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Tramlining

Spitfir3121

Spitfir3121

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Hello everyone

I'm unfortunately still chasing some weird steering issues. The car is tramlining quite badly. It wants to follow all the cambers etc of the road. It pulls quite aggressively to the left most the time I ***ume due to usual camber. It's not easy to keep in a straight line!

So far I have tried:
New tyres all round
New front ball joints
New front lower arms
New front drop links
New track rod ends
Flushing steering fluid and replacing with genuine honda
Adjusting preload on the rack, increasing tightens it up but still tramlining
Front and rear wheel allignment

My next thought is maybe the rack itself but as its an expensive job I don't want to do it if I don't need to. Inner tie rods are a little loose but no play.

The only knock I can find is sometimes when braking or coming off the brakes on heavy to full lock.

Car is driving me mad now but I'm trying to persist

Any other suggestions or should I bite the bullet with the rack?
 
Few questions:

Are you running factory wheel & tyre sizes`?

Have you checked the high pressure hose between the steering rack and pump. Check for leaks, even the smallest signs of moisture can be a sign that power steering system gets air into the system. If so, all kinds of wierd things start to happen.
 
Hi thanks for the reply!

Yep its still got the standard wheels and tyre size.

I haven't checked the hose before so deffo worth a shot. I do recall the issues I'm having improving for a bit after the removing and topping up the psf so this would make sense! Should I be seeing air in the reservoir if I've got a tiny leak?

I was doubting it being the rack as small movements of the wheel do seem to be transferred to the steering.

Thanks again!
 
Spitfir3121 said:
Hi thanks for the reply!

Yep its still got the standard wheels and tyre size.

I haven't checked the hose before so deffo worth a shot. I do recall the issues I'm having improving for a bit after the removing and topping up the psf so this would make sense! Should I be seeing air in the reservoir if I've got a tiny leak?

I was doubting it being the rack as small movements of the wheel do seem to be transferred to the steering.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

You might or might not see any air bubbles in the reservoir. If the high pressure hose seems to be dry then first thing i would do is changing the high pressure hose o-ring going into power steering pump, that is the most likely candidate. BUT! Use the factory o-ring!

Also see this thread before:

https://typeaccord.co.uk/board/threads/strange-sticky-feeling-power-steering.26842/#post-267961
 
Thanks for that. Apologies I never got a notification for that last one... Some very useful information there!

I've had a good look at the hose and the resevioir and there is no sign of leaks or bubbles.

I have ordered a genuine honda O ring so I'll be changing that as soon as it comes and also change my fluid for good measure!
You can get a new hose on ebay for around £30 so I'll change that next if the O ring dosent cure it.
 
treboRRRR said:
You might or might not see any air bubbles in the reservoir. If the high pressure hose seems to be dry then first thing i would do is changing the high pressure hose o-ring going into power steering pump, that is the most likely candidate. BUT! Use the factory o-ring!

Also see this thread before:

https://typeaccord.co.uk/board/threads/strange-sticky-feeling-power-steering.26842/#post-267961
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice on the o ring. I've changed it with a genuine and you could see that the old one was worn. I also extracted as much fluid as I could with a turkey baster and refilled with genuine too.

Its certainly made a noticeable improvement but it's not 100% yet. I have noticed there are tiny air bubbles in the reservoir... Is this normal or should there be none?

Am I looking at changing the red o ring in the pump housing next and then the high pressure hose?
 
The pipes don't seem to be wet, I can't seem to see any leaks in the system.
It does feel like it's a hydraulic issue though..
Once I've tried the high pressure hose I think maybe the pump next. Just csnt afford to keep throwing money at it like this. Real shame as it drove lovely only a few months ago.
 
Still chasing the same issue. I have also tried swapping all the wheels to different sides etc in case there were any problems with them...still the same.

I have noticed that the shocks are all potentially original and the car has 150k Miles. Would knackered shocks be likely to cause tramlining?
 
Not read the thread but shocks might yes but most likely your wishbone arm compliance bushes.
 
Thanks for the reply I will deffo change the shocks as they can't be healthy at that age!

She has had brand new wishbones with bushes just a few weeks ago as that was one of my 1st thoughts.
 
If you’re on 17s and above then this is sadly a trait of the 7th gen Accord. Try temporarily switching to 16s and see if it eliminates it. Ensure you stick to correct rolling radius. 17s should be on 225/45/17
 
I am indeed on 17s

An inch really makes that much difference?

A shame to hear it's a trait of accords, that's not something I came.accross when researching getting one. It's sadly not something I can live with as it's quite hard to keep in control at times so the car will have to go if it's unresolvable
 
It’s the difference in sidewall reduction when you go from 16 to 17 that causes it.
 
Ahh right that's interesting. 16s have a larger profile dont they? So a larger profile means tyres can kinda move and adapt to the road more?

I wish I had some 16s to try but this car has had 17s from new. What's weird is it literally came on suddenly
 
If it’s something that has developed suddenly then that’s something different. Might be something as simple as tyre pressures, try running a higher psi. It may even be a failing tyre compound.
 
That was my kinda thinking. I've tried new tyres and that hasn't worked and also tried swapping them all round to see if it changes but always exactly the same
 
A little update.

I thought I would have a look to see if everything that has been replaced has been installed correctly. I noticed the track rod end ball joint nuts could be tightened with little effort and i could grab the track rod end and rotate it on the ball joint easily. Seems a bit loose? So I started tightening up and the nut just kept spinning and spinning but the ball joint wasn't rotating. Managed to get the nut off and it turns out the thread is knackered on both sides so the track rod ends weren't on particularly tight.

I should imagine this would cause tramlining?
 
Have this same issue and am about to replace all 4 tyres as they are near legal limit. Will see if that sorts it in my case, if not will be looking a steering pump hoses and track rod ends!
 
Spitfir3121 said:
A little update.

I thought I would have a look to see if everything that has been replaced has been installed correctly. I noticed the track rod end ball joint nuts could be tightened with little effort and i could grab the track rod end and rotate it on the ball joint easily. Seems a bit loose? So I started tightening up and the nut just kept spinning and spinning but the ball joint wasn't rotating. Managed to get the nut off and it turns out the thread is knackered on both sides so the track rod ends weren't on particularly tight.

I should imagine this would cause tramlining?
Click to expand...
Almost definitely yes, especially if it just started suddenly.
 
Spitfir3121 said:
Thanks for the advice on the o ring. I've changed it with a genuine and you could see that the old one was worn. I also extracted as much fluid as I could with a turkey baster and refilled with genuine too.

Its certainly made a noticeable improvement but it's not 100% yet. I have noticed there are tiny air bubbles in the reservoir... Is this normal or should there be none?

Am I looking at changing the red o ring in the pump housing next and then the high pressure hose?
Click to expand...
I use the turkey blaster method but once is not enough, I do it every day after a good driving, probably end up doing it 5 times, fluid is very clean and it makes a big difference to the steering.
 
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