Honda FR-V pulling to left

[Burnerman]

I'm afraid I don't have much more to add to this one, apart from as the car behaves better under hard acceleration then the castor angle isn't sorted......that's nowt to do with the gearbox of course.
It does seem that the resistance to spin the driveshaft nearside is excessive. I have had that on a Citroen Berlingo, and had the gearbox changed for a S/H unit.
When I stripped the gearbox down I couldn't find anything wrong with it at all
I wish you all the best with this one, and do post back if you will......matches and fuel provided!
John

 

[cdbe]

Here's the deal, I have replaced:

• New front suspension arms
• New ball joints
• Second hand front struts
  
• New stabiliser drop links
• New left hand side axle (as it was slightly bent)
  
• Second hand steering rack (twice)
• Second hand power steering pump
• New PAS fluid
• Wheels balanced
• Tracking (x3 times)
• Brake discs and pads (all four)
• Second hand brake callipers with carriers (all four)
• Front brake hoses
• Front wheel bearings

You've done all this on a car worth about £2,000. You could easily spend/do as much again and still not fix it. The best advice I can give you is that it's beyond economical repair and that you should cut your losses and get rid of it. Apparently demand for used cars is high at the moment so you should get something for it - trade-in, eBay, WBAC etc.

 

[VanDerSnow]

You've done all this on a car worth about £2,000. You could easily spend/do as much again and still not fix it. The best advice I can give you is that it's beyond economical repair and that you should cut your losses and get rid of it. Apparently demand for used cars is high at the moment so you should get something for it - trade-in, eBay, WBAC etc.

Thanks for advice, I do feel like it would be easiest just to get rid of it, but I would loose a lot more by selling it for a grand or so, especially after all that work I have done, I want to get back as much as possible, and the only way to be there is to fix it. Plus I like to get to the bottom of the things - it's the only way to get experience.

Today after work I came up with this idea of trying to reverse at speed (greater than what you drive in the car park). So the result was that when you reverse, steering wheel turns to the same side (left) a lot quicker than when moving forward. Could this be clue it's something with rear suspension? I would be very surprised if it was that, as the MOT centre where I took this car have decent rig to stress suspension. Unless they just missed the whole end?

 

[Burnerman]

Vehicle steering, and in particular the self centring action, is governed by the castor angle of the suspension design. Effectively the bottom of the front strut leans to the rear of the vehicle, if you can imagine an imaginary centre line from the vertical drawn through it.....a matter of a degree or so.
Therefore when travelling forwards the steering self centres after being turned and this also helps to prevent the car wandering across the road to some degree. The castor angle isn't adjustable but if the vehicle has been impacted or whatever the castor angle needs to be accurately checked. (This is different to the tracking, although the effects of it may be similar - i.e the vehicle pulls to one side).
Driving the vehicle in reverse isn't really a fair test as the castor angle is upset and there is no self centring action - but I do reckon the castor angles on your car are incorrect for one reason or another which may give the symptoms you describe.
For the rear of the vehicle to cause this, there would be significant misalignment of the rear suspension - again this isn't adjustable so far as we are concerned.
John

 

[VanDerSnow]

I'm well aware of caster, it is just difficult to think it can be causing this because:

1. The impact car had was from the side, so the caster would unlikely be affected?

2. If the caster is off, it would cause more or less same amount of pull all the time, while I see variance.

3. If the caster is off, it would be caused by one of the mounting points or the shock. Shock was replaced and the the top mounting point would be very unlikely off its original location due structural strength. The suspension arm is new and I haven't noticed anything while fitting it. The subframe is damn thick and to make it move out of its original location should be quite of an accident.

I will try another guy who may be able to check caster and give a good look over the suspension and see what he finds.

Will report back

 

[VanDerSnow]

So went for caster check and it all came spot on. Only thing that was highlighted was the rear springs, so the camber is too negative. But since both sides near identical wear, that shouldn't be causing the pull.

No ideas what to do now.. I somewhy have suspicion to the rear suspension but not entirely sure.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

https://www.webuyanycar.com/

 

[HERTS P&D]

You could always let more air out of the right tyre.



Andy

 

[baldykev]

Have you had a full geometry test ? if so picture of results, if not need one, a full geometry test no tracking .

 

[securespark]

Gosh, what a story!

We have had an FR-V since new which is on 165K.

I find it hard to believe that driving up the kerb could cause this (unless the kerb is hit at speed) as Mrs Secure does this a lot and ours doesn't have this issue.

I think, as you are wanting to change the clutch, checking out the gearbox is a good shout.

We had our clutch done a few K ago and since then first and second are tricky to select.

You have swapped so much already, there can't be that much left to change!

But like Burnerman says, it takes a fair whack to bend these things, so, as you are doing the clutch anyway, I would revisit the connection between the shaft and the gearbox and check all is hunky dory there.

I am like you and am determined to get to the bottom of an issue. I hope you do!

 

[The Samaritan]

Checked the steering rack but best to rid, IMHO.

 

[Justin Passing]

We have a CR-V, otherwise similar numbers as yours.
We've had none at all of those (non consumable) parts replaced. Not much of anything really, ...
But with new tyres, tracking checked twice (laser) it doesn't pull, but the steering wheel isn't in the middle . Tracking was definitely done with it fixedproperly

Its clutch is weakening, and as its dual mass, several hundred quid. Not ULEZ compliant either so it'll be scrap. Pity really, it would have gone on as a utility thing for several years, at 45+mpg. If yours is the same engine as mine (2.2D), ULEZ will devalue it, more or less, depending on area.

Sadly, changing all those parts you have, doesn't make it a more desirable car, it's just like you changed a lightbulb.

One clue may be that it tightens up when it's warm. You could confirm that with a spring balance hooked on the steering wheel. Unlikely to be bent geometry if it changes a lot, I'd say.
You may be lucky with one of these https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d0...6565&msclkid=1cbfccbd335e18fba71faef3d6989bba
spotting something hotter than the other side - UJ, diff o/p shaft etc.

Is your 4WD? If it could be asymetric I guess that could be involved if it's faulty.

Hope you find it.