Steering Wheel Misaligned Slightly

zudecke

Year of vehicle: 2002
Make of vehicle: BMW Mini Cooper (Auto)
Model of vehicle: Hatchback
Engine size: 1.6 (Petrol)
Mileage/Kilometers: 37k

Hi,

My Mini 2002 has a slight niggling problem in that the steering wheel sits slightly misaligned at about 11.55, as opposed to 12.00 o'clock.

BMW told me that the steering wheel may need to be repositioned and quoted me something like £250.

I have since spoken to independent mechanics/garages and I've got the following responses:

"Could be one of a number of different issues, such as a bent tie rod, wishbone, tracking or incorrect fitting of steering wheel following an incident etc"

And the other is from a garage with dedicated laser alignment bays and they said:
"Should be £29.37 including vat, unless it needs anything more major then you could be looking at £29.37 per camber or caster adjustment."

My question is, what is my worst case scenario? I want to have knowledge of the possible problems that it could be, before walking into a mechanics, blindfolded and potentially getting conned.

Help appreciated, thanks!

Nick

molerat

Worst case is that some steering / suspension component is bent. All of the comments above are correct, apart from the BMW joke one !! Hopefully it will simply be a tracking adjustment.

Strider590

I reckon it's been for a new tyre at a generic tyre/exhaust/battery place and they're done the usual "would you like a free alignment check?"

Then proceeded to align the steering totally wrong for that model of car.
They hardly ever check what the alignment really should be and just align every car to zero... Then you get it on the road and the steering wheel seems misaligned or the car pulls to the left/right.

zudecke

The car doesn't pull to the left or right and brakes perfectly straight - it's just that the steering wheel sits slightly to the left so when turning you have to under or over compensate your steering, which isn't ideal, but not dangerous.

Does that change what the fix could be?

@molerat - your worst case is a bent steering/suspension component - how much would that cost to rectify?

Wee_Willy_Harris

It sounds like the tracking was a bit clumsily done at some point so getting a good tracking garage to re-set it should rectify. However, you have to ask why the tracking needed to be done in the first place. It could just be the usual replacement of a suspension/steering related component, such as a track-rod end, or it could have been the result of a minor clunk such as hitting a pothole/kerb etc. Of course, it could also be a slightly more serious clunk which has damaged/bent part of the suspension. Often the car will still track well (not pull to one side) if the damage is slight. Only way to find out is to get the geometry checked. The garage with the laser kit should be able to do this for you.

If I had to take a wild guess, I would say that the tracking has been done clumsily in the past and the suspension is OK. But that IS a wild guess.

Cost to repair if suspension damaged/bent depends on what is bent.

colino

With our potholed roads wheel (re)alignment is a growing business. You should have the steering checked over properly to give you peace of mind but pound to a penny (as said above) the wheel alignment has been done poorly in the past. The Steering wheel has to be set dead ahead and the track rod ends adjusted equally to do a proper job. Still, unless it needs new components is a £25-35 job.

zudecke

Yeah, like I said, that one garage which apparently have designated laser bays quoted me £29.37, but then he said, or possibly £29.37 per camber or caster adjustment - what does he mean by that?

Wee_Willy_Harris

zudecke wrote: »

Yeah, like I said, that one garage which apparently have designated laser bays quoted me £29.37, but then he said, or possibly £29.37 per camber or caster adjustment - what does he mean by that?

Tracking is in one direction, making the front of the tyres slightly closer together (toe-in) or further apart (toe-out). But your wheels also need to be right in the vertical plain (tops of the tyres closer/further apart) ... that's camber/caster adjustment. (very basic description, but you get the idea). Your tyres should be slightly closer together at the front and top for their best dynamic performance/even wear. It's unusual, but not impossible, for the camber/caster to need adjustment.

cyclonebri1

None of this has much to do with geometry and camber caster etc.

There is one highly likely reason and it is to do with tracking but does not neccesarily mean the tracking is out, hopefully you can understand that.

What will have happened is that over the last 8 years the tracking will have been adjusted several times to compensate for the changes and settlement of suspension over the years. If the steering wheel is correctly aligned, tracking should always be done by equal amount at each side. It sounds like this one has has all the adjustment done at one corner, which means that the steering wheel gradually gets displaced to one side as the actual tracking of the car is self centreing, ie, if you take your hand off the wheel the car will drive straight but the wheel may not be centred.

Take it to any good trye shop and explain, they will check and correct the tracking if need be whilst making the adjustments to bring the SW back to centre. ;)

Just don't go with the take the SW off advice, :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:can't believe any mechanic said that, most likely came from "reception", I hope:eek:


Colino, just seen your post, exactly what I am saying, but trust me I didn't crib yours;);)

zudecke

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

None of this has much to do with geometry and camber caster etc.

There is one highly likely reason and it is to do with tracking but does not neccesarily mean the tracking is out, hopefully you can understand that.

What will have happened is that over the last 8 years the tracking will have been adjusted several times to compensate for the changes and settlement of suspension over the years. If the steering wheel is correctly aligned, tracking should always be done by equal amount at each side. It sounds like this one has has all the adjustment done at one corner, which means that the steering wheel gradually gets displaced to one side as the actual tracking of the car is self centreing, ie, if you take your hand off the wheel the car will drive straight but the wheel may not be centred.

Take it to any good trye shop and explain, they will check and correct the tracking if need be whilst making the adjustments to bring the SW back to centre. ;)

Just don't go with the take the SW off advice, :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:can't believe any mechanic said that, most likely came from "reception", I hope:eek:


Colino, just seen your post, exactly what I am saying, but trust me I didn't crib yours;);)

Thanks for that (and to everyone else also!)

When you say take it to a tyre shop, would a mechanic without designated "laser" bays suffice - or something like Kwik-Fit etc?? Sorry if its a dumb Q - first car...

cyclonebri1

zudecke wrote: »

Thanks for that (and to everyone else also!)

When you say take it to a tyre shop, would a mechanic without designated "laser" bays suffice - or something like Kwik-Fit etc?? Sorry if its a dumb Q - first car...

NOT KWIK CARP, please read the ratings. Anywhere else, preferably on recomendation, that does geometry checks/tyres/etc.

Take care. :money: