Have the car booked into the shop Tuesday morning to have two new axles put in, but just want to make sure I am fixing the right parts.

When I gently accelerate its fine, but when I try some 'spirited' driving it pulls hard to the left. It also tends to rumble a bit when going slow.

The wheel bearings are fine, no play there. I did a search and it looks like that is what it could be, but second opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Some pull to the side under hard acceleration is normal on a FWD car. Also referred to as Torque steer you won't really ever eliminate it. The Intagra alreayd uses an intermediate shaft so that equal length axels can be used which improves this issue over civics and such but it's still very prominent.

I could havr this reversed but I believe it is TOE OUT that will help correct some of this but do it only slightly as anything significant will wear the tires. It's been so long since I had a performance alignment done my details are foggy. Someone else might be able to chime in here.

the rumble I can't speak to but make sure it isn't your ears expecting to hear something vs something really being there.

 

yep its torque steer. i believe you can reduce the effect by being more smooth with the clutch throught the engagement point and having a firm grip on the steering wheel

 

couldnt this something as simple as worn tires or wheels out of balance, or possibly alignment? I would have checked that stuff first.

 

Well the problem has only just started happening over the past two weeks.

I fully understand the torque steer, I have experienced it before in the same car.

This doesn't really happen when disengaging the clutch, it is when I holt the throttle open it pulls, only to the left.

The tires are virtually brand new and balanced, and the alginment is fine.

Out of balance tires wouldn't really cause this, more like vibrations. Well its only costing me $179 to habe the two axles changed out and replaced so we shall go from there.

Thanks for the suggestions,

 

Worn upper control arm ball joint????

Also some directional tyres are known to cause this...so maybeyou should swap about wheels and see if the same thing happens. One way to eliminate a problem with an actual wheel is to swap the front two wheels about, it doesnt matter that the tyres are directional (if they are) the same thing should happen if its a suspension/drive problem.

How have you come to the conclusion its an axle problem? Surely if an axle was bad it would manifest itself in a different way...ie no drive or lack of drive to the left, rather than pulling the car to the left.

Before replacing axles, i'd investigate suspension parts first! A weak shock will cause the problem you describe, as under acceleration the weak shock doesnt hold the weight of the car as it should and droops causing the car to pull to that side.

 

[QUOTE=mugenracer]
Surely if an axle was bad it would manifest itself in a different way...ie no drive or lack of drive to the left, rather than pulling the car to the left.

QUOTE]

This is how I arrived at the conclusion, more drive going to the passenger wheel than the drivers, hence the passenger wheel would tend to push more.

Also it is not constant, ie when cruising, its only when I accelrate at more than 75%

 

My bet is if you blew an axle you'd know damned well and woudln't be going too far not even 75%.

 

Well I had both axles replaced and the problem is still there.

If it was an alignment issue wouldn't the problem be constant?

Can you explain how the upperball joint would cause this?

 

2 things....

1st, there isn't supposed to be torque steer with the LSD, on my GS-R, if you shifted to 3rd at redline and had a light grip on the wheel, the car would jerk over. That is torque steer, I have never exerienced that in an R.

2nd, have you checked tire pressure? I didn't see that mentioned here yet. Just another thing to check.

 

I not currently running an LSD, but I really don't think it is torque steer. Tires are fine, both at 35psi. It just started happening one day.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Arsenal &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I not currently running an LSD, but I really don't think it is torque steer. Tires are fine, both at 35psi. It just started happening one day.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I see your location is FL, if your close to me you can bring the car by and I'll take a look at it for you. PM for details.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Arsenal &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well I had both axles replaced and the problem is still there.

If it was an alignment issue wouldn't the problem be constant?</TD></TR></TABLE>

not necessarily. the suspension is constantly moving. if the problem is alignment related, you may not feel it when the suspension is in a certain position, while other positions it will be felt.

I had worn ball joints on BOTH fronts on my civic, and it was felt 100% of the time, not just under acceleration. the faster I would go, the worse it shook. so I would assume its not that.
**EDIT: I had worn inner control arm bushings, dont know if it has the same effect as worn upper joint bushings.

are your motor mounts in good condition?

 

I have this problem in my NON-LSD ff's.....but pulling to one side in the itr doesn't happen with the LSD.

Also, it happens with un-even pavement/surface....that also might be the problem.


IMO

 

When I snapped an axle at the track I had to drive home with only one axle in, talk about a hard pull

 

Dave--PM'd you.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hooch?n &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have this problem in my NON-LSD ff's.....but pulling to one side in the itr doesn't happen with the LSD.

Also, it happens with un-even pavement/surface....that also might be the problem.


IMO</TD></TR></TABLE>

What was the culprit as I am not running a LSD?

Another thing, after I drive it hard to see what the problem is, when I go to brake the steering wheel shakes really hard. I know that my rotors are currently warped, and they vibrate alittle when I brake normally, but after a hard drive they do this, and seems to pull to the right.

Note: If I roll into the throttle say from 25%-100% then it is fine.