Help me figure this issue out...

Diagro

Diagro

Diagro

Soldato
Joined
3 Jun 2012
Posts
11,255
Hi all.

So ever since I have had this mazda I have had an annoying issue with it.

The steering pulls to the left all the time.
When your on a perfectly straight flat road and let go of the wheel it will turn left by about 10 degrees.
If your on a cambered road and let go you could be in a ditch within moments.. so I keep it straight.

If your on a camber going the other way then the car goes straight when you think it should veer right... ha.

So yes something is wrong.

What I've done to the car hoping it may help fix it in the process.

New b8 shocks all round.
New drop links.
New ball joints.
New springs.
New alloys Inc tyres.
New breaks.
Calipers refurbished.

All the above wasn't done in an attempt to fix it.. but I did hope that it would fix it along the way.

Alignment is perfect.

Even after all of that it's still doing it.

I did notice something when changing the shocks though, the left side had an inch more jacking up required to get the roll bar link into its hole than the other side. This makes me think it may be bent?

Would a bent anti roll bar cause a steering pull like I am finding?

It's an issue that's really bugging me as sometimes it can really snap left after a slight turn right.

Thanks all
James
 
If the brakes are good, and there is no play in the steering/suspension, it's got to be the the alignment causing it
 
No play i can feel in steering.
Alignment is perfect on the local Hunter machine. (not kwickfit).
Tyres are wearing fine. No uneven wear i can see
 
Lol. Damn. Thought I had your solution. It's an odd one. Mk2 mondeos were renowned for doing it but not the mazda 3 to my knowledge!
When you've replaced shocks etc, did you check the bushings?
 
Dis86 said:
Lol. Damn. Thought I had your solution. It's an odd one. Mk2 mondeos were renowned for doing it but not the mazda 3 to my knowledge!
When you've replaced shocks etc, did you check the bushings?
Click to expand...

Bushes on the ARB no. But on wishbones yea, looked solid, no play that i could see or feel.
the ARB moved freely with ease.
 
Isn't it possible for the power steering calibration to be off if it's an electronic one?

But when I've had this issue before it's been a bad alignment/geometry. Some places just suck at it, even with good equipment. I once went to one and he forgot to adjust one of the wheels, it was 3mm out when I had it re-done :/
 
Last edited:
Misaligned subframe?

Just had the same issue on my Mondeo, had the tracking done twice and the steering was off despite their laser machine thing saying all was fine.

Dropped the subframe at home & re-aligned it and suddenly the wheel is dead straight.
 
Steering wheel is dead center when going straight.
They checked it 3 times to make sure.

So alignment can't get better I don't think.

Camber, caster, toe all good. I will see if there is anywhere for a weight check
 
I had a 2008 Mazda 3 2.0 Sport and it never drove quite right.

It always felt vague and at speed it needed constant small steering inputs to track straight. I had it in 3 garages and none of them could find anything wrong. I tried 4 new Conti SC5 tyres, new drop links, engine and gearbox mounts, front arms and a 4 wheel alignment.

I gave up after spending about a grand on it and traded it in.
 
blueboy2001 said:
I had a 2008 Mazda 3 2.0 Sport and it never drove quite right.

It always felt vague and at speed it needed constant small steering inputs to track straight. I had it in 3 garages and none of them could find anything wrong. I tried 4 new Conti SC5 tyres, new drop links, engine and gearbox mounts, front arms and a 4 wheel alignment.

I gave up after spending about a grand on it and traded it in.
Click to expand...

This doesn't fill me with much hope.

I am looking into getting it on a set of weight checkers to see if anything is bent to throw off weight.
Then will get chassis checked for being bent.

If thats all fine i think i will give up.. or change the roll bar to a 28mm one instead of the 21mm stock one. Just to see if it helps. Not to mention i have wanted a better roll bar for a while anyway
 
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