In keeping with the funky alignment theme - i've had the car in 3 times now
03-20-2008, 06:06 PM
#1
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In keeping with the funky alignment theme - i've had the car in 3 times now
at two different places. The first place was unknown to me and recommended by 2Bennett who sent it there after doing my front suspension parts install. It came back with the wheel noticably crooked to the right and specs way out of wack and no where near what i'd asked for. They recommended their camber plates to "fix" the problem. We then put it on the rack and I showed them how much more camber I could get in front and my adjustable rear bars. They refunded my $95 I paid for the alignment.
So yesterday I bring it in to a place that I had used before because they have a Hunter alignment rack. Unfortunately the Tech who did my alignment previously was no longer there. I told them the specs I wanted ... -1.2 to -1.3 camber in front with 1/16 toe out and -1.8 camber rear with 1/16 toe. I also wanted my steering wheel straightend out.
So I get it back yesterday and i'm off in front - can't get the right wheel past -1.0 with zero toe and the left is at -1.2 with 1/16 and the steering wheel is still crooked. Rears are as requested camber wise at -1.8 but toe is 1/8 on the left and 1/16th on the right.
I bring it back today and go over the car with the alignment tech and show him how to do the adjustments for camber in front and toe and camber in the rear. Figure slight toe adjustment in the rear and i'm ok.
Well - the wheel is still slightly off and they can't get the camber on the right over -1.1 and keep the 1/16 toe. Therefore - i'm now convinced the subframe is off.
In the rear - my camber is now -1.51 with toe at 1/16. The guy said he needed some tool to adjust toe and brought it up so that toe would come in from 1/8 to 1/16. While I understand the camber/toe relationship - it's not like i'm trying to get big camber numbers in the rear - toe shouldn't be that had to adjust from 1/8 to 1/16th.
Also - how do you convert "degrees" to "fractions" for toe - since some of my past alignments were in fractions - 1/16 and some in degrees. I'd like to see how they compare.
I'm not tracking this thing at -1.5 rear camber!
So yesterday I bring it in to a place that I had used before because they have a Hunter alignment rack. Unfortunately the Tech who did my alignment previously was no longer there. I told them the specs I wanted ... -1.2 to -1.3 camber in front with 1/16 toe out and -1.8 camber rear with 1/16 toe. I also wanted my steering wheel straightend out.
So I get it back yesterday and i'm off in front - can't get the right wheel past -1.0 with zero toe and the left is at -1.2 with 1/16 and the steering wheel is still crooked. Rears are as requested camber wise at -1.8 but toe is 1/8 on the left and 1/16th on the right.
I bring it back today and go over the car with the alignment tech and show him how to do the adjustments for camber in front and toe and camber in the rear. Figure slight toe adjustment in the rear and i'm ok.
Well - the wheel is still slightly off and they can't get the camber on the right over -1.1 and keep the 1/16 toe. Therefore - i'm now convinced the subframe is off.
In the rear - my camber is now -1.51 with toe at 1/16. The guy said he needed some tool to adjust toe and brought it up so that toe would come in from 1/8 to 1/16. While I understand the camber/toe relationship - it's not like i'm trying to get big camber numbers in the rear - toe shouldn't be that had to adjust from 1/8 to 1/16th.
Also - how do you convert "degrees" to "fractions" for toe - since some of my past alignments were in fractions - 1/16 and some in degrees. I'd like to see how they compare.
I'm not tracking this thing at -1.5 rear camber!
03-20-2008, 06:24 PM
#2
Centering the wheel is easy....
Doesn't affect the alignment at all.
I think I covered all the rest earlier.
Also I probably have a link I can dig up tomorrow for the conversions.<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1642175.phtml">Wheel centering.....</a></li></ul>
I think I covered all the rest earlier.
Also I probably have a link I can dig up tomorrow for the conversions.<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1642175.phtml">Wheel centering.....</a></li></ul>
03-20-2008, 06:39 PM
#3
More DIY detail on centering the wheel....
<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1279012.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1279012.phtml</a</li></ul>
03-21-2008, 05:20 AM
#7
John linked to it yesterday..>>
I have a set of Longacre toe plates and a Smartcamber gauge..<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1742244.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1742244.phtml</a</li></ul>
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03-21-2008, 06:06 AM
#10
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No worries - I feel that way too! It's just frustrating because ....
options locally are limited and now i've got to take a day off to go somewhere to get it done right.