[N-AM 007]

Updated 12/02/10Went to get wheel alignment and found problem. Pic of mechanic report

Went and got my front and rear wheel alignment done today. The results were a bit startling. The RH Front has +00°42'
The LH Front has -00 °56'
He said this is either due to a problem with the stub axle or because it is an Italian car (built initially as left hand drive) may pull a bit.

What do you guys think?

I shall post up the print out when i get my scanner to work.

Pics up, help guys

 

[EauRouge]

Just re-read the post sober!!!! Sorry!

 

[itacarboy]

also before you get it all done tidy, how's the rear bushes, if you have play your wasting your money

 

[Spider95]

Yes they need to adjust the rear toe first (with the swivel rods) before the front is even tackled. And as itacarboy suggests all bushes etc must be ok otherwise you're totally wasting your time in the first place.

 

[Spider_Volkan]

Went and got my front and rear wheel alignment done today. The results were a bit startling.

i guess both front and rear had been done but problem was at the front.

 

[N-AM 007]

Pic above, whats ur opinion guys?

 

[David C]

Pic above, whats ur opinion guys?

Why so much toe on the rear?

 

[Guest]

Why so much toe on the rear?

Good point... the guy appears to have made the rear toe equal on both sides (compared to how it was before) but while he has reduced it on the left he's increased it on the right! :tut:

Now neither side is within tolerance! Why didn't he bring them both in to tolerance?

The front camber is not due it being italian or designed for left hand drive. My spider has perfectly good camber at the front!

 

[N-AM 007]

I think it was something to do with countering the camber or something on the front wheel or wheels

 

[Guest]

I think it was something to do with countering the camber or something on the front wheel or wheels

Well more toe on the back is supposed to make it quicker to change direction at the expense of tyre wear and straight line stability (or is it the other way around? :lol: ) but how that's supposed to compensate for the wonky front end...

 

[David C]

More rear toe in than std will just make tyre wear worse.

Less rear toe in than std will make it more unstable and increase turn in (FWD racer often run toe out on the rear, which can make them VERY unstable... at least he hasn't done that!!).

As above, adjusting the rear like that won't help the front at all.

 

[Spider95]

I agree. As David C says way too much toe on the rear.

Has he actually adjusted the toe? Or rather, does he know how to do it anyway????

 

[N-AM 007]

Well i hope he has done it right...he had it on the machine with each wheel in a *thing* and a computer showing each wheel and numbers on the camber and so on...what do i say to the guy now?

 

[Freds GTV 2001]

How come you went all the way to Peakhurst James ? Was he recommended by someone? I usually get mine done at Bob Jane at Bondi and they adjusted mine ok. They said the rears were out by a long way but it has been brought back to normal now (on my TS)

 

[Spider95]

Well i hope he has done it right...he had it on the machine with each wheel in a *thing* and a computer showing each wheel and numbers on the camber and so on...what do i say to the guy now?

Sorry but looking at the figures he hasn't adjusted the rear toe at all. Hence my thinking he doesn't know how to do it, or he doesn't realise it can be adjusted.

Either way your toe settings are totally and utterly WAY OUT.

Here's a bet. Ask him if he has physically adjusted the rear toe by means of the adjusting swivel rods (there is one on each side of the rear wheels, connecting the hub to the subframe).

If he's honest, he'll say 'errrrrrrrrrrrr crickey Bruce didn't know about that mate'...........:lol::lol:

 

[injunfighter]

I think this happens quite a bit. I have a branch of one of the smaller chains of tyre "experts" near to me. They performed a 4 wheel alignment on their almost brand new £30K+ setup; I was rather disconcerted when they told me there was no adjustment, but they had got it pretty much right!
It seemed to drive OK, but it was in for some other work, and I asked Phil at AlfaShop to get it re-done, and they take it to another guy in Norwich, who said it was miles out!
No point in having the equipment if the operator doesn't know what he is doing...

 

[Spider95]

Yes this is such a common problem.

People are paying lots of money for 4 wheel alignment when they're only getting the fronts done.

Either way you'll get screwed. You may as well chuck the money down the WC, but at least you've saved yourself a wasted trip in the first place:lol:

Profit margins for these so-called 4 wheel alignment outfits must be quite good too...........

 

[Freds GTV 2001]

With all the varying results theres no way to check to see if theyve done it properly apart from taking there word for it. I wonder if I can get a print out of the results as well.