So in the six months I've had the car it has pulled very slightly to the left. I've had three wheel aligniments in that time and it still pulled to the left. I noticed that there was a very slight amount of extra wear on the outside edge of the left front tyre. I'd become worried that the car was bent in some way so as an experiment I swapped the front wheels left to right etc.

Now the car pulls to the right.

So what's the likely cases of this? A dodgy tyre or could it be the wheel itself? I can't imagine what could be wrong with a wheel/tyre to make the car pull like this.

The car's nearly due for tyres so that will be an opportunity get this fixed up though I'm wondering if i need to get rid of that wheel too (or move it to spare).

If the wheel's out of balance, or damaged, it'll be pretty badly affected with regards to tyre wear and handling.

I'd do what you're saying, and leave the suspect wheel as a spare. Get them balanced at the same time too.

But strangely there's been no vibration to speak of, or anything to indicate there was a balance problem. Curious.

Maybe the bushes are worn?:confused:

Ok I've now swapped the wheel I think is dodgy to the back and brought the rear wheel to the front. Now the car feels good, pretty neutral, drifting only very very slowly to the left or right depending on the camber of the road.

I'm satisfied that there is something wrong with that wheel/tyre. Popped belt? bent rim? Who knows...

I guess you have checked the air pressure in the tyre?

It could even be a dodgy tyre. A bulge somewhere, or it's just poorly manufactured.

Yeah, tyre pressures are identical. I've been pretty careful about that.

I had a tyre with a popped belt once, but it made the car vibrate pretty badly and also made a pretty loud trundling noise when on the highway.

The tyres are Goodyear Eagle GA by-the-way. They are pretty old I'd say, probably been on the car for five years or more, given the low KMs on the car when I bought it.

Just put the spare wheel on to replace it, or better yet, rather than buying new tyres, get some 2nd hand alloys to suit off eBay, will cost you next to nothing more over 4 new tyres.

"Hogan"

dismissed

"shultz you dummkoff " :badgrin:

buy new tyres balance wheel alignment

check the lower control arm bushes and ball joints

start again lol

what about a buckled rim?