Help w/ car shifting right.

[xenon929]

(uhm) Hi,

I'm at a dead end...Here's the deal. I just got my Mz3S 2 weeks ago and got some Exel DL-46 wheels from Wheelmax.com Stock rims were 17's I got the Exels in 18 x 7.5. The car was perfectly normal and after I mounted the new wheels it started throwing to the right! It does not vibrate or pull when stopping, only while driving normal and specially when taking off. I took it in for alignement (twice!) and they said it's "perfectly" aligned. Tire pressure is fine (all around 35psi) all tires were re-balanced. I'm out of options and have no idea what's causing this problem. Any ideas or sugestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Gbourdon]

If you are coasting does it pull to the right? You mention especially when taking off. It could be that your footprint now gives you more traction on one side and without limited slip you get a lot of torque steer. (dunno)

 

[xenon929]

Yup, slightly

If you are coasting does it pull to the right? You mention especially when taking off. It could be that your footprint now gives you more traction on one side and without limited slip you get a lot of torque steer. (dunno)

If I'm costing and I let go of the wheel it takes about 2-3 secs and starts going to the right. However, it does it alot less if I let go of the wheel AND the gas.
As far as the traction and torque... (uhm) I just know it turns my wheel pretty good when I step on the gas. I tought about trying to dismount and cross rotate the tires to see if I feel any difference but 2 people have told me it won't make a dif. and it's going to cost me about $35 to do it so I've held up on that.

 

[Gbourdon]

Yeah if you cross rotate youd have to dismount the tires from the wheels assuming that they are directional. i dont think it would make a difference anyway. Dont know for sure man. Taking off from a stop is probably just torque steer. As far as I know there is no Limited Slip in your car so thats why that happens, only one wheel is really pulling.

 

[Jpasta]

Ive put rims on my 3 too
this happens to me too but only when im goin over 60KM on a kinda bumpy road, it will go to the right

it doesnt happen all the time, when i go 100KM on the expressway its fine

 

[xenon929]

I's so frustrated with this I'm about to say screw it and put the stocks back on. I like my car to run "perfect" since it's only 2 wks old! (sick)

I don't mind the torque part when taking off, but it does it constantly. I guess I'll try to rotate and see what happens.

 

[Gbourdon]

Go down to the stealership (dunno) If you already had it aligned then I dont know what else would be the problem.

 

[Gbourdon]

Hey its not just doing that becuase of the crown of the road right? Drive down the center of the road and see if it goes straight. Then go on the left side and see if it goes left. p.s. do this when there is no traffic around.

 

[xenon929]

Hey its not just doing that becuase of the crown of the road right? Drive down the center of the road and see if it goes straight. Then go on the left side and see if it goes left. p.s. do this when there is no traffic around.

lol...I tried that and it still throws right. I'm on my way to try and see if the changing of rims and tires (rotating) works any.

 

[Jpasta]

lol...I tried that and it still throws right. I'm on my way to try and see if the changing of rims and tires (rotating) works any.

maybe the rims are bent?

 

[xenon929]

maybe the rims are bent?

Brand spanking new from wheelmax....Doubt it. (uhm)

 

[Jpasta]

Brand spanking new from wheelmax....Doubt it. (uhm)

how about the metal in the tire is broken

thats possible even tho there new

 

[xenon929]

how about the metal in the tire is broken

thats possible even tho there new

hhhmmm... now you got me thinking and wondering.

 

[jim3s]

If I'm costing and I let go of the wheel it takes about 2-3 secs and starts going to the right. However, it does it alot less if I let go of the wheel AND the gas.
As far as the traction and torque... (uhm) I just know it turns my wheel pretty good when I step on the gas. I tought about trying to dismount and cross rotate the tires to see if I feel any difference but 2 people have told me it won't make a dif. and it's going to cost me about $35 to do it so I've held up on that.

