2002 Windstar Pulls left

bigham · #1 06-07-2005, 11:12 AM

I have a 2002 Windstar that pulls left. I have had it in to be aligned 4 times now, had the tires rotated and remounted, but the car still pulls left. I have to fight the wheel to keep it to the right. If I let go of the wheel it would pull me left across 6 lanes of the highway if I let it go. Any ideas why this might happen? Dealer claims everything is fine up front, and nothing is damaged. Any ideas?

adbradley · #2 06-07-2005, 11:45 AM

My 99 does the same thing only to the right. If I let go of the wheel, I'd be in the ditch! I've had mine aligned numerous times and everytime it comes back as dead on, yet still pulls right. I did a little research and learned that the caster may be off. I measured where the wheels sit in the wheel wells and I found my problem. The left wheel is centered in the wheel well, but the right one is back about 1 1/2 inches. The left wheel is "ahead" of the right one, so it is pushing it to the right. I haven't had time to check the suspension parts, but I'm betting that the arm is bent a little. Might be something to check...

garync1 · #3 06-07-2005, 11:46 AM

First idea would be stuck brake caliper. Second guess would be your tires are a flat type tread. If it were the tires It would not be a fight but more of if you let go it will tend to drift. I like the stuck caliper better.I am not so sure why the dealer cant figure this out but other problems may include a bent tie rod but they would have pick up on that with the alignment. Any other info you can provide would help. Do you have the computer print out of the alignment. If so what are the numbers on it every time you took it in. Did you have the tires replaced before this?Or did it only start after new tires were put on. There are defects in a tire the can cause high lateral, high ridial and high con. One of the defects can cause your van to pull very hard. But that only happen if they are new.

garync1 · #4 06-07-2005, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adbradley

My 99 does the same thing only to the right. If I let go of the wheel, I'd be in the ditch! I've had mine aligned numerous times and everytime it comes back as dead on, yet still pulls right. I did a little research and learned that the caster may be off. I measured where the wheels sit in the wheel wells and I found my problem. The left wheel is centered in the wheel well, but the right one is back about 1 1/2 inches. The left wheel is "ahead" of the right one, so it is pushing it to the right. I haven't had time to check the suspension parts, but I'm betting that the arm is bent a little. Might be something to check...

GOOD point might be worth a check as well.

bigham · #5 06-16-2005, 07:04 PM

I HAVE AN ANSWER!
Well, after all the farting around and the dealer kept the car for a week, and installed a new rack and pinion steering unit...it seems that I had bad tires!!! They had already rotated the tires and did 3 front end alignments, and tried another used set of tires on the van they finally rotated the tires from side to side and that fixed the pulling. Now it pulls just slightly right, but it will even out soon, and I am good until it is time to rotate tire, then I will need to repalce them since it seems like I have a problem with the steel belted radial.

garync1 · #6 06-17-2005, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigham

I HAVE AN ANSWER!
Well, after all the farting around and the dealer kept the car for a week, and installed a new rack and pinion steering unit...it seems that I had bad tires!!! They had already rotated the tires and did 3 front end alignments, and tried another used set of tires on the van they finally rotated the tires from side to side and that fixed the pulling. Now it pulls just slightly right, but it will even out soon, and I am good until it is time to rotate tire, then I will need to repalce them since it seems like I have a problem with the steel belted radial.

I tought the tires may be the problem... This happens more often than you think.. its not the steel belted tires, most all tires are steel belted unless you order some speciality tires. Like polyglass which were used years ago or bias ply.. The defect of the tires you have explained is called high lateral. Pulls hard to one side.. if it were to pull both ways or shake it would be a radial harmonic. And if it were to bump up and down high radial. I work for Good Year/ Kelly springfield tire co.We make 55,000 tires a day. When the tires were ship to the dealer it looks like a set or even more slip by the force machine which checks the tires for these problems. they did not slip by. the rush them out to fill orders really. they call it bypassing.

lewisnc100 · #7 06-17-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigham

Now it pulls just slightly right, but it will even out soon, and I am good until it is time to rotate tire, then I will need to repalce them since it seems like I have a problem with the steel belted radial.

Had this on another vehicle with crappy tires, pulled to one side until we swapped them side to side. I was OK to rotate the tires as long as I went from front to back and back to front. As long as I didn't rotate them side to side it drove fine.

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