Wheel alignment and tracking
Discussion
Hi newbie here 
been lurking for a while and thought id bight the bullet and join as i felt the need to post in some threads ha.
anyway back to the topic, i have a lowered renault megane coupe and im struggling to find anyone in the swansea area that are able to sort my wheel alignment and tracking out, little story...
bought some 17" wheels and some lowering springs while back, and although the tracking was spot on (according to a garage) the steering wheel slowly started to turn left even when the driving wheels were pointing ahead. so after changing the track rod ends (they were fubbard) and ruining the outside of my 17" tyres i put the standard 15" wheels back on along with new wishbones, bushes, strutts, lowered springs (to acheive the desired height) for a bit while i saved up for some new 17" tyres.
to prevent the same thing happening to my 15" tyres as the 17" ones i had the car tracked and 4 wheel alinged at a garage and all was good.
now i got some new tyres for the 17's and i have them back on and the steering wheel has gone left again (only a small amount compared to last time but enough to hack me off)
the problem im having is the garages im taking the car to cant fit their tracking gauges around my wheels without fouling the bodywork. so im after any advice you lot can offer
been lurking for a while and thought id bight the bullet and join as i felt the need to post in some threads ha.
anyway back to the topic, i have a lowered renault megane coupe and im struggling to find anyone in the swansea area that are able to sort my wheel alignment and tracking out, little story...
bought some 17" wheels and some lowering springs while back, and although the tracking was spot on (according to a garage) the steering wheel slowly started to turn left even when the driving wheels were pointing ahead. so after changing the track rod ends (they were fubbard) and ruining the outside of my 17" tyres i put the standard 15" wheels back on along with new wishbones, bushes, strutts, lowered springs (to acheive the desired height) for a bit while i saved up for some new 17" tyres.
to prevent the same thing happening to my 15" tyres as the 17" ones i had the car tracked and 4 wheel alinged at a garage and all was good.
now i got some new tyres for the 17's and i have them back on and the steering wheel has gone left again (only a small amount compared to last time but enough to hack me off)
the problem im having is the garages im taking the car to cant fit their tracking gauges around my wheels without fouling the bodywork. so im after any advice you lot can offer
First thing would be to make sure the tracking is actually correct and have the steering wheel centred.
Find a decent place with a 4 wheel laser alignment rig. It costs more than your standard tracking but is much better in my experience as it can corrcet for thrust angle as well as just pure front toe. Plus the place I go to has no problem with low cars. They use a hunter machine if you want to try and find somewhere local with one.
Find a decent place with a 4 wheel laser alignment rig. It costs more than your standard tracking but is much better in my experience as it can corrcet for thrust angle as well as just pure front toe. Plus the place I go to has no problem with low cars. They use a hunter machine if you want to try and find somewhere local with one.
Edited by les3002 on Tuesday 27th April 23:07
les3002 said:
First thing would be to make sure the tracking is actually correct and have the steering wheel centred.
Find a decent place with a 4 wheel laser alignment rig. It costs more than your standard tracking but is much better in my experience as it can corrcet for thrust angle as well as just pure front toe. Plus the place I go to has no problem with low cars. They use a hunter machine if you want to try and find somewhere local with one.
i have tried loads of local places (mainly tyre centres) but they all seem to have the gauges where theres a metal bar required to sit on top of the tyre. the only local placew i know of that does lazer tracking didnt even bother with my car, he tried getting the gauge on the back and gave in, didnt even bother with thr front wheelsFind a decent place with a 4 wheel laser alignment rig. It costs more than your standard tracking but is much better in my experience as it can corrcet for thrust angle as well as just pure front toe. Plus the place I go to has no problem with low cars. They use a hunter machine if you want to try and find somewhere local with one.
Edited by les3002 on Tuesday 27th April 23:07
I feel your pain about steering wheels being slightly out when driving straight - really bugs me too!
Take it to a tuning specialist with modern equipment. It's as much about the technicien taking the time to do a proper job as anything. The fast fit places rarely do a good job in my experience.
Take it to a tuning specialist with modern equipment. It's as much about the technicien taking the time to do a proper job as anything. The fast fit places rarely do a good job in my experience.
Dr.Doofenshmirtz said:
I feel your pain about steering wheels being slightly out when driving straight - really bugs me too!
Take it to a tuning specialist with modern equipment. It's as much about the technicien taking the time to do a proper job as anything. The fast fit places rarely do a good job in my experience.
well in fairness when i had the 4 wheel alignment jobby, they done it properly and i was well chuffed with the result, imagine a straight steering wheel after haveing one on the wonk for months! and they took their time, and i paid an hours labour. so it wasent bad service or anything, but i went back to them and they tell me they cant do it!Take it to a tuning specialist with modern equipment. It's as much about the technicien taking the time to do a proper job as anything. The fast fit places rarely do a good job in my experience.
ohh and the old dunlop gauges dont work on it either because you cant see past my bumper
I'd be concerned why it seemed to be correct after the tracking was checked/aligned but it slowly moved to the left over time. This sounds as though something is wearing.
Things to check:
1. Tyre pressures over time
2. Bushes
3. Tyre wear - this might not be obvious over the timescales you're talking about, but watch foruneven wear over the width of the tyre. It might help you to diagnose the issue.
it might be worth having a full geo check, one where your camber is checked too. If you've installed lowering springs your camber is likely to be off (more negative) unless you have installed camber-correction arms or you have adjustale arms (my Scooby does).
