Decolliber

Took my 97 A6 Quattro Avant to dealer yesterday for new front struts, inserts, and four wheel alignment. Looking at the alignment print out last night I noticed that the rear wheel cambers were out of specified range on both rear wheels. Range is -0 degrees 30' to 0 degrees 0'. My left rear camber was -0.48' and right -0.53'. OK, so the camber is only off by about 20 minutes. Being an obsessive compulsive I went back to the service advisor this AM and asked about it. His reply: you cannot adjust rear camber on these cars, and as the car ages, the camber gets out of the original factory setting range. WTF? Is he correct, or does he just not want to admit that the tech forgot to do the rear camber? I have Bentley at home, and maybe that will give me the answer.

Deutschdan

Well, when I had an alignment done by my dealer on my '97 A6Q it was total junk. I had to turn the steering wheel about 20 degrees to the left to go straight. They had the right front wheel cambered over significantly. So, I went to an independent and paid big bucks to get an alignment that a year later I can't find anything to criticize. He said that the left rear wheel had something that they couldn't adjust out. He said that it was .1 degree out. I asked him how significant that was and he said that there was probably no other shop in St. Louis that could detect that small a misalignment.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'll ask my mechanic, but I remember him saying that everything (in terms of alignment) is adjustable on these cars.

Wagonmann

a mechanism that looks like a tie rod that hooks in right behind the brake caliper. Just look. It's kind of a bummer to get to, but any reputable alignment technician can get to it. Mr. Bentley definately gives the answer.
BTW, depending on your loading or fuel status, you are probably right on for camber, which will move with load.

Jim
'97 A6qw
quattro value package
no suspension upgrade

Wagonmann

I'm getting feathering, and I don't know if it's a toe in or out problem. Uh, caster is not adjustable in my car, but it does have a spec.

Jim
'97 A6qw

Decolliber

Yes. Its in Bentley, vol.2, page T 44-10. I also notice that Bentley says the difference between the cambers of the left and right front wheels should not be more than 30' (see T 44-4), and the dealer tech left my left front camber at -1d04' and right at -0d57', a difference of 47'.
I guess I am naive, but am really stunned that a dealer tech apparently does not know what he is doing, or lied to me to try to cover up his failure to complete the job.

Decolliber

According to my alignment print out, toe in for '95-97 A6Q is:
Front: 0d02' to 0d10'
Rear: 0d00' to 0d10'

Wagonmann

Jim
'97 A6qw

Decolliber

I don't see how you could do that without specifying distance from the apex of rotation. If an angle is x degrees, the length of the opposite side would depend on the distance of the sides adjacent to the angle. Am I misunderstanding your question?
My wagon is volcano black and ecrue too! ( see other post)