligned? If they say it's aligned then surely if I align it more so that my steering is straight. . Then I'll have made it un-aligned by more considering it was meant to already be aligned the first time?


if that makes sense haha

[amazeer]

The 2 front wheels will be aligned to each other no problem, the position of the steering wheel doesnt affect that. Its just cosmetic. To straighten it they just need to lengthen one tie rod and shorten the other by the same amount.

[nomadx38]

Actually it's even easier than that, they just unscrew a bolt on the bottom of the steering wheel column and align it with centre once the wheels are aligned.

[brad]

Actually it's even easier than that, they just unscrew a bolt on the bottom of the steering wheel column and align it with centre once the wheels are aligned.

WTF?
I find that really hard to believe. Never have I seen a steering wheel straightened in that manner

I've never worked on a Polo but most steering columns have a master spline & only assemble one way. Maybe Polos are different but i doubt it.

Pre-Airbag we used to pop the steering wheel & move that a spline or 2 but you would bother now due to the risk of popping an airbag.

It's easier to get underneath & move one tie rod in half a turn & the other out half a turn (or whatever is needed). You don't even have to throw the alignment heads back on - just double check with a tape measure to make sure you haven't had a brain fart.

[nomadx38]

Well after a wheel alignment the steering wheel was off, so I went back to the tyre place asked them to adjust it, they took it for a spin said yeah it's off and centred it without even driving it into the garage.

Even I was surprised thinking they had to adjust the rods again but nope did it in the car park, and yes it was straight afterwords.

God knows how they did it if they didn't get out of the car...