Howdy folks.

Got a slight pull to the left in the Open Classic whilst driving which sometimes gets exaggerated when braking during a left turn.

Is this a balance or alignment problem?

Thanx in advance for help.

Oh, and Cush, no need for any comments about MY pulling to the left...

a looseness problem - if it's come on all of a sudden, get it checked cos something is coming adrift.... caster different from one side to the other will cause it to pull to one side, as will a dragging brake and any number of other things

really hard to diagnose over the internet

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Thanx, sks.

Just asking re my tyre post - need new tyres but don't wanna waste money getting a full alignment done if i only need balances...

I didn't see your tyre post, but I called my wheel alignment bloke last week to book in for an alignment before I went to Sydney - he always asks why I want one.... this time I said I'd put adjustable tie bars on, longer lower arms and 12" wheels - it tramlines a lot...

he asked if the car pulled in any direction "no", he asked if the tyres were getting scrubbed "no", he asked if the 12" wheels are wider than the 10"s I had "yes".... well the tramlining is caused by the wide wheels accentuating the increased negative camber - nothing else was wrong cos it doesn't pull and doesn't scrub

if your tyres don't scrub, you don't *need* an alignment, balancing stops the tyres from shuddering at speed.....

but pulling to one side is always a concern

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scrub?

uneven tread wear... like the tyre is wearing on one side of the tread but not the other

if you've never had your alignment done, it's worth it - some people even find a marked performance improvement because their tyres aren't fighting each other to go in a straight line

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Thanx, please excuse my ignorance... I am learning! (Slowly... )

I haven't had it done since i bought it in January and haven't the foggiest when matt had it done before then, so i might just go ahead and do it.

it's OK, we all start somewhere....

if the alignment was done in January, and nothing has changed since, then there shouldn't be any need to have it done again - as my wheel alignment bloke says "if nothing has changed, then nothing needs to be changed"

I suggest a trip to Link or Minis Plus so see about that pulling - you haven't said whether it's started happening all of a sudden or has always been there

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Sorry, misunderstanding. It's been happening on and off since i got it in January and i have not had it aligned at any point while i have owned it.

ahh - OK then... happening on and off doesn't sound good, at all - something occasionally loose, and occasionally tight - scary!

Pottsy recommended Ralph Perluzzo at TruTrack in West Melbourne in the last VMCI mag - grab your white pages and make a booking

make sure when you go, that you explain that there is an intermittent pulling to one side, and if you can, watch what he's doing so you can get a bit of an understanding

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I'll look into it.

Thanx for all your help!

molly use to pull to the left, i put new tyres on her and now she pulls to the right. she has so much personality.

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molly might have air in her left tyre now....

hey Boho... have a think about when that problem comes and goes... .does it co-incide with anything like putting air in the tyres?

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Or changing lanes? In theory the car should go left in the left lane and go right in the right lane and straight when sitting on the crown of the road.

Pulling to one direction is usually related to castor but you need to make sure that everything else is Ok. The rubbers on the front of the tie-rod (castor-rod) can cause problems but so can a bent rod.

Could also just be a dragging brake or weeping wheel cylinder causing that side to grab...either way, it needs investigation and sorting before its driven in the wet...unless you like unexpected left turns

EDIT: Mini Classic?? Disk brakes?? you could still have issues with a sticking caliper or undersize rotor.

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