Steering Problems/Wheel Tugging

[mr.Hand]

95 Geo Metro


When I'm driving, the steering wheel keeps tugging to the right, and if i take my hands off the wheel, the car just veers off to the right.

At very slow parking lot speeds, there is this repetitive slight tug to the right in the steering wheel.

Sounds like an alignment issue? I just got the car aligned today, and the alignment hasn't changed anything, It is doing the exact same thing as before.

I need help, I am at the end of my rope.

Is it possible to get refunded for the alignment, obviously there is something at work here causing the car to be off of alignment very badly, and the alignment didn't fix anything.

I thought when you had an alignment, the car steers straight and true after that. I had it done at Mr. Tire.

I appreciate your time, thanks for your help! Let me know what you think.

[RossT]

There are a number of things that may cause this. Here are a few to check:

1. Your front right tire may be bad and or out of balance or uneaven treadwear. Try and rotate that tire with another one to see what happens.

2. The alignment shop should have cought this, but you could have a bad ball joint on that side or a loose strut tower.

3. Front right brake caliper may be sticking partially closed.

4. Bad alignment, Take it back and tell them its still pulling to the right.

[mr.Hand]

Hey thanks!

Do you think the front axle may be bent?

There is this high pitched tin metal like sound coming from the right tire, its not the pads, i know what they sound like, but it stops when the brakes are applied. The caliper possibly?

[RossT]

That sound stopping when brakes applied, would mean to me that it is brake related. You could have a draging caliper brake pad when the brakes are not being applied. You will need to raise the front of the car and pull that tire off and take a look at the rotar and brake pads. See if you can rotate the rotar by hand (by turning the studs). Normally you should haved a slight drag. Check you pads for even wear. Check the rotar for scoring. You may need a new caliper. Luckly they are cheap for our cars. If you do have to a bad caliper, I would change both fronts with "loaded" calipers. very easy to do and they come with pads and everything ready for you to just bolt on.

[crazyinkc]

I wonder if it might be bad hub bearings? Some thing else to check after you look into everything else Ross T suggested.

[theragtopguy]

Sounds like a stuck caliper to me.

[mr.Hand]

Thanks for the replies

Here is something to add to the conversation:

I blew the front right tire out on my car 2 months ago, and got it replaced. However, it isn't the same as all the other tires in my car. They are Good Year Club, and the mechanic at the shop said they stopped making those, so he put a tire on I guess that is "compatible" or works with my car. If that tire is "slightly" larger or smaller than my other tires, could that cause problems? Like the ones I am having?

I was going to get an alignment done, b/c I haven't had one done in a while, and this is the first I have done on the car since I got it in 2001 from my Dad.

I also spoke with the gentleman at Mr. Tire where my alignment was done, and he said that the problems I am experiencing even with a new alignment could possibly be that the front right tire has a "seperated belt?".

I feel that they did the alignment properly at Mr. Tire, but I was hoping they might have caught something wrong if there was a problem.

He said that a balancing of the tires or a roatation would not help with the problem I am having with tugging and veering to the right. Just trying to narrow the options if the problem is with the tire.

Thanks again! This helps me out alot.

[serenity]

If you are experancing the noises that you say with the brakes, then the items that the others have brought up are the likely problem. Either one or more of them are qiute likely to be the problem. None that can't be fixed with a little investigation time and hopefully not a lot of money. Might be wise to invest in a haynes or simullar manual on thes repairs. Good luck S.

[RossT]

Before you do anything else, move the front right tire to another location on the car, and check the rotar/pad when the tire is off.

[mr.Hand]

Ongoing saga...

I was readin my trusty Hanes manual today, and it says that you shouldn't mix a steel belted with non steel belted tires. The other 3 tires aren't steel belted, the front right tire that seems to be causing problems is. Manual says that it can cause suspension and HANDLING problems. I'm going to take the tire up to the place I got it put on at tomorrow and tell them to put the correct type of tire on.

WHen you are moving tires around, is it ok to just tighten the lug nuts tightly with the breaker bar, or do you have to use one of those electric torque wrenches? I want to inspect the front brakes on the car tonight, but I am not sure about the tightening.

[mr.Hand]

I got my front right wheel off!

Bad news. I inspected my caliper, and I have no brake pad left at all.

The metal part at the bottom of the brake pads is basically resting on the Metal Disc, and its grooved pretty badly. Is that the "caliper sticking partially closed" thing you are talking about? If so, I guess that would cause that tire to move slower than the others. Could that cause the right leering and wheel tug?

I am going to take the car up tomorrow morning hopefully, see what the guys think up there, I might get them to replace the discs and pads if it isn't too much.

I have almost nailed this problem down.

[mr.Hand]

I tried rotating the disc/rotor and there is ALOT of drag on the rotor.

The caliper is sticking partially closed.

I'm going to have to see if I need a new rotor, b/c I was thinking of replacing just the calipers.

[Tominator2000]

The lug nots should only be torqued to 45Ft/lbs. You should use a torque wrench.

Glad you got this ironed out. You might consider doing the brake job yourself. Using the manual it is fairly easy.