HEAVY Steering at parking and-------

[leylandracer]

The TR's back from Revington TR, BUT :( its come back with a srange problem, At parking the steering is REALLY heavy!!!! and i notticed the passenger side tyre is really heavily scuffed on the outside of the tread, also when trying to park it tonight (which involves about 5 three point turns) it felt like it was really dragging on somthing??????Havnt had chance to have a good look at it but a quick peek underneath with a torch and everthing looks ok,
Rest of the work; Brakes seem OK, Engine tune, seems OK but they have set the idle really low 5-600 rpm cant really understand why they have set it that low!!!!

Any pointers with the steering lads really appreciated.

Steve.

[Hasbeen]

When did you last grease the rack?

[stricky]

bent\damaged steering arm? may explain scuff too (??)

:(

[leylandracer]

New rack fitted less then 500 mls ago
Checked underneath today, all seems OK,
I had a horrible thought that maybe they had pulled in onto the transporter, but it seems not, it went on under its own steam (so to speak :)) When Motoscope did the alighment they mark everything up, supose its like a seal on the threads etc, everthings intact and lining up. Its got plenty of adjustments on the set-up i.e. adj top mounts, adj tca's etc but nothings moved.

Think ill take it over to north eastern tyres for a free elignment check and go from there :-/

Just find it really strange though? Its heavy at the best of times with the quick rack and sticky tyres, Round the back of the house it needs about three 3 point turns to get it into the garage, after that my arms were nearly falling off :)

Steve

[leylandracer]

A quick search on the net seems to point to a toe prob?

[Beans]

leylandracer wrote:

...it needs about three 3 point turns to get it into the garage, after that my arms were nearly falling off :)

You’ll definitely need some extra exercise at the gym  :P
My car (‘t Kreng) never starred for its light steering, but then it too has a quick rack and some very  sticky and wide tyres up front.
I shouldn’t worry about that, but I should worry about the wear on the outside of the tyre.
First thought indeed is on the tracking and in particular the toe-in being too much.

I prefer toe-in to be zero (so wheels straight ahead). Makes it slightly nervous on the motorway but I don't like them anyway  :X

[Raider]

I agree with Theo that toe -in toe -out should be set to parallel or as near to parallel as the manufacturer's tolerances allow (haven't checked what that is).

If it's just the front nearside it could be toe in of both but because of the camber of the road you will naturally (and unknowingly) turn the steering slightly to the right in the UK - this brings the offside more parralel but makes the nearside even more toe-in.

If you run your hand across the tyre can you feel any "feathering", more one way than another? That is, can you feel it smooth one way but ridged or jagged the other?

if you feel feathering with your hand going in then it indicates toe-out, if you feel it coming out then it indicates toe-in.

One other thing though could be excessive positive camber on the nearside front which will mean outer shoulder wear. It depends on what is adjustable in your set up though as to how this could happen and, hence how you could put it right.

Taking the car for a full alignment check though is the only way to sort this out.

Even if all the alignment was set up correctly before, changing engines or components can make a difference in all sorts of ways - affecting the c.o.g, ride height etc etc.

Good luck and let us know what the alignment check shows up

[leylandracer]

Dam!!!!!!! it looks like it me :-/ trying to diagnose somthing in the dark, my excuse anyway ;) rolled it around the yard this aft on full lock its catching on both locks, (front and rear of the arch) the bad one is  the left lock were its the rubbing on the back of the fr wheelarch, hence the damage to the tyre, its ok on the other side because the back of the arch as been rolled in, so its looking like some mods to the wheel arch, thinking about it, when MotoScope set it up i must have only covered about 50 mls at the most, one return journy and thats about it, they set it up with comp in mind i.e jon Wolfes setting, lots of neg camber etc. as mentioned its been with Revington Tri since Feb.

All been well if i get the above sorted, ill let you know what the brake kits like, Triumphs, who would have em ;)

[Beans]

leylandracer wrote:

... the bad one is  the left lock were its the rubbing on the back of the fr wheelarch ...

Looks like you have a difference in your castor angle L/R.
So as Martin adviced, have the alignment checked (by someone who knows what he's doing  ::))

[leylandracer]

ill try and get it in this week to be sure with the settings, i have a feeling everythings ok though, the drivers side bottom rear arch as always been rolled in, it certainly handles well :) and feels as good if not better then anything else here,

[bmcecosse]

Toe adjustment really won't make any great odds to steering load  at parking speed.
Are the tyres inflated to the correct pressures ?