I would want to eliminate the possibility of a little stagger in the tires. (one tire a little larger then the other's outside circumfrance.)
You would have to jack the car up. Can be done one wheel at a time. Take a cloth measuring tape and measure around the tire the way the tread runs. (measure around the exact middle and be very accurate) You could use a string and then measure how much string it took. If one tire measures further around then the other. This would make your car turn towards the smaller tire and would be more severe under acceleration, especially if the stagger is reinforcing the troque steer of accelleration. There isn't normally any stagger between two good quality radials. But, You should at least illiminate the possibility that this is your problem my measuring. Easier then completely changing the tires. If you change the tires from one side to the other and it turns the other way. It would tell you the same thing that measuring would. It would indicate one tire is bigger in circumfrance then the other. My two cents. When I want a race car to turn left only. I try and set it up with some stagger in the tires to help it turn. Smaller tires left side, larger tires right side. I most definately check to ensure there isn't any stagger trying to make it go right, fighting my efforts to make it turn left. Make sense? I hope this help ya a little. Sure sounds like a stagger situation to me.

 

[xenon929]

Thanks! I'll give that a try tonight and see what happens.

 

[genericuser]

you have good taste in rims.. I did not have any intention of putting aftermarket rims on my 3, but now I want those.. those are NICE

 

[Da 6]

was there a washer on one of the lugs? most cars have washers form the assembly line (1 per rotor/drum) to hold it on itll it was secured properly. stock tires are designed to fit over it...aftermarket don't....if that isn't it maybe it's the part we lack....lsd cause my car looses the inside wheel on on most turns on mediun to high accel regardless to what gear.

 

[xenon929]

seanmcsean: Thanks! I actually bought those before my car had even arrived. ;-) It's a car that's on very high demand down here and I just wanted mine to be a bit different. Thanks for the compliments. P.S> My car is in Cardomain.com if you'd like to see some more pics of it.

Da 6: I don't remember seeing a washer on mine. I changed the rims my self once they got to me from Wheelmax, but I don't remember seeing anything that I thought was different or out of place. I'll have to take a rim out again and look closer. Thanks for the advice.

UPDATE: I changed the front wheels rt to lft, lft to rt (only the front ones) and even though it improved by about 50% it didn't quite solve the problem. Now, I took the car to the dealer to get aligned but they forwarded the car to a tire place by the dealership; which strikes me curious because before I went to the dealer I took the car to 3 different places (Good year, Pepboys, Westerauto) and they all said they couldn't do the job because the specs for the Mz 3 were not in their systems yet. So...I'm wondering how that other place has them.... #2 I'm thinking if I take the car to a guy that knows what he's doing maybe he can correct the pulling by adjusting the alignement a bit off to compensate.??? (Just me trying to think, don't know if that's posible or not, don't know much on the subject so...) (uhm) (uhm) (uhm)

 

[yac2727]

seanmcsean: Thanks! I actually bought those before my car had even arrived. ;-) It's a car that's on very high demand down here and I just wanted mine to be a bit different. Thanks for the compliments. P.S> My car is in Cardomain.com if you'd like to see some more pics of it.

Da 6: I don't remember seeing a washer on mine. I changed the rims my self once they got to me from Wheelmax, but I don't remember seeing anything that I thought was different or out of place. I'll have to take a rim out again and look closer. Thanks for the advice.

UPDATE: I changed the front wheels rt to lft, lft to rt (only the front ones) and even though it improved by about 50% it didn't quite solve the problem. Now, I took the car to the dealer to get aligned but they forwarded the car to a tire place by the dealership; which strikes me curious because before I went to the dealer I took the car to 3 different places (Good year, Pepboys, Westerauto) and they all said they couldn't do the job because the specs for the Mz 3 were not in their systems yet. So...I'm wondering how that other place has them.... #2 I'm thinking if I take the car to a guy that knows what he's doing maybe he can correct the pulling by adjusting the alignement a bit off to compensate.??? (Just me trying to think, don't know if that's posible or not, don't know much on the subject so...) (uhm) (uhm) (uhm)

Wow, the dealership you bought your car at does not have computers to align the Mazda 3? What kind of ghetto dealership is that man? I'd be wondering just like you what the heck is going on.

 

[xenon929]

Wow, the dealership you bought your car at does not have computers to align the Mazda 3? What kind of ghetto dealership is that man? I'd be wondering just like you what the heck is going on.

No, they don't... (shrug) They do have a mechanic shop, but they are a small privately owned dealer. I guess I'll have to take it to the main dealer. (uhm)