[quote="The Doctor"]

rchrdleigh wrote:

It's worth mentioning that with the wheel dead centre it doesn't gently drift to the left it heads off on a mission to whack the kerb. Not in a violent or dangerous way just very noticeable indeed.

Mine did this recently, after the clutch was replaced. Went back and they 'swapped the wheels around', tech speak for "we knackered something and have now fixed it but won't tell you what it was". My guess is they four wheel aligned it as they hadn't put it back together straight. Still, went in a straight line once I got it back. Suggest you have your alignment checked. Cheers. mojo By the way, your motor hasn't had a bad clonk while greenlaning has it that might have knocked your alignment out?

mojo wrote:

Mine did this recently, after the clutch was replaced. Went back and they 'swapped the wheels around', tech speak for "we knackered something and have now fixed it but won't tell you what it was". My guess is they four wheel aligned it as they hadn't put it back together straight. Still, went in a straight line once I got it back. Suggest you have your alignment checked. Cheers. mojo By the way, your motor hasn't had a bad clonk while greenlaning has it that might have knocked your alignment out?

Had my alignment checked again on Saturday at local tyre place when I had new Wranglers fitted to the front. They had a Corghi Blacktech full geometric alignment setup. Cost me nothing as all okay, but would only have been 30 quid either end if needed adjustment. Very reasonable I thought. This was STS Tyre Pros. Think they are nationwide.

mojo wrote:

Mine did this recently, after the clutch was replaced. Went back and they 'swapped the wheels around', tech speak for "we knackered something and have now fixed it but won't tell you what it was". My guess is they four wheel aligned it as they hadn't put it back together straight. Still, went in a straight line once I got it back. Suggest you have your alignment checked. Cheers. mojo By the way, your motor hasn't had a bad clonk while greenlaning has it that might have knocked your alignment out?

I rang the tyre place and they said it sounds like a tracking problem so I will take it in on Saturday and let them have a look LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Just been and had the tracking done. He said it was slightly out front to back. I have just driven it a bit and it's not doing it as bad but with the wheel dead level it still goes off towards the kerb, it's just that to keep the car in a straight line the steering wheel only needs to be very slightly to the right.

Do you guys think in view of this it could either be because most of the roads slope off to the left anyway to the gutter and the wheel is compensating for that?

Is there also a possibility that it is a trait of the new tyres with the aggressive deeper tread? LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Assuming it didn't do it with your old tyres I'd put it down to the new tyres being more affected by the camber of the road than the originals. I suspect that now the tracking has been sorted it is something you'll have to get used to.

I have to say I haven't noticed mine drifting left but it is on original fit tyres. If I remember I'll have a look in the morning on my way to play in a Disco 4 and RRS for the day.

Find a VERY EMPTY straight road and drive on the wrong side for a bit. See if it tends to the right. One of those enclosure roads up around Matlock should do the trick. If it still goes to the left there's something wrong. If it goes to the right then it's a function of the tracking, and I'd be tempted to get it adjusted until it stops wandering, but that may not be easy!

I'd be surprised if it is the tread, could be the carcass though, have you tried swapping the fronts over

The Doctor
Get yourself over to the old Ashbourne airfield (not that far from you) on Sunday, it's located behind the trading estate of the same name.

Approaching from Derby, turn right off the A52 into the trading estate just before you head down a steep hill into Ashbourne. At the back there is the JCB proving/demonstration grounds and the remnant of the original WW2 runway. That's your long straight test track. Watch out for some of my mates buzzing you with their model aircraft - PG is the most cantankerous of the bunch.

The tracking of the front wheels has little effect on pull drift issues. Invariably it is the rear track as this determines the thrust angle of the car.

When new tyres have been fitted and the car exhibits this issue the first thing to do is to swop the front wheels over from side to side.

Then check the geometry the important bit being the rear. Left toe minus right toe divided by two and the result gives you which direction the car is being pushed in. If this is the same direction as the drift issue then you need to adjust to compensate. Most tyre companies don't know this.

The test for these issues always used to be one level motorway lane change at 60mph over 100 metres. If it does not exhibit the issue within this then the car is deemed to be within limits

I've certainly known a tyre change to solve the problem, but never with new tyres. Definitely worth trying though. Failing that, as I said before, you need to know whether the car is inherently biased towards the left or just following the camber. Only way to test this is to try it on both right and left cambers (and on the flat runway as well, where it ought to be neutral!)