Limited grip, slippy front end, yet, camber, castor and tracking is perfect....

I do around 10k miles each year in the golf and recently i've noticed (particularly in the wet) that the car slides wide on any corner and I literally have to corner on a closed throttle to get that little extra bit of grip at the front.  Do note, I'm talking mild road use, not track driving style.  Gentle acceleration has the car spinning in third in the wet, dry weather the car remains pretty true and there is a little bit of uneven tyre wear, that does confirm my suspicions of poor traction.

I had my car full four wheel alignment checked today and was advised that everything was perfect, but what the chap couldn't tell me was that could there be an issue with the rack being of Toyota Starlet supply. I am considering if the two front wheels could somehow be turning at a different rate to each other, thus the only time I do get grip is on a dead straight road. (dry)

• Rack is about 20k miles old, toyota starlet
• tyre wear doesnt overly show excessive outer or inner wear, just tread pattern is uneven
• there is no play on the lower front end or suspension at all
• Car is lowered, Eibach and inserts in standard struts
• There is no obvious movement, anywhere. Until it rains and there's a Mk1 Golf sliding all over the place

I am considering a change back to the standard rack if this gets me running true again. Will a lower strut brace help with traction? (it did on my last tin top)

Anyone experienced this, or can advise how to or who can rectify? thanks

Check out the front shocks; they could be allowing one or more wheel to 'bounce' a little, enough to lose some grip.
Google TOOT; Toe Out On Turns. If you have kept the original hubs and therefore steering arms then the TOOT could be changed by having track rods and steering rack that are a different length compared to original. The overall length may be the same but the angle that the track rod and steering arm create whilst steering will be different.

Hope that makes sense. 

Typical symptoms of inaccurate TOOT are:

Increased tyre wear
Vehicle breaks away when negotiating bends
Poor steering return in case of large steering angle.

pretty much what you have?

What make, model and size tyres have you got?
i had some Debica Passio tyres (C rating in the wet) on some wheels which I bought which had plenty of tread left on them, in the wet they was terrible I could spin the wheels in 3rd and after nearly driving in to a hedge on a bend in the wet I changed them for some better tyres (Hancook at the moment) and I don't have any problems taking the same bend at the same speed in the wet now.
Terrible tyre link….
 http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110&cart_id=10386673.110.3793&sowigan=So&Breite=185&Quer=60&Felge=14&Speed=&kategorie=6&Marke=&ranzahl=4&tyre_for=&x_tyre_for=&weiter=22&rsmFahrzeugart=ALL&search_tool=standard&Label=F-C-70-2&details=Ordern&typ=R-157994#

Guys, I do think the TOOT is exactly what I'm experiencing.  I've 'racked' (pun intended!), my brains to establish what this could be and given there's zero movement on the whole front end, then this looks like the issue. I just wish my steering guy today told me that! (He is good and has all the right equipment)

What's the cure? Some really complicated geometry alterations… or reluctantly replace with standard rack?

Tyres?, Toyo Proxis. I used to have these on my tin top, and can't remember any issues wet or dry. I was thinking of changing over to the ultra reliable P6000.

This is definitely progress!!!  thanks

shocks are all good too, maybe 20k miles too. I've read the TOOT tech and I'm pretty much convinced the machine has a classic case.  Except my set up wont be as a result of bent track rods or misaligned wishbones etc, but possibly and simply a mismatch of the spacing brackets used to morph my toyota rack onto the golf bulkhead.  as I write, I can see the fog lifting and the loss of the power steering. watch for classified for a functional complete power steering set up  

I'll take my tooting tale back to Mr steering fixer-upper tomorrow.

If you do decide to change tyres I HIGHLY recommend Uniroyals, they are unsurpassed in the wet and I've found them a match for Pirelli's in the dry.

Agreed, Uniroyal Rainsport 3, VERY good tyres! And not expensive at all!

Jack

The Toyo Proxis CF1 tyres don't get a good grade for wet handling (E) so could be either the power steering rack or the tyres, with power steering you are never going to get the same feel in the steering without it as you know when you are near the limit with out power steering as the steering goes light.
Is your steering rack linked up to some sort of speed sensor so it's lighter at low speeds and heavyer at speed?

CF1
http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110&cart_id=6545823.110.9976&sowigan=So&Breite=185&Quer=60&Felge=14&Speed=&kategorie=6&Marke=Toyo&ranzahl=4&tyre_for=&x_tyre_for=&Herst=Toyo&rsmFahrzeugart=ALL&search_tool=standard&Label=F-E-70-2&details=Ordern&typ=R-118998

NE does better at a C grade
http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110&cart_id=6545823.110.9976&sowigan=So&Breite=185&Quer=60&Felge=14&Speed=&kategorie=6&Marke=Toyo&ranzahl=4&tyre_for=&x_tyre_for=&Herst=Toyo&rsmFahrzeugart=ALL&search_tool=standard&Label=E-C-69-2&details=Ordern&typ=D-113407

 

Guys, the original TOOT explanation is definitely gathering support.  It made perfect sense to me and since I've now put this to the local steering guy, he too agrees that this is highly likely, almost without doubt the cause of the poor steering.

I value the drive more than I do the ease of slow speed parking manoeuvres, and there's an obvious danger element to this also.  There's something to be said for all that research that VW or any OEM does before putting into production and who are we to suggest that our 'personalisations' and modifications actually improve the car. In many cases they do (personal taste aside), but when it comes to things like fitting power steering from a toyota, just because the column UJ and track rod ends almost match the Mk1 golf layout has clearly been driven by ignorance.

So, unless anyone knows of an alternative, it's back to the standard non powered steering version, and I'm looking forward to actually get some power onto the tarmac.  The thread has also altered my tyre choice. I'll review this when replacement is due on the assumption that the new rack will resolve the issue with grip. I'll add an upper strut brace too, if I can get one to fit when I've got the ABF lurking under there.

For what it's worth, I've covered nearly 30k miles with the power rack on, mostly good, but the lack of grip after the ABF unit went in was just too much.

Thanks for the input guys, I'm kicking myself at the cost of the power rack installation, but having decent grip will make it much better in any case.

If anyone wants the power steering set up, let me know…If you're a dry road user only, it's fine, but up here in jockland, that choice isn't a choice! :-)  

Some Cabriolets had power steering; could be worth looking for a rack to swap. 

Yes, I'd heard that, but I thought it was restricted to LHD Versions. 

I've also heard that the some of the later south African citi golf had power steering. This would be good if I could confirm this too. I'd like to retain the power steering, but no longer at the cost of grip. I'll sift through the web and see if the citi golf's did indeed have power steering. Thanks again. 

If you are looking into fitting a strut brace it'd best to fit a lower one first as that is where most of the flex in the body is.
For power steering I've never seen the use of it unless you live in a city and do alot of parking in small spaces, as long as you don't try to turn the steering wheel when stopped as that is hard work, even if you move at a slow speed you can turn the wheel with a bit of pulling and once out on the open road any speed above 25 mph and I can turn my steering wheel gripping it with 1 finger and a thumb. I use my car daily so I may of just got used to it…