I have done a lot of front end work on my '04 MCS lately and now when I accelerate with any gusto the car veers off to the right. I might write this up as torque steer, if the steering wheel moved when this happens, which it doesn't. I can hold the wheel perfectly straight and the car will turn. What's going on? I replaced my tie rods recently and did my own quick alignment before I get time to take it in to get done professionally. Usually the car tracks straight, and the wheel is centered when moving in a straight line. During the normal cruising, all is well, but I can consistently push the pedal to a certain point and count on it taking off at a certain time. Help!

 

Gen1 cars usually have almost no tq steer till the hp levels of a better custom tune....the equal length axel shafts is a large part of this..i'm thinking you need an as alignment... Your "guestimate" down and dirty alignment is likely to blame...while you can dial in ONE of three items that are adjusted....that is the problem...an alignment is 3d...each change in one of the 3 changes the other two....
Look at the strut towers... Check for mushrooming.... And the strut mounts, along with the bushings....before spending $$ on an alignment... It sucks to do one...then replace an item and have to redo it in a couple weeks.

 

I actually replaced the tie rods because the alignment shop couldn't get the factory ones to move anymore and they're going to finish it for free next time.

 

Good to hear that this will fix it. I got it as close as I could with the string method.

 

Just got her back. Now it happens when I even think about accelerating.

 

I'd double check your tie rod installation.

 

What could be wrong? And wouldn't the shop have discovered something while adjusting them?

 

I'd guess it is 2 things. Your lower control arm bushings are shot & your alignment is off. How many miles on your MINI? The bushings would be dead by 70,000 miles. Eric at Helix told me they are actually done at an earlier mileage.

 

Bushings are less than 1,000 miles old. Powerflex.

 

I just looked under the car, and the purple inner part of the bushing where the lip is has come out of the black mounting part. I'm gonna try to push it back in and see what happens.

 

For the first time in two months, I am driving worry free in my Mini. The turning when accelerating ended up being a loose bolt that holds down the inner control arm ball joint. Tightened that up, adjusted my toe, drives perfectly straight under any load. I also had some clunking when braking, and found on an Integra forum that someone fixed a similar problem by greasing the brake caliper pads. Did that, and the clunking was gone. I'm in a happy place right now.

Bonus: Though my power steering pump has been sounding rather sickly lately, I read recently that it's still under warranty for another 3 years and 25,000 miles!