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Thread: AE86 steering issue

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    Senior Member Vezza's Avatar
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    Hey guys,
    Just wondering if it's normal for the AE86 to not centre back from full lock when turning in a slow circle, say at the end of a court? If the steering is at 90% lock, it'll centre back fine, just when I get to that extra 10% I can acutally feel a slight pull on the wheel and it being lock into the direction I'm turning it. The mech doing my roadworthy told me I had to get an alingment... which I did, but it didn't solve it and the Tyre power bloke thinks it may be normal, since it uses a rack and pinion with no bump stops. Does this happen to anyone else?


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    I dunno if this is going to be any help, but mate of mine bought a s13 a few years ago, and same thing happend to his, turned out his castor was either to positive or to negative, either way he adjusted his castor and it fixed it, sorry it's not very precise, but it's all I remember
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    Senior Member Vezza's Avatar
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    yeah, more positive castor will help to centre the wheels and also improves steering response, but I was wondering if it's normal to have the wheels stay on full lock with the stock castor settings. Having said that, I took my car back to Tyre power after they did the alignment and asked for more castor, as they agreed it would help as well. But it only made a slight difference which was hardly noticeable.

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    my AE86 does this too. in my case it's because of the lock I have, the wheel goes past the pivot point, instead of wanting to pull them around to center, it wants to pull them around the OTHER way (the way they can't go) to center them.

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    Veteran Jonny Rochester's Avatar
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    Describe your full setup. Do you have steering lock spacers? Silvia struts? Power steering arms? Roll centre adjusters? etc... I gather it's not totaly stock. Your problem maybe in one of these things.

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    Member nebuchernezzer's Avatar
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    Sounds like the steering is going very close or actaully going overcentre.
    It's basically a geometry problem.
    Common problem on S13s with extra lock, use your arms to pull it back that slight ammount when it's near full lock or alternatively change parts/move stops until it's no longer a problem.

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    yeah I had that problem with a prototype lock spacer, it was too big and jammed in the bush on full lock

    then I fixed the spacers and then I had the same problem when josh bent my chassis hahaha

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    Senior Member Vezza's Avatar
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    It's running coilovers, but I don't see how that would affect it. Cos it's simply an absorber insert with a threaded sleeve on the strut and coilover springs. So the strut as far as I know is still unmodified.... But I'm guessing it's not normal for an AE86 to stay on full lock?

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    Site Supporter Driftspec's Avatar
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    Mine does it too at low speeds, everything is stock apart from AJPS 8kg springs and Excel shocks (which shouldn't make a difference). On full lock, it doesn't re-centre. Nearly bit me one day, as I came out of my home I forgot and expected the car to go straight up the road, and I ended up going towards the other gutter.

    Not sure why, I'm guessing it's to do with the geometry and the resistance the wheels provide counter-acts the re-centring effect. Anything less, the resistance is less, and thus it can reset nicely. Although that theories far from bullet-proof
    4AGE is here! Cheers 44GTE and Anthony for your help! http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/fo...ad.php?t=10384

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    Member nebuchernezzer's Avatar
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    Depends on how much you lower it I guess, if it's super low your tie rod ends could bind up I guess.
    Worth laying under the car and looking at.

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