So, got all the parts I needed for my front end: Wheel bearing, hub, and new upper ball joint, thanks to Mike Kristick. Got it all put together (a local machine shop had no trouble getting the bearing into the hub), took it out for a test drive, and I still have the same problem: The car pulls slightly to the right when I let off the throttle. I have not had a lot of front wheel drive cars before, so I'd like to know if this is common to front drivers, part of the whole Fulvia "experience", or if there's a way to get rid of this uneasy feeling for good.
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Kraig
Drifting Fulvia
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Ed Levin
Re: Drifting Fulvia
Kraig,
Torque steer simply isn't an issue with a stock 1,3S. What you're experiencing isn't part of "the Fulvia experience", unless the Fulvia in question has bad track rod ends, or improper toe settings, or some similar problem. My money would be on the track rods. (Adan has the same problem with his 'new' 1,2)
Torque steer simply isn't an issue with a stock 1,3S. What you're experiencing isn't part of "the Fulvia experience", unless the Fulvia in question has bad track rod ends, or improper toe settings, or some similar problem. My money would be on the track rods. (Adan has the same problem with his 'new' 1,2)
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neil cundy
Re: Drifting Fulvia
I presume you have checked the tracking and rear axle alignment etc. Have you checked that the bodyshell is straight ?
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Huib Geurink
Re: Drifting Fulvia
When it pulls to the right when lifting the throttle it means there is play betweenn the right hand side of the steering box and the right hand front wheel. Or, in different words, everything that helps keeping the right front wheel in the desired position is suspect
Usually it is the central track rod (assuming LHD) or one of the track rod ends. Could also be steering idler box. Your machine shop should have no trouble machining new bushes for it. Or in extreme cases it could be one of the suspension ball joints or wishbone bushes.
If you let someone wiggle the steering wheel and you yourself look at all the joints you will see where the problem is.
Usually it is the central track rod (assuming LHD) or one of the track rod ends. Could also be steering idler box. Your machine shop should have no trouble machining new bushes for it. Or in extreme cases it could be one of the suspension ball joints or wishbone bushes.
If you let someone wiggle the steering wheel and you yourself look at all the joints you will see where the problem is.
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Kraig
Re: Drifting Fulvia
I'll check the central track rod, and the rod ends. Thanks for the tips!
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Brian Long
Re: Drifting Fulvia
I had this problem with a Flavia. Finished up replacing all the ball joints to cure it.
Regards, Brian.
Regards, Brian.
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Peter Cripps
Re: Drifting Fulvia
Kraig,
My Fulvia had a slight steering pull when I first got it. To be honest, I can't remember whether it was sensitive to throttle opening, so you may have a different problem. But in my case I found that one front tire was much more worn than the other; swapping the tires from right to left did the same for the direction of pull. Both tires had good, even wear pattern, but the diameters were certainly different.
After putting two matched tires on the front wheels, all is well. No pull to either side, on or off throttle.
Peter
My Fulvia had a slight steering pull when I first got it. To be honest, I can't remember whether it was sensitive to throttle opening, so you may have a different problem. But in my case I found that one front tire was much more worn than the other; swapping the tires from right to left did the same for the direction of pull. Both tires had good, even wear pattern, but the diameters were certainly different.
After putting two matched tires on the front wheels, all is well. No pull to either side, on or off throttle.
Peter
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Randy Adams
Re: Drifting Fulvia
It's interesting how many different maladies people have had which yielded this problem. For me it was the track rod ends. A front drive car will change direction according to whether the power is off or on when there is play in the steering. Those crappy FRAP tie rod ends sometimes don't have the life span that they should. I resolved my problem by replacing only the outer track rod ends. They are super easy to replace on the Fulvia. Of course you will want to have the front wheels aligned after doing the job but count the threads when you take off the old ones and try to install the new ones with the same thread counts. This will get you fairly close to correct.
When I had bum ball joints the car didn't change direction with power on or off. Instead it had a very non-linear response to the steering, quite alarming at speed on the freeway. If you turned the wheel beyond a certain point, suddenly the car would lurch a good deal further than you intended.
When I had bum ball joints the car didn't change direction with power on or off. Instead it had a very non-linear response to the steering, quite alarming at speed on the freeway. If you turned the wheel beyond a certain point, suddenly the car would lurch a good deal further than you intended.
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Johnny48
Re: Drifting Fulvia
sounds funny, but I am sure it was no fun at all. can you imagine this situation at European speed limits ?
I remember this phenomena as being quite normal on old VW's, which combined with all of the weight behind the rear axle made for many a undesired changes of direction. Lickety Split too & not improved by wet roads. Ralph Nader was right, but not only about the Corvair
I remember this phenomena as being quite normal on old VW's, which combined with all of the weight behind the rear axle made for many a undesired changes of direction. Lickety Split too & not improved by wet roads. Ralph Nader was right, but not only about the Corvair
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Randy Adams
Re: Drifting Fulvia
I confess to having always had a soft spot for Corvairs. They have the greatest sound. They sure do leak though.
I bought the Fulvia with the ball joint problem. The previous owner was a kid who had managed to totally screw up the carburetor balance (correcting it after taking delivery was the most satisfying hour I ever spent working on a car) so I doubt that he even noticed the steering problem. In those days the only person I knew of who worked on Fulvias was Steve Snyder up in the San Francisco Bay area, a matter of some 350 miles from where I lived. The car ran like a sewing machine all the way but changing lanes has never been so exciting!
I bought the Fulvia with the ball joint problem. The previous owner was a kid who had managed to totally screw up the carburetor balance (correcting it after taking delivery was the most satisfying hour I ever spent working on a car) so I doubt that he even noticed the steering problem. In those days the only person I knew of who worked on Fulvias was Steve Snyder up in the San Francisco Bay area, a matter of some 350 miles from where I lived. The car ran like a sewing machine all the way but changing lanes has never been so exciting!