self centering
02GF74 - 26/4/06 at 10:55 AM
how would I be able to tell/sort out the self-centering?
Obvioulsy as I am not load legal and can;t drive it more than on my drive, dunno, 15 m max?
I plan to have an MOT chosen so it is about 8 miles away (there maybe two ro three places closer) but that should shake out some of the problems and
see how if cnetres (maybe take a longer detour back home 
)
and longest journbey would be to SVA itslef by which point it will be too late to do anything.
Is there any measuring I can do to get some idea or some other easy way to see how it centres or not without getting out on the road.
Hellfire - 26/4/06 at 10:58 AM
Our SVA test for this was...
At 10mph put the car on full lock then let go of the steering wheel. If the car makes an effort to return to centre then this is sufficient (his words
not mine). Same with the other lock too... obviously.
Of course not all SVA Centres are the same...
02GF74 - 26/4/06 at 11:04 AM
obvioulsy I cna't get up to 10 mph ... but if I slap it on full lock when stationary and then drive forwars, would that be almost the same?
zxrlocost - 26/4/06 at 11:06 AM
no just drive round your street my car self centres on the spot with springs but doesnt when driving
you need to drive your car round the place
get a chassis number and book in for an MOT insure your car for the day and drive it round hey presto
DavidM - 26/4/06 at 11:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
Our SVA test for this was...
At 10mph put the car on full lock then let go of the steering wheel. If the car makes an effort to return to centre then this is sufficient (his words
not mine). Same with the other lock too... obviously.
Of course not all SVA Centres are the same...
Thread hijack, sorry.
When I put mine on full lock, it starts to self centre as I pull away but then stops after about half a turn of the steering wheel. So does that mean
it's probably OK?
David
emsfactory - 26/4/06 at 01:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by DavidM
quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
Our SVA test for this was...
At 10mph put the car on full lock then let go of the steering wheel. If the car makes an effort to return to centre then this is sufficient (his words
not mine). Same with the other lock too... obviously.
Of course not all SVA Centres are the same...
Thread hijack, sorry.
When I put mine on full lock, it starts to self centre as I pull away but then stops after about half a turn of the steering wheel. So does that mean
it's probably OK?
David
Probably just needs fetling.
You'll find it better at higher speeds.
David Jenkins - 26/4/06 at 01:55 PM
My tester stopped the car, put it on full lock then pulled away. The steering should 'unwind' as it moves off (according to him).
DJ
emsfactory - 26/4/06 at 02:35 PM
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
My tester stopped the car, put it on full lock then pulled away. The steering should 'unwind' as it moves off (according to him).
DJ
Yes. But I dont think it has to make all they way to center.
Hellfire - 26/4/06 at 04:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by emsfactory
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
My tester stopped the car, put it on full lock then pulled away. The steering should 'unwind' as it moves off (according to him).
DJ
Yes. But I dont think it has to make all they way to center.
I concurr...
chriscook - 26/4/06 at 04:54 PM
Didn't see him test it but mine wouldn't fully centre but paseed without comment.
David Jenkins - 26/4/06 at 08:14 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
quote:
Originally posted by emsfactory
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
My tester stopped the car, put it on full lock then pulled away. The steering should 'unwind' as it moves off (according to him).
DJ
Yes. But I dont think it has to make all they way to center.
I concurr...
Me too!
It just has to make a positive start to straightening up.
chaos999 - 27/4/06 at 09:39 AM
HI, had same problem at SVA with the challenger. So went away and chucked loads of spacer washers in on the top wishbone rose joint to move it back.
Did not feel any different to me but drew attention to the mod on retest and they said they could feel something???? Think cos they saw what had been
done that it may have made some difference??
Simon
Triton Challenger-Triumph
aka:The noisy blue thing
DarrenW - 27/4/06 at 10:10 AM
The book says the cars have to self centre. Testers therefore have to go through the motions so they can tick the box. The testers know our cars cant
self centre due to suspension geometry and hence if they display even a hint of trying most testers will pass it. At mytest he simply drove down the
empty car park at approx 10mph, turned left and let go then turned right and let go. Test took 10 secs max. A bit of an anticlimax really after the
hype.
I was lucky in that mine self centred very well. It was however a complete nightmare to drive and very unsafe on the road. I had mushroom full forward
(excentric hole to the front = max castor), few degress of camber. ridiculous amounts of toe out (to the point where any more would make car look
daft) and i blew the tyres up to 40psi when i got to the test.
As soon as test was completed i let the tyres back down to 18psi and wound the toe out in so it was looking about normal for the drive home.