Steering issues

[ben711200]

Evening,

Been having some steering issues with my Volvo 240 lately. It developed the ability to steer by itself. But only if you wanted to get pulled into the oncoming traffic. I don't remember hitting anything to knock the tracking out but I went and got it checked and it was 'loads out, mate'. So the local tyre place sorted that for me and it nolonger pulls me across the road.

It doesn't seem to self centre either. I have to battle the wheel back to centre from either left or right, and sharp changes in direction are very hard work. I have to use enough force that it made me wander whether it was maybe the PAS. I don't reckon it is though..

I'm reckoning an alignment issue and will be taking it back to the place that did it to see if they can check their work. What I want to know is what it's likely to be so I can at least sound like I know what I'm going on about.

Or is this likely to be something else?

Cheers

Ben

[Seth]

Didn't you change the rims on it recently? Could the offset be all wrong as that could cause tramline-ing and random pulling.

[rooster]

one of the wheels arent buckled are they?

[ben711200]

Seth- Yep, but to Volvo wheels that were offered on the Volvo 240 (albeit a higher spec one)
Rooster- it's something to check, I hadn't considered that. I've got a couple steels in the garage that I'll try tomorrow, then if that doesn't sort it, I'll go to the tyre place after that.

Thanks guys

[purplevanman]

jack her up and give the wheels a shake and pull. Hands top and bottom give a wobble, hands side to side and give a wobble, this should show up bearing play and steering play.
Bottom balljoint is a bit harder, i use a lever and jam it twixt the hub carrier and the bottom arm and try to move the joint that way.
Odd size tyres?


I had an issue last week with a wandering truck, turned out the steering drop arm was loose !!

[ben711200]

Cheers Alan, I'll have a check of all of those things. to clarify, the tyre place did resolve the pulling to the right issue, but it isn't returning to centre. I do have a feeling that the wheels are playing a part. All the symptoms have shown near immediately after fitting. Whether they are the cause or just highlighting a problem better than the old wheels I'm not sure...

[highvoltage]

Its usually castor angle that stops them self centering,so i guess worn balljoints could affect that.
Sometimes helps if the tyre pressures are upped a little and the fronts are adjusted to toe out slightly.

[johnrh]

I think you need a full laser alignment check, not just tracking, but first jack it up and make sure nothing is sticking.

As said above, castor angle provides the most of the self-centre effect, so you need to know that is within spec. Tracking won't measure or affect that.

As you say, the Virgo alloys are correct for a 240 so should work fine. Who fitted the previous, deep dish wheels? If fitted before you got the car, it's possible that they created instability under braking due to the different offset creating positive scrub radius. If something was modified/adjusted to get rid of this, that could now be creating a problem with Volvo wheels fitted.

Good luck with it

John

[93fxdl]

just a suggestion, had problems with swmbo,s sedona, hard to steer, not self centering
was caused by the ujs in the steering column siezing
ttfn glenn

[namless]

ben what's the mileage the cars done?

[ben711200]

I'm coming up to a quarter of a million miles.. God knows how much of everything is original. Certainly not all of it..

Thanks for the continued suggestions, guys.
John, it was Si (black8driver) that originally put the big wheels on. I'll ask him at the weekend.
Whatever happens, I need to jack it up and see what it feels like with the front end in the air.. look for worn/seized parts, then look at getting it aligned properly.

Edit: not as many miles as I remembered.. Thinking about it, it's 'only' 220,000 miles.

[namless]

ben you probably realise its either the rack or the blimin UJ joints from the rack to the column. that's because they seem to last about 200,000 then tends to get a mind of its own and having lowered Volvo's at -5" drop doesn't really help