Pulling to the right

[Andy_L]

Recently I found out that my track rod ends are seized as the garage couldn't adjust them for the tracking, at this point the car would wander to the left if you let go of the steering wheel.

Last night I put on my new alloys and now the car wanders to the right. Have I inadvertently buggered something up???

All wheels are a 47.5mm offset and are 5"x14" in size. Three have 175/65/14 tyres and one has 165/65/14.

The 165 is the offside rear wheel, could this be the cause of my new found 'to the right' or do am I clutching at straws and need to free up the track rod ends first??

[craig green]

Rear tyre is a likely cause reading the above. It seems odd it should shift, left to right for no reason. Have you checked it on dead flat ground as opposed to cambered up roads?

The 3 spoke wheels arent wide or a daft offset so I'd say it deffo isnt the wheels.

Easiest way to free off track rod ends is to whip the rack out IMO. Doing it in a vice with a blow torch takes 10 minutes!

get a suitable rear tyre on it though.

[Andy_L]

Rear tyre is a likely cause reading the above. It seems odd it should shift, left to right for no reason. Have you checked it on dead flat ground as opposed to cambered up roads?

The 3 spoke wheels arent wide or a daft offset so I'd say it deffo isnt the wheels.

Easiest way to free off track rod ends is to whip the rack out IMO. Doing it in a vice with a blow torch takes 10 minutes!

get a suitable rear tyre on it though.

Thanks Craig as luck would have it I have a 5th alloy with the matching profile for the other 3 but as it is getting towards borderline I decided not to use it. I will give that a go and see what happens, I'll also check it on a flat bit of road hadn't thought of that cheers.

Difficult job to take the rack out??

[Andy_L]

P.S Can I re-use the ends or is it new ones time???
:thumb:

[craig green]

Use new ones. They are about ?7 a side maybe...

Rack out is pretty easy. Both fr wheels off, jack it up (obv) & undo the column to rack UJ in the cabin (footwell), then undo the 4 bolts on the rack mounts on the bulkhead. Pull the rack through the wheel arch & set about the seized rod ends in a vice & douse it in penetrating fluid overnight & then try some heat.