Can this be fixed?

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Can this be fixed?

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Mazda Forum >> Mazda Vehicles >> Mazda 323,Mazda 626 & Mazda 929 >> Can this be fixed?

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Can this be fixed? - 2/2/2007 9:45:09 PM

dkhl

Posts: 3
Joined: 10/7/2006
Status: offline

I have a '93 Mazda 626 2.0L LX that has slightly over 200,000 miles. It's a pretty good car even though it has a couple quirks that I can't seem to fix. Anyways, when I bought the vehicle, it pulled to the right pretty badly. Not to mention, the pass. front tire was completely bald on the inner treads. I was advised to change the tires and do an alignment, which I did and it no longer pulls to the right. However, I was told that the caster is way off, like -1.7 and it couldn't be adjusted. The vehicle drives straight like I said, but my steering wheel is crooked and has to be turned noticeably right to go straight which is getting real annoying. How do I fix the caster? The mechanic said it couldn't be adjusted :(.

Post #: 1

RE: Can this be fixed? - 2/2/2007 10:15:11 PM

sstlaure

Posts: 2345
Joined: 11/28/2005
Status: online

Sounds like your tie-rod ends aren't centered with respect to the steering box (or rack). Not sure exactly what your set-up looks like, but to re-center your steering, you would screw one side in and the other side out so that the overall distance between the steering knuckles (at the tie-rods) was the same, but the centering point would have moved.

Caster angle would have nothing to do with where your steering wheel is centered. Excessive negative camber would wear your tire on the inside edge, as would a toe-out condition, but caster wouldn't cause that tire wear. The caster wouldn't be adjustable as it is set by the steering knuckle/ball-joint/a-arm relationship.

Get the tie-rods centered and you'll be good to go....Oh yeah....find a new mechanic .

< Message edited by sstlaure -- 2/2/2007 10:20:15 PM >

(in reply to dkhl)

Post #: 2

RE: Can this be fixed? - 2/2/2007 10:29:56 PM

dkhl

Posts: 3
Joined: 10/7/2006
Status: offline

Funny story is I work in a mechanic shop, and that same mechanic told me you couldn't adjust it or fix it. I'm 99% sure hes just being lazy, if I were a mechanic obviously I'd have done it myself. I will have a discussion with him tommorow. Just to clarify again, the car drives straight.. so no pulling to either side like before.. it just looks dumb as hell when I look at the steering wheel and its like i'm making a right turn (although not THAT far right) to go straight.. its really upsetting and annoying me lol... cause I spent $1000+ on new tires and that didn't fix my problem.. Your sure that centering the tie rods will fix this?

(in reply to sstlaure)

Post #: 3

RE: Can this be fixed? - 2/3/2007 12:21:16 AM

sstlaure

Posts: 2345
Joined: 11/28/2005
Status: online

OK...so here is how it works

When you get your car aligned, there are various threaded joints that get adjusted to get everything lined up....Now it's possible for your tires to be headed straight down the road and your steering wheel to not be centered if when they did the alignment, they did a poor job of finding the centerpoint of travel in the steering box (or steering rack) depending on which your car is equipped with.

Let's assume your steering wheel is turned a little to the right, but your tires are straight (neutral toe)

Center your steering wheel (I'm pretty sure they didn't disconnect the steering wheel/column from the rack/steering box when they did your alignment, so this should find your true center) - your tires should now both be turned slightly left.

To adjust this, the tie-rod end for the LH side would need to get a little shorter (screwed into the tube), and the RH side a little longer (screwed out of the tube). This is done through the threads on the tie-rod ends. (Take a look at where the steering connects to the knuckle, there should be a threaded post going into a threaded tube with some sort of locking mechanism, usually a collar with a bolt.)

I'd be willing to bet that right now you can turn the tires further to one side than the other because your steering isn't properly centered. If a shop did the alignment, have them do it again, if they won't, then report them to the better business bureau.

Caster has nothing to do with your issue, but he's right, it can't be adjusted, it just doesn't matter for the problem you are having.

< Message edited by sstlaure -- 2/3/2007 12:25:53 AM >

(in reply to dkhl)

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RE: Can this be fixed? - 3/21/2007 8:56:52 PM

mazzfan

Posts: 107
Joined: 10/6/2005
Status: offline

I agree that in many cases on late model cars, caster is non-adjustable. Furthermore, on vehicles such as the late model minivans, the camber and caster were set at the time the vehicle was designed and according to the location of the suspension components, so they do not require adjustment. I had this problem once with my car when my tire seems to worn too fast for its life span so I tried to adjust the toe of my car... My friend told me that my worn outer Mercedes tie rod ends are the major cause of abnormal tire wear and toe cannot be accurately set when these components are worn..

(in reply to sstlaure)

Post #: 5