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how do I test self centering?
joscorstjens - 5/8/07 at 11:05 PM


Kev99 - 5/8/07 at 11:36 PM

Drive in a circle and let go of the wheel and see if the car straightens up


David Jenkins - 6/8/07 at 06:07 AM

Or you could do what my tester did...

With the car stationary and the engine running, turn the wheel to full lock. Engage 1st gear, take your hands off the wheel and move off (not too fast!). The steering wheel should make some positive effort to straighten up.

I once drove a Montego that actually tightened up if you tried this trick...


RazMan - 6/8/07 at 10:45 AM

I used to work for a company that had 2 Montegos as pool cars.
One was nicknamed Monty-No-Go and the other Monty-Goes-Round-in-Circles.

Needless to say - they were both knackered


BenB - 6/8/07 at 11:04 AM

They should have bought Maestros. NOT!

Shudder at the thought of that heavy POS bodyrolling round corners every time I took one at more than 10mph....

Swapped it for a Series 1 Renault 5 (with vinyl roof and everything). Much nicer!!! Even if it was an automatic....

At my test the SVA tester put it on full lock, give it some beans with the hands off the steering wheel, do three complete perfect circles (doh!) and then say "you've got no self-centering, as long as you promise to sort that out when you get home I'll still pass you".... Happy days


NS Dev - 6/8/07 at 11:48 AM

strange, stuart taylor cars should self centre, at least they have sensible castor!!

mine was fine at sva, and yep, turn full lock then let go of the wheel, it should attempt to straighten up a bit


David Jenkins - 6/8/07 at 01:59 PM

It's important to note that the testers don't expect the wheels to end up pointing straight ahead at the end of the test - all they want is some positive movement that shows that the wheels are starting to self-centre.


joscorstjens - 6/8/07 at 11:15 PM

So, there's no self centering 'tendency' on my Tiger. Should I add toe out and stiffen up the front tyres? Increasing castor is only the last resort ...
tia
jos


CosKev3 - 8/8/07 at 05:33 PM

Interested in this too

M8's Indy is nearly ready for SVA and his is making no attempt to self centre

Any advice on getting the Indy to do it please????


locoboy - 11/8/07 at 05:37 PM

All those tests are being done incorrectly acording to the manaul............

It states that it should be driven at over 10mph.........

If the test had been done in the same way on my sva then i would have passed as mine does it from a stationary set off on full lock but it did not pass my testers test which was. -

Drive at between 10 and 20 mph and weave left and right, the wheel should make some 'positive' effort to come back towards centre.

I am having problems with getting my car to do this at the moment, i have tried a bit more toe out and i have also dropped the tyre pressures. i can not alter the castor on my car.

Does camber play any part in self centering?