trogdor
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 02:25 PM |
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Audi 80 drifting to the left
Hi again,
I recently asked a question regarding the tyre wear on my Audi 80. We have put that down to low tyre pressures and the fact that it is a heavy front
wheel drive car.
However i had got the tracking checked to see if that was a cause for the tyre wear. They said it wasn't out by much. But i still got them to
adjust it.
Now the car drifts to the left. I didn't drive it before the tracking so am not 100% sure that its the cause but it never used to do it.
I suspect they set it up wrong, should i take it to an audi specialist as they should know what settings are needed? I may take it back and complain
but i doubt that will get me anywhere.
Is there anything else that could be causing the drifting other than incorrect toe in toe out?
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nick205
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 02:37 PM |
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I've had tracking checked and re-set before and found the car to be worse afterwards. IMHO the only reason for tracking to be out in the first
place is due to damage (bent track rod etc)or wear (sagging shock, bush play etc. In either case the answer is to correct the route cause and then
re-check the tracking before adjusting anything.
On that tack, what age and mileage is the car? Have you checked the bushes, rack, shocks, wheel bearings, joints etc.
Also check the engine and gearbox mounts. A sagging engine could be putting strain on the driveshafts and suspension causing it to pull or wander.
Probably accentuated in Audi's longitudinal/front drive layout too.
(please excuse me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here  )
[Edited on 10/11/08 by nick205]
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 02:44 PM |
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the fact that it going to the left simply makes me think its just road camber... few cars will actually go in a straight line if the roads got the
normal camber on it. If the steering is very light it can make it seem quite pronounced. I mind sitting through watchdog where they were slagging of
Mondeo's cause if they took their hands of the wheel it drifted the edge of the road, I'm like what do you expect it to do on a country
road?! If the car was pulling before you would not have noticed as your were constantly compensating.
take it to a large carpark and then see what it does, most likey it will steer straight
[Edited on 10/11/08 by Mr Whippy]
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trogdor
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 02:53 PM |
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that is a fair point about road camber, is deffo a problem tho as you have to hold the wheel at an angle to go straight, and that was not required
before.
I am gonna take it back to the place where they did it originally and see what they say. I called audi to see what they would want for a wheel
alignment and its wasn't a nice figure. 
To be honest the car has done a fair few miles and needs new mounts and probably suspension bushes as well.
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nick205
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 02:56 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
the fact that it going to the left simply makes me think its just road camber... few cars will actually go in a straight line if the roads got the
normal camber on it. If the steering is very light it can make it seem quite pronounced. I mind sitting through watchdog where they were slagging of
Mondeo's cause if they took their hands of the wheel it drifted the edge of the road, I'm like what do you expect it to do on a country
road?! If the car was pulling before you would not have noticed as your were constantly compensating.
take it to a large carpark and then see what it does, most likey it will steer straight
[Edited on 10/11/08 by Mr Whippy]
Good point - my old Leon always pulled down the camber. Not helped by wide section, low profile tyres either.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 03:00 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by trogdor
that is a fair point about road camber, is deffo a problem tho as you have to hold the wheel at an angle to go straight, and that was not required
before.
when they do the tracking they are meant to jam the steering wheel level, then adjust the settings. Many garages screw that up (Kwik fit for example)
and give you back wonky wheel. You should take it back and tell them to fix it. Used to really bug me when I drove the busses as none of them had the
wheel straight and the indicators wouldn't cancel poperly, just pure laziness 
Do you remember that bit in Christine, when he’s bombing down the road, takes his hands of the wheel and boasts to his friend how good the tracking
is…except the cars shown going round a corner LOL only Americans would think that’s how a cars suppose to handle 
last audi 80 I drove had very light steering IIRC, smooth engine too. If you turn each joint by the same amount then you can quite quickly get the
wheel straight but need a carpark to do that.
[Edited on 10/11/08 by Mr Whippy]
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trogdor
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 03:15 PM |
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steering has good feedback but it has no power steering so i wouldn't call it light. That is a point about the wheel not being straight could
just be that. Well am going to see what they say tonight.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 03:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by trogdor
steering has good feedback but it has no power steering so i wouldn't call it light. That is a point about the wheel not being straight could
just be that. Well am going to see what they say tonight.
My last bluebird was give back with a squint wheel but as it allowed me to put my elbow better on the top of the door I left it be
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 05:46 PM |
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If the tyre was worn already and now the tracking is correct then perhaps it's a symptom caused by the said worn tyre. Unless you put 2 new
one's on in which case ignore me.
If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 10/11/08 at 07:00 PM |
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I work in a VAG bodyshop, so I have been setting up these for years, usual problem is the car has been lightly kerbed which has jolted the hub carrier
to give +ive camber on the LH side. It is a while since I have done an 80 but as far as I remember it is just a case of loosening the upper strut to
hub carrier bolt and tapping it back to give more -ive camber.
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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trogdor
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| posted on 12/11/08 at 06:57 PM |
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well i took the car back to national and they say the tracking is fine any there is nothing wrong with it. I really didn't have the energy to
argue.
They said if its still drifting it will need a full wheel alignment done by audi. They want £150 plus vat for it! about as much as i paid for the car!
found a specialist that will do it for £96 all in but its still a tad expensive. Might have to do it in a few months i guess
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