It's an odd one but the "over time" things would concern me.
Things to check:
1. Tyre pressures over time
2. Bushes
3. Tyre wear - this might not be obvious over the timescales you're talking about, but watch foruneven wear over the width of the tyre. It might help you to diagnose the issue.
it might be worth having a full geo check, one where your camber is checked too. If you've installed lowering springs your camber is likely to be off (more negative) unless you have installed camber-correction arms or you have adjustale arms (my Scooby does).
It's an odd one but the "over time" things would concern me.
Mars said:
I'd be concerned why it seemed to be correct after the tracking was checked/aligned but it slowly moved to the left over time. This sounds as though something is wearing.
Things to check:
1. Tyre pressures over time
2. Bushes
3. Tyre wear - this might not be obvious over the timescales you're talking about, but watch foruneven wear over the width of the tyre. It might help you to diagnose the issue.
it might be worth having a full geo check, one where your camber is checked too. If you've installed lowering springs your camber is likely to be off (more negative) unless you have installed camber-correction arms or you have adjustale arms (my Scooby does).
It's an odd one but the "over time" things would concern me.
as i said in my 1st post when i went from 40mm dropped springs to a 60mm drop spring i changed the ARB bushes, wishbones (with bushes and ball joint) track rod ends had not long been done and the springs of course so i cant see any of them affecting the situation.Things to check:
1. Tyre pressures over time
2. Bushes
3. Tyre wear - this might not be obvious over the timescales you're talking about, but watch foruneven wear over the width of the tyre. It might help you to diagnose the issue.
it might be worth having a full geo check, one where your camber is checked too. If you've installed lowering springs your camber is likely to be off (more negative) unless you have installed camber-correction arms or you have adjustale arms (my Scooby does).
It's an odd one but the "over time" things would concern me.
as for tyre wear when i had my 17's on first of all they did wear more on the inside of the tyre, i put this down to the lowered suspention because they were both worn evenly both sides.
when you say it moved left over time, this was literally a couple of days after reffitting my 17's. whereas before it seemed to get progressivley worse (moving further left) then settled at about a 25-30 degree angle untill i decided it was annoying me enough to get it sorted
Hi Jaffman - welcome aboard 
You will find decent four wheel alignment equipment in the majority of the insurance approved accident repair centres.
I notice that someone has already recommended Hunter which is a brilliant piece of kit but there are others as well.
You need to budget for a couple of hours set up in addition to the initial readings because it does take time to do the job properly and I do warn you that the readings are often impossible to get replicated as these machines measure to minutes of a degree and a few miles up the road going over a pothole shakes everything around but have confidence
With regard to your own settings you can't just take standard readings because, as has already been pointed out, you have altered your geometry by dropping the ride height so really its down to you as to how you want your car set up.Why not ask some of the motor sport guys for set up figures for their cars?
Finally irrespective of camber/caster and tracking the thrustline can be accurately set and this will ensure you drive in a straight line without bunny chasing
Hope this helps
You will find decent four wheel alignment equipment in the majority of the insurance approved accident repair centres.
I notice that someone has already recommended Hunter which is a brilliant piece of kit but there are others as well.
You need to budget for a couple of hours set up in addition to the initial readings because it does take time to do the job properly and I do warn you that the readings are often impossible to get replicated as these machines measure to minutes of a degree and a few miles up the road going over a pothole shakes everything around but have confidence
With regard to your own settings you can't just take standard readings because, as has already been pointed out, you have altered your geometry by dropping the ride height so really its down to you as to how you want your car set up.Why not ask some of the motor sport guys for set up figures for their cars?
Finally irrespective of camber/caster and tracking the thrustline can be accurately set and this will ensure you drive in a straight line without bunny chasing
Hope this helps
thanks for the welcome
the suspention setup i have on there now is pretty much fixed, theres nowhere i can ajust anything apart from the toe on the track rod ends, and im happy enough with the way the car rides/handles etc. at the moment. i just want to stop this steering wheel turning left when i have my 17's on there, so not quite sure what else i can change apart from beraings and the steering rack, as the rest is less than a month old.
i will try some accident repair centres. to be honest i didnt even think of them, but any specialist places that deal with lowered cars localy would be great too.
thanks for all the advice it is sinking in... slowly
the suspention setup i have on there now is pretty much fixed, theres nowhere i can ajust anything apart from the toe on the track rod ends, and im happy enough with the way the car rides/handles etc. at the moment. i just want to stop this steering wheel turning left when i have my 17's on there, so not quite sure what else i can change apart from beraings and the steering rack, as the rest is less than a month old.
i will try some accident repair centres. to be honest i didnt even think of them, but any specialist places that deal with lowered cars localy would be great too.
thanks for all the advice it is sinking in... slowly
i can confirm that my steering rack is working correctly and steering is as responsive as its ever been, although it is one of the only things i havent changed with regards to steering and wheels moving.
as for A&A tyres ill give them a right cheers mate, dont happen to know if they are deffinitly able to track lowered cars? ill give them a ring anyway but nice to know 1st
as for A&A tyres ill give them a right
cheers mate, dont happen to know if they are deffinitly able to track lowered cars? ill give them a ring anyway but nice to know 1stGassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff