Loose Scary Steering!

[Xtrhardcore]

car : Golf mk4 GTi 1.8 20VT
The Problem: The car feels like the steering isnt attached! if i hold the steering wheel in the middle the car floats about the road. The car will always pull to the left but the steering wheel will sit to the right.
I've been under some investigation and im putting it down to bushes right now. I've noticed that the front wishbone rear bushes are quite worn, and theres movement in the wishbone if the steering wheel is jerked left to right.

Would this be causing my steering problem? Also got on order a new steering rack bush.

Any help appreciated!!

[cullygti]

i have all new poly bushes through out and mine did it before and still does it now even with almost every part replaced 

[Xtrhardcore]

Well that doesnt sound to pleasing Its quite scary at like 70mph+

Could it be the rack then?

[madmanmart]

Sounds like you need your tracking doing too.

[cullygti]

tracking has just been done on mine when i purchased new tyres well i say done they said it was spot on so couldnt justify touching it as there was nothing to do  but it is much better than it was with the new tyres
there was summat on here before about the pulling to the left sure someone found what it was 

[Xtrhardcore]

Yeah been reading there here and UK-mkivs.net and cant seem to find a solid answer.
Going to change the bushes and get it tracked thursday and see if it makes any difference.

My tyre size is 255/45/17 would that be making much inconvenience?

[xxChrisxx]

It's a handling 'feature' of the car. It's extremely sensitive to camber, so will just tramline without warning.

The steering wheel should sit dead straight though, so it sounds as though it's been tracked up with the wheel not centred.

[Xtrhardcore]

Right ok i'll get it tracked and replace the bushed that i've ordered anyway and see what happens,

But on the thought, would the movement in the wishbone cause any affect to steering?

[xxChrisxx]

Right ok i'll get it tracked and replace the bushed that i've ordered anyway and see what happens,
But on the thought, would the movement in the wishbone cause any affect to steering?

Any movement in any component (that isn't supposed to move) that connects the chassis and steering wheel to the road will cause some slack in the steering. The degree that it affects it is likely to be very small.

You could replace everything, the car will still do it, as they did it from new. The car just has sh!t handling.
If you take it to somewhere that is snooker table flat, you'll find it doesn't pull at all.

[Xtrhardcore]

Oh Fair enough Thanks for the answer! been waiting to find a response for a while! Spot on