Club G40 Forum
Technical => Chassis & Braking => Topic started by: jez1272gt on November 04, 2009, 05:08:12 pm
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Wondering if anyone can tell me im being a complete muppet here but -
I am final fitting my front suspension and steering and i have come across a problem -
When the steering is perfectly centered, the offside hub is facing forward and true which is correct as the offside arm is non adjustable (G40 one went to car part heaven), but even if i adjust the nearside, adjustable steering arm to its shortest position it is still too long meaning the nearside hub is facing inward still (ie the wheels are miles out of alignment). Seems like the n/s adjuable arm is too long by 25mm ish!!
I have been through all the possibilties in my head and i cant for the life of me think what it could be!
The steering arms are positioned corrrectly on the Gaz coilovers, the subframe shouldnt make a difference, but is set up roughly the same both sides, the g-ladersiete top mounts are positioned the same on each side and as far as i know the steering arms are the same as the ones that were on the car pre strip down!!
Any Ideas?
Jez
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you do know the adjustable side is adjustable at both the track rod end at the centre where it bolts to the steering rack don't you?
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Unfortunately i do - and ive wound both of them in as far as they go and its still too bloody long!!
I cant for the life of me think of whats wrong unless i have somehow macically produced a longer steering arm on the nearside?
doh!!
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Mk1 components?
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Mk1 components?
I really dont have a clue!! Its been playing on mind all day at work and its really starting to bug me!!
As far as i am aware its the original GT steering arm which was on the car pre-strip down!!
Anyone else any suggestions?
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both wheels should toe in slightly anywya - should they not?
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Possibly by a margin as it obviously front wheel drive, but this is not toe-in lol - this is facing-in. Got to be the arm length.
Can anyone tell me the length of their adjustable arm centre? The center bit that both the ends screw into? I can only think that it must be that!
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Toe should be parrallel.
Jez- on some aftermarket steering racks there are 3 holes, possibly one of the steering arms is in the wrong one? I'm sure people have had this problem before when they've been given Mk1 parts instead of Mk2/Mk3 ones...
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Im certain that the steering rack is off the GT, Ive checked it against my G40 one and its the same, the arm is definately located in the correct hole so i really dont know what the problem is. Im gonna have a look this afternoon once i get back from Uni and im not gonna stop looking untill i find the problem - must be something completely stupid but it really has stumped me!!!
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Thanks for the suggestion Rae but the bracket is 100% correctly on and in the right place facing the right direction - the arms are bolted through the correct holes and everything looks to be in order!!!!!
The only thing i can think it could be is the incorrect centre section for that arm somehow (god only knows where it has come from if it is wrong!)
The centre section of the problem arm is 335mm end to end including the tapered nut type slip things (technical term :))
Can anyone put me out of my misery and check their nearside adjustable arm centre section (the bit that the ends screw into) ????
Thanks
Jez
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Jez, the tubular arm with the nuts is approx. 335mm long, so looks like your ok there. The overall length is 520mm from centre of bolt hole to centre of ball joint.
My money is on the rack not being centred. I can't see that you're trying to refit it with incorrect parts. Have you measured the amount of rack movement from side to side to confirm that the rack is actually correctly centred? Not trying to teach you to suck eggs, just a thought.
Hope this helps,
Richard.
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:o
Thanks for your time Richard, really appreciated! Well thats that idea out the window. Thinking about it i shall check the overall length as i have replaced the ball joint with a new one - maybe thats the problem?
I definately have the rack in the right place and centred - ive measured lock to lock (3.5 turns of s.wheel) and centred it - this is also backed up by the non-adjustable off side arm which causes the hub to face forward and true!?
Back to the drawing board then i guess - this is really killing me, must be something obvious but it just wont click...
Anyone with any suggestions - however stupid - please throw them down...
Thanks
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the gaz arms are welded on right arent they?
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Yep the arms are welded on the correct side and they are located around the strut/coil body in the same place as standard as i have compared them to a spare strut i have.... :'(
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hmm i thought gaz welded them lower?
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yeah the arms on the gaz coilovers are considerably lower than on standard struts, probably a good two inches lower from looking at pictures.
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Correct the arms are lower on the Gaz units than on the standard strut. I meant that the arms are loacted in the same place 'around' the strut body rather than vertically up it!
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Do you ever get the feeling you are being a comeplete and utter twat? I sure feel like im being one at the moment :D
Can someone please tell me the measurement of the offside (non adjusatble) steering arm? Mine appears to be 550mm from centre of the bolt hole to the centre of the ball joint thread....
... i have a funny feeling someone is going to tell me that this too long and that im an idiot!!!!
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My none adjustable arm is around 515mm long
seems that yours is way long and causing your problem.
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Thanks Weeman. Appreciated
What a f'ing tool i am!! ::)
I even looked at the problem initially and told myself that the offside arm would be at fault then i somehow ruled that out and went off chasing shadows. DICK
Moral of this story - im an idiot!! :o
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no worries!
So whats your steering arm come from?
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God only knows - i got it new as a replacement for the shot one when i stripped the car down!!
Time to find another new one then!!!
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Don't know if you'll get a proper one for the G now. I had to wait quite a while for mine(both sides) and that was last winter. Interesting to find out what the problem one came from though. Does it have a rose jointed inner bush?. I fitted mine without noticing they were rose jointed and some one else highlighted that they were. As to what's out there, my old G had adjustables both sides which caused a bit of head scratching at the dealers when I tried to renew them, so don't be too hard on yourself.
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The incorrect off-side arm is non adjustable and fixed bush (no rose joint :-[)
Will try and find out what it came from but it was definately for a VW of some descipt...
Genuine off side adjustable arms are no longer available according to my dealer so i guess i'll do GSF or similar for another arm and see what i get....... :D
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Problem sorted now. Took awhile to find a new arm but got there in the end. Even VW seem to list the mk3 polo off side steering arms as 550mm in length. Very strange!!!! Had to specify that the arm was only 515mm to the manufacturer to get the right one sent out!