oem front springs - now wonkey steering wheel

[thebrief_1979]

Does anyone know if the front springs on a mk2 1.6 gt with an ex engine code are the same as a mk2 1.8 gt2 ex engine code - one of mine has fractured and I have been given some free replacements

Cheers

[fonzooorooo]

I'd be VERY surprised if they're a different rating. (well... original ones might be, but I doubt repro ones are!) .. Personally, I wouldn't over think it - pop them on!

[thebrief_1979]

Well the springs were the least of my worries. Ended up needing new top mounts and had to get new camber adjust bolts and others manufactured as vw no longer make them

Feels a fair bit better now though

Cheers

[thebrief_1979]

Ok so now i have had new springs, pop mounts and camber bolts i was driving to work today and noticed whilst i was driving in a straight line the steering wheel is off to the left.

it seems to drive fine other than that

presumably they will have had to set all my tracking up when they did the work so i am assuming it is just a case of straightening my steering wheel up ( easy enough job)

could somebody confirm this

cheers

[dozzum]

If they have messed with your tracking then yes it will have caused that. If you have adjustable track rods on both sides ) then I would suggest getting underneath and checking that there is an equal amount of adjustment on both sides, ie. they haven't been lazy and just adjusted it all on one side. Not a massive problem but it annoys me as it just lazy. If the threads are the same both sides then yeh just take the wheel off and put it back on straight. Also if you only have one adjustable track rod which I think some of the early cars did then same again just wack it off and make it straight.

[ianaudia4]

I would want to know that the car is driving in a straight line first, so check that out on a flat surface (most roads have a camber!), if it does as you have said take the wheel off (24mm nut) and realign. If it doesn't drive straight then get the tracking done again.

[eefy]

if its pulling while driving, it may also be the camber on the wheels (was with mine) have a quick look to see if they look the same :)

if not its an easy fix, taper bolt on the suspension upright :)

[thebrief_1979]

Cheers guys -

Well when it's driving its miles better than its ever been - it doesn't get dragged into the road camber and goes in a straight line - a lot less hard work
When its parked up on the flat the wheels point straight weather or not the steering wheel is straight or not so I am a bit miffed - could something be loose or some play in a bush

[fonzooorooo]

As above, check if you've got 1 or 2 adjustable track rods... If it's just 1, pop the steering wheel off and back on in the right place... If it's 2, go moan at the guys who did your tracking!

If your last comment reads that you can pull the steering wheel to the straight ahead position without the road wheels moving, that must indicate wear in either suspension arm bushes, bottom ball joints, track rod ends or the rack itself. Test with a lever, or get a mate to grab/wobble a road wheel whilst you look underneath to find what's moving.

If it's nothing obvious, (play in the rack/column) I'd personally be tempted to simply move the steering wheel and see how it goes. If it looks like a ball joint, I'd replace (both sides - I always change suspension and brakes in pairs) immediately!

[Nate]

I would suggest getting underneath and checking that there is an equal amount of adjustment on both sides

much easier way of doing this - set the steering pointing straight ahead. turn the steering from this point to full lock in each direction. make sure there are the same number of turns of the wheel from straight ahead to full lock (roughly 2.5 turns iirc) as this will tell you that the rack is centred, which will give you the correct toe out on turns. this is more important that there being an identical amount of thread showing on each arm, particularly if it has had a pattern arm fitted on one side, which may have more or less thread cut onto it.

assuming the work was done at a garage, you should be able to get them to recheck and adjust the tracking FOC after a few days, to make sure it has stayed set once the suspension has settled in