crabbing

[davepoth]

Just reading through some threads and I saw a reference to crabbing. I've seen this on minis, but I was unaware it affected dolomites. I've been trying to figure out quite why I could never park straight in bays, and this seems to make sense. How hard is it to rectify?<br>


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[retro baz]

can you explain 'crabbing'??? please<br>


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[alun n]

...is caused by the front wheels being out of track to the rear. The fronts may be parallel (albeit with the requisite toe in) to each other, but not necessarily all four to each other. This is common when the front tracking is checked independently. On a fwd like a Mini it means the rears will be dragged behind like an injured dog pulls its rear legs along. On a rwd its like a wheel barrow with a wonky wheel. Either way it has to be fairly severe to see visually, but both lead to undue tyre wear. Accident damage badly repaired may also cause it.<br>
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I would have thought if it affected your parking it would more likely be due to accident damage, but it would be so severe you'd not be able to open the doors on one side as a result!!<br>
<br>
PRO was 4 wheel aligned in August 2002, but since then my mate had her in London for 12 months and the "inbetween" owner had her for 3-4 months

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[Malc]

Carbbing sydrome can be caused by a couple of factors, <br>
<br>
1, Too much falling down water consumed<br>
2, Narrower track on rear compared to Front. Because you sit in the RH seat, your line of sight is slightly off centre, thus the car you are following appears as though it is 'crabbing' <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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[john 16v]

any car can crab, but one's with subframe's seem to be more prone to this problem<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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[Davey]

Crabbing as Alun said can sometimes be caused through accident damage, but most of the time it's caused with weak or broken mounting point's. Rear Subframe mountings on Mini's etc, and rear axle's on Dolly's and rear wheel drive car's. I have had this problem with both of these car's. The Mini has mounting points that bolt into the rear of the sills, when these rust away they start to pull out letting the rear wheels move back slightly. If its only one side then the subframe turns slightly giving you unwanted rearwheel steer in one direction. On rear wheel drive it can have the opposite, as the mounting's wear the axle moves foreward out of line as it tries to push the car , again rear wheel steer but opposite direction. Again as Alun said it does'nt need to be a lot out of line to cause this, i have corrected a badly fitted subframe plate on a mini just by fitting a thin washer to pack out the mounting.

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[davepoth]

Not only that, but the car always seems to want to turn left. I've checked the tyre pressures, and although the front left deflates a little, the problem is still there with it fully inflated. Also the car feels distinctly oversteery when turning right.

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[john 16v]

could be tracking,could be tyre's,try swopping front wheels round.<br>
all cars steer to the left to some degree because most roads are cambered to the left to help drainage.<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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[Davey]

Try getting a friend to follow you along a straight bit of road and see how it looks. If the car is going slightly sideways it is probably the rear axle mounts, if its keeping a decent line but still pulling it will probably be the front sub-frame or suspension/steering joints.<br>
Worn axle mounts will cause the rear to swing out, you steer to correct causing the crabbing. <br>
Worn front end joints cause the car to pull to one side, you steer to correct and all four wheels run parallel with the body, no crabbing. If you can, get two people to follow in the other car so both sides can be viewed at the same time. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :rollin --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/roll.gif ALT=":rollin"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> Normally this isn't necessary, but as the dolly body tapers in to the back of the car, looking down one side only can give you a crabbing look.

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[Jon Tilson]

the tyres....<br>
Had a Sherpa minibus that defied all attempts at tracking adjustment...would still pul right at every oppurtunity...bit dangerous with 12 kids in it...<br>
Then a tyre blew and forced the change....it was the tyre!. No apparent uneven wear or scuffing at all....<br>
Its certainly cheap to move the tyres around...<br>
U may even cure it!<br>
Jonners

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[Silvery]

The Escort I had (now sold, to a friend I borrow it off of when needed) pulls quite hard to the left. Tyres are evenly worn, pressures fine, etc, just got a constant pull.<br>
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It also has had very little/ no gearbox oil for the last couple of thousand miles, and when I borrow it it sits at *cough*mph on long runs. My take is the diff is getting tight due to lack of oil (certainly the box whines once warm, so there is some damage in there somewhere) - Do rwd cars have any similar probs? As in, a diff wearing out, gets tight, causes the back to sort of steer as one wheel wants to go faster than the other?<br>
<br>
Not a solution to what's been talked about, just curious?

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[KLJ895W]

Smifter, does your five link kit have adjustable links? Could be handy for setting it up, and if you do a sprint or hillclimb where you turn predominantly in one direction you could always set it up to turn that way. Where are you getting it from again and how much is it?<br>
<br>
David

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[davepoth]

Jonners, I saw that with an LDV convoy. Disliked that one so much I blew a piston ring on it. :P.<br>
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I've got 5 reconditioned wheels coming off ebay, so I'll see how those go. Hopefully I'll avoid some welding.

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[Dave]

Does it feel like it is taking two goes at the corner, Ie you turn in and then it turns in more? this make it feel like the rear end is going to let go and can be caused by the bottom ball joint being well worn. The first bit is taking up the slack the second bit is your input. It feels very offputting.

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[davepoth]

Yup, just like that. Bugger, it sounds expensive.

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