nova pulls to right when accelerating, any ideas?

[marc69]

My 993cc 1984 Nova has started a new problem, when accelerating especially in 2nd and 3rd gear, it is trying to pull the steering by approx 15 degrees or so to the right. when the car is freewheeling or cruising, there is no pull whatsoever. It started when I had it MOTd a few weeks ago, the drivers spring was broken so instead of replacing the spring, I just changed the strut from a 1992 car with the same engine. The passanger track rod was replaced and the tracking was redone. Also new wheels with other tyres were put on the car. The front tyres are not the same make as each other but all the numbers are the same. If anyone has advice i would be very grateful. I thought it could be torque steer but doubt the car has enough torque!!!!!

[let_nova]

check the ball joints are ok/tight
check the pinchbolt for the balljoint

[mowgli]

tracking is toe out as a guess, maybe your rack is worn

[brainsnova]

maybe the strut top has a bit play

[Jon_nova1]

Are the two suspension bolts on the hub bolted up properly? I had similar on the 4wd when the nut had crossthreaded, whenever i pressed the brake it'd pull to one side

[marc69]

Thanks for all your replies, I will check these things out at the weekend although I am not the best expert, I am sure it will be fun trying! thanks everyone for your advice.

[brainsnova]

just up each front wheel and kneeling at the front wheel rock it up and down and left and right and look for play in it.

[dougie_boi]

check your tie bar mounts and tie bar bushes

[marc69]

I have checked all of the above, i did find movement in the rh trackrod end so i have replaced it. Frustratingly the steering is still the same. Is it possible that the diff is playing up? if so I assume this means fitting another gearbox (Help!). Could it be torque steer? It only happens when the pedal is pressed and as the car revs higher, so the pull is greater, as soon as the accelerator is released, the pull dissapears.

[mowgli]

tracking is toe out as a guess, maybe your rack is worn

please get it checked out properly at a proper alignment place, & not by some tyre fitter who sings badly when he blows your tyres up to 30 psi regardless of what they should be before windy gunning them on so you'll never shift them

a diff is not causing the problem.

the last vehicle that i drove that did anything like this had totally knackered rubber bushes & needed bottom arms. it was a 205 diesel & was scary.

[let_nova]

mine did EXACTLY as you describe and it was a worn bottom ball joint.

[marc69]

thanks, I will spend time tomorrow phoning to see who is a good thorough suspension place in aberdeen and taking it too them, I also think I will try other wheels incase a tyre is wierd! Thanks again for your advice, this sort of problem is way out of my poor capabilities.

[Pistol Pete]

Torque steer IMO lol

[marc69]

Dont knopw what IMO means but i assume it is something like not likely!

[let_nova]

in my opinion

shame lol i was in aberdeen yesterday.

[marc69]

I dont know what IMO means but assume it means not likely!

[let_nova]

IMO: in my opinion

[marc69]

Let me know next time you are coming up if you have time to have a look at the car. How can torque steer be fixed?

[Cle]

or someone could have only adjusted one trackrod and left the other one.

[Cle]

Let me know next time you are coming up if you have time to have a look at the car. How can torque steer be fixed?

if its a redtop equal length driveshafts iirc

[marc69]

I have had the tracking done and it is actually only a 9933 engine (not much torque or anything!)

[let_nova]

best way to sort it is to take it to a reputable garage to get the tracking done. if its a good garage they will tell you if theres any play etc in parts
(they wont be able to do the tracking if there is a fuaul as it will be knocked straight out soon as its driven.)

[therealnovaboy]

grab the wheel at 12 and 5 oclock and push pull on them, twisting the wheel on the horizontal axcis. if there is play then you need a new bottom ball joint. grab the wheel at 3 and 9 oclock and push/ pull on them twisting the wheel on the vertical axcis whille watching the steering wheel. if theres play and you cant see the steering wheel moving you need new track rod ends. if there is play on said parts push/ pull and hold or watch the ball joint. you should see/ feel the play in the ball joint. if you dont and theres still play then it could be the wheel bearing or steering rack. you would hear a dodgey wheel bearing or will sound rough when jacked off the ground and spun. it is easier if the car is jacked up as preload in anti roll bars can mask this, altho it can be done with all wheels on the deck.

sometimes tyre wear can cause this try swaping wheels left to right and vice versa and see if the car pulls to the other side.

id check this before going to a garage. mechanics ive been to in the past can track a car without even knowing the fundimentals of wheel geometry ( like arguing that lowering a nova has no effect on front camber!!).

[craig green]

My Nova used to nearly switch lanes on dual carriageways, it was a hangingly bad drivers engine mount, nearly ready to drop the engine.