[rad121]

After a bad blow out experience on the motorway two weeks ago, I have had to get a brand new Dunlop Sport Maxx on the front left. Now I've got a pull to the right when hard accelerating in D Mode. I believe this to be torque steer as the old tyre is smaller than the new one by around 4mm. Anyone else experiened this before?
Before anyone asks I have had the car tracked and aligned at the weekend so it's not down to anything being 'off'. Incidentally, the guy who did it said the back two tyres required rear camber adjustment - hence the stepping of my old tyres which I already knew was the cause.

I am thinking only way to cure this is another new tyre on the front?

 

[KrisW]

Unless the remaining tyre is brand new, I'd always replace the pair. 4mm is a big difference in wear, and it will affect the handling of the car. (New tyres are around 8 mm depth)

 

[cannonballuk]

This link (AA1) explains Torque Steer very well.http://www.aa1car.com/library/torque_steer.htm

 

[cannonballuk]

The web information gives several areas of torque steer causes and how to help reduce this effect.
I replaced the front bushes on the 156 for this reason and they helped.
While the rear powerflex polly bushes (blacks) improved the turn in so much.

Not sure if they make the front powerflex bushes for the Giulietta though?

But several other things mentioned could be the cause, or just normal torque steer due to increasing load (torque) being applied while in D -Mode.

The N and D mode in my QV have the same power/torque but with increased response in D mode they say. That was apparent until Alfa remapped my 2011 QV to improve N mode at the expense of D modes sluggishness, until I fitted a tuning box to get some of the old D mode response back and with it the torque steer. Still its easy to manage and only evident under hard acceleration.

 

[symon]

I would be tempted to get the tracking checked.

A bad blow out will put quite a lot of stress on the front suspension and steering parts, and could have put the alignment out on that wheel.

 

[cannonballuk]

Have you tried swapping wheels, backs to fronts and going for a spin.

 

[Argo]

Unless the remaining tyre is brand new, I'd always replace the pair. 4mm is a big difference in wear, and it will affect the handling of the car. (New tyres are around 8 mm depth)

100% agree. I wouldn't even feel comfortably driving a car with such a difference on one axle

It will affect the steering without question.

 

[DBGiulietta]

I was amazed at the difference having brand new on the front and worn on the back had to the handling of the car especially following ruts in the road. It actually felt quite dangerous and would catch me when I was expecting it until I replaced the back tyres too. That was on 18's.

 

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

100% agree. I wouldn't even feel comfortably driving a car with such a difference on one axle

It will affect the steering without question.

It'll likely be okay on a non-driven axle.

 

[apanache0]

You should put the new tyre to the back.

 

[rad121]

Well I've just had new tyre up front and the effers still pulling to the right. I'm really cheesed off - 4 new tyres, tracking and aligmnent done, and still an issue. It's a mystery and one that's really spoiling my previous massive enjoyment of the car.

 

[Argo]

Well I've just had new tyre up front and the effers still pulling to the right. I'm really cheesed off - 4 new tyres, tracking and aligmnent done, and still an issue. It's a mystery and one that's really spoiling my previous massive enjoyment of the car.

So you have two new tyres on the front now ?

If so then something is really wrong.

If you haven't already followed advice from post #6 then I'd swap the front wheels over (not normally recommend) since if this makes no difference then it proves the tyres/wheels aren't the issue. Don't forget to put them back if they're fixed rotation direction!

Next I'd be suspicious of the alignment checks and get a 2nd opinion (making sure you get a full 4 wheel alignment check done)

 

[DBGiulietta]

Does it do it on all road surfaces? ie smooth new roads as well as old rutted roads?

 

[rad121]

I am taking it back to the garage where the alignment was done on Saturday this evening. He's already blustered on the phone that the Hunter equipment they use is 'very rarely' wrong.

Doesn't matter what road it's on, there's a noticeable, and I mean noticeable pull, but only really in D mode which boost the torque doesn't it?. Seems more apparent in third and fourth gear. If I didn't steer against it I would quickly be off the road, so it's dangerous.

I will see if the garage can rotate the tyres for me - however I suspect alignment issue more than anything else.

I should add the car goes dead straight, and there's no pull under breaking at all. I am no expert, but does this suggest the rear wheels are out somehow causing a thrust issue, somehow exacerbated by the car pitching backwards when I give it the beans?

This is driving me mad - and costing me a bloody fortune. Anyone else with alignment issues past or present? Love to hear from you.

 

[Argo]

I should add the car goes dead straight, and there's no pull under breaking at all.

Hadn't realised steering is completely neutral.

If it's only evident under heavy acceleration then it's just possible you're noticing different characteristics of the new tyres (a back to front swap would have proven that). If you're adamant it's completely different then I'd get an Alfa specialist to check the front suspension, including springs /dampers, for anything damaged or bent as alignment checks don't always find damage.

 

[symon]

Check the bushes in the rear of the front suspension arms.

They don't look very robust, and it is possible that the stress put on the one carrying the failed tyre has damaged it.

May also be worth checking the steering rack bushes.

 

[rad121]

OK, I would really appreciate if someone who knows more about this than me takes a look at the attached image from the Hunter read out at Kwik Fit. Top one was the car on arrival this afternoon, the bottom one is as it is now. Does anyone think I should be on to KF customer services about this as it would appear to me they completely F&^%$ up the first attempt massively on Saturday.

"I can't understand that" says the mechanic as he passes me the sheet. I did ask for one on Saturday, but the printer was playing up funnily enough????

I can report the car is now driving monumentally better and feels as before on cornering etc. There's still a little pull in D mode but it's nothing like before and I am wondering as earlier poster has said maybe new tyres etc is making it feel a bit different, or I have just never noticed it before.

Anyway, delight is turning to anger now as I think KF have been really bad here. A lot of people may not have gone back or realised there was an issue, meaning £100 spent and a dangerous car with entirely wrong settings.

Any thoughts good Alfa folk? Should I be asking for a full refund for the grief + the new tyre I've bought this morning which made no difference?

 

[symon]

I wouldn't trust Kwik fit to set the tracking on a push bike...

 

[Isotope]

You should put the new tyre to the back.

best advice you will get from anyone on a website! Reason being front wheel drive cars wear front tyres first so you tend to swap front tyres for new more often, but what happens is your rears ar wearing slower and one day you may get to the point where your rear tyres can't follow the fronts due to aquaplaning. Then you get into the very strange world of oversteer in a fwd car??

 

[rad121]

Unhelpful

best advice you will get from anyone on a website! Reason being front wheel drive cars wear front tyres first so you tend to swap front tyres for new more often, but what happens is your rears ar wearing slower and one day you may get to the point where your rear tyres can't follow the fronts due to aquaplaning. Then you get into the very strange world of oversteer in a fwd car??

Yeah I get that, but seen as I had put two new tyres on the back as well the advice isn't much cop to me.

Anyone with any thoughts on the two separate wheel alignment, results from the same garage, by the same mechanic, just days apart? See the attachment from my earlier post.