Effects of incorrect camber and toe on rear of car?
Discussion
stephen-0s370 said:
Sorry I didn't mean it to sound as though I was questioning.
I'm just trying to find out that if you think the geometry is ok and within limits what would make the car feel like it is massively over steering ?
Tyre pressures fine
No damage
Nothing out of line or untoward
Wheels straight and all balanced
The front of the car feels absolutely fine ?
It is entirely possible that the alignment was not properly carried out, or was misaligned somehow so it measures straight on their screen but it isn't. It might also have been fudged but unlikely as newer cars are much nicer to align as it's not full of grime and rust, and generally the techs do a decent job.I'm just trying to find out that if you think the geometry is ok and within limits what would make the car feel like it is massively over steering ?
Tyre pressures fine
No damage
Nothing out of line or untoward
Wheels straight and all balanced
The front of the car feels absolutely fine ?
As I said I would probably go to another garage and simply say "Can you please do an alignment check and adjust on this car please". See what their figures say.
Just to echo what the others have said, I don't think I would be unduly concerned about your alignment. The rear toe is in minutes (5' = 5/60 of a degree) and in all honesty I suspect that the range will probably be something like 8' +/- x'. Likewise with the camber it'll be a range with -1.45 probably being in the middle of that range.
The settings for my car are 5' toe in at the rear +/- 5' (so basically anywhere between zero toe and 10') and the camber is something like 1 degree 30' +/- 15' (so quite a range of difference).
I think you'll be hard pressed to notice such minor differences in toe and camber (camber particularly) on most road cars. If you had something drastic like 5' toe OUT on the rear then I think you would have cause to be concerned.
All said, I still think that you were well within your fights to take it back in the first instance (assuming that the alignment settings were different). The fact that you overheard them taking the p1ss is just shoddy customer service - if they had done the job properly in the first place, you wouldn;t have needed to ever darken their doorway again.
ETA: Sorry just seen your picture of the "correct" alignment settings and your car is currently within spec so (as above) I think you are fine. If you want to be picky about alignment settings then you need to find a local specialist. I know what settings I like on my car and eventually found a place that were able to set it as per my request (many places just want to "set it within manufacturer specifications")
The settings for my car are 5' toe in at the rear +/- 5' (so basically anywhere between zero toe and 10') and the camber is something like 1 degree 30' +/- 15' (so quite a range of difference).
I think you'll be hard pressed to notice such minor differences in toe and camber (camber particularly) on most road cars. If you had something drastic like 5' toe OUT on the rear then I think you would have cause to be concerned.
All said, I still think that you were well within your fights to take it back in the first instance (assuming that the alignment settings were different). The fact that you overheard them taking the p1ss is just shoddy customer service - if they had done the job properly in the first place, you wouldn;t have needed to ever darken their doorway again.
ETA: Sorry just seen your picture of the "correct" alignment settings and your car is currently within spec so (as above) I think you are fine. If you want to be picky about alignment settings then you need to find a local specialist. I know what settings I like on my car and eventually found a place that were able to set it as per my request (many places just want to "set it within manufacturer specifications")
Edited by LennyM1984 on Friday 12th June 12:37
Cheers guys.
So what do I need to be looking at then as both me and the wife can feel it's different to the other car when it should feel the same.
Whilst I agree that some of the settings are ok they are only just about ok if that makes sense.
I've checked everything I can think of.
No play in bearings
Tyre pressures good
Tyres good
No damage to suspension
All suspension bolts tight
Wheels tight
Tried different wheels
Basically when i turn it the rear of the car tries to follow round quite a lot. Almost like driving around on well under inflated tyres is the feel I have.
I've spoke with Hunter and they confirmed that the garage have set it to the wrong suspension type again.
The have set it to sport suspension G02
My car should be sport suspension RS G07
So it could be that due to my car being lower than a normal Octavia as it has the vrs suspension it could be exaggerating the wrong settings.
I don't know ?? I'm at a loss.
So what do I need to be looking at then as both me and the wife can feel it's different to the other car when it should feel the same.
Whilst I agree that some of the settings are ok they are only just about ok if that makes sense.
I've checked everything I can think of.
No play in bearings
Tyre pressures good
Tyres good
No damage to suspension
All suspension bolts tight
Wheels tight
Tried different wheels
Basically when i turn it the rear of the car tries to follow round quite a lot. Almost like driving around on well under inflated tyres is the feel I have.
I've spoke with Hunter and they confirmed that the garage have set it to the wrong suspension type again.
The have set it to sport suspension G02
My car should be sport suspension RS G07
So it could be that due to my car being lower than a normal Octavia as it has the vrs suspension it could be exaggerating the wrong settings.
I don't know ?? I'm at a loss.
stephen-0s370 said:
The have set it to sport suspension G02
My car should be sport suspension RS G07
So it could be that due to my car being lower than a normal Octavia as it has the vrs suspension it could be exaggerating the wrong settings.
I don't know ?? I'm at a loss.
That isn't the issue!!My car should be sport suspension RS G