I wanted to know if you guys think my GP needs an Alignment or something else.

If I'm driving the MINI on a straight and let of the steering wheel, the steering wheel will go from centered to pointing almost towards the right, and so the MINI starts to wander all of a sudden to the right.

With all the Frost Heaves we have on the roads now, I was wondering if this was an Alignment issue or something else.

Thanks.

 

Sounds like it could be an alignment problem. Your front toe angle has probably been knocked out of spec. It is important to get checked because out of spec toe can wear the tire very quick. Of course there could be other reasons for the drift but alignment is most likely.

It does not need to go to the dealer for an alignment. Any good alignment shop or tire store should be able to check the alignment (plus other front end steering pieces) and adjust it back into spec.

 

it most likely is alignment.. but before you do that, the cheep free things to do.. check the air pressue in the tires.. being the run flats, one may be a lot lower then the other but not enought to send off the sensor..if ok, then swap tires back to front and see if it still does it.. this will eliminate a bad tire...

 

Air pressure in the tires
Alignment problem
Or bad control arm bushing

 

I checked the Air Pressure in the Tires and that's good. It's not low.

When I have my car inspected, I'll have them check the Alignment, too.

I'll keep the Bad Control Arm Bushing in mind...just incase it's not an Alignment problem.

 

Well, I don't think my MINI needs an alignment anymore and here's why I think this.

Last week, I took the MINI to the Local Garage, to have my new 16x7 O.Z. Superturismo WRC Wheels put on the MINI. I told them that I think I need an alignment and told them why. However, they weren't able to do an alignment because 1) Car was to low, 2) Painted Wheels. When I got in the car and started to drive it around, it was driving better then before and if I let go of the steering wheel on a straight, the steering wheel stayed in position. They did tell me that the Driver's Front Tire was Severly Weather Cracked, which I believe was causing the problems.

 

What did painted wheels have anything to do with an alignment?? Excuse my ignorance.

 

You know, I really don't know but on the Worksheet Summary, they stated they couldn't do the alignment because of the painted wheels... Yeah I know.. Sounds pretty dumb.