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Author Topic: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...  (Read 2743 times)

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Offline Flame

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Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« on: March 11, 2009, 08:46:29 AM »
Background:  We bought a '92 BMW from Mr Flame's co-worker...she was sole owner, etc etc, so we know there were no accidents, major troubles, etc.  Car has 190,000 miles, and had sat for about a year.  We changed the struts, and some sort of bearing in the wheel that had worn unevenly, and also put in a new alternator.

Took the car to get an alignment, since we changed the struts.  Guy at the alignment shop spent a couple hours on it...couldn't get the pull to the right fixed.  According to the machines/computer, it is 100% alligned, but it still pulls.  Tires are not worn at all.  Neither he, not Mr Flame (who is a pretty handy car guy) can figure out why.  Mr flame thought it might be fluid imblance on the power steering fluid something or other. His next move is to tear down the right wheel, clean everything up there, since he replaced the thing on the left, but not the right.

Any suggestions on things to check? 
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2009, 08:50:17 AM »
Disc pads on one rotor might be grabbing enough to pull.

But yeah, if he did some work on the left wheel, he should do the same with the other.
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Offline Toastedturningtidelegs

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2009, 11:08:25 AM »
I would check the right wheel bearing!
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2009, 11:45:30 AM »
My daughter & son-in-law bought an older BMW.  It had PMS.  It required a lot of TLC. 
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2009, 10:31:56 PM »
If the alignment is actually done correctly, it's supposed to pull slightly to the right. This is for safety reasons.

Other factors such as road crown, tires needing rotation and air pressure can contribute to a pull in either direction. Or, the unibody could be damaged, but then it would not "take" the alignement.

Tires might also have flat spots from sitting in one place for so long, this could end up being a self correcting problem also.

« Last Edit: March 11, 2009, 11:06:37 PM by RobJohnson »
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Offline Thor

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2009, 05:31:32 PM »
A broken belt in one of the tires could cause that, too. BTDT.......Seriously, when one changes wheel bearings or replaces them, they should be done in pairs. How old are the tires?? Can you see any uneven wear on either tire?? Also, a sticky disc brake caliper can cause that problem, too.
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Offline Flame

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2009, 06:11:27 PM »
Tires are good...allignment guy even rotated them to see if that changed anything...nope.   Mr Flame is down in the garage tearing down the right side wheel now.  Hope that solve it.
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Offline Peter3_1

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2009, 08:00:43 PM »
Pulls to the right? Check the LEFT side. Don't know why, but the suide opposite the symptom is the problem in most cases.

A real auto engineer type explained it once, something to do with the front end, steering geometry, like that. He lost me early on. That is, if it is not the brakes.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2009, 01:27:36 AM »
So what did it end up being?
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Offline Flame

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2009, 07:08:05 AM »
Quote from: RobJohnson on March 19, 2009, 01:27:36 AM
So what did it end up being?
He tore down the right side, but hasn't said if it's totally fixed..he did say it didn't pull when he was on the highway the other day...guess the jury is still out?
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Have a car problem...need to pick some brains...
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2009, 03:23:38 AM »
Quote from: Flame on March 19, 2009, 07:08:05 AM
He tore down the right side, but hasn't said if it's totally fixed..he did say it didn't pull when he was on the highway the other day...guess the jury is still out?

I was just curious, keep us posted.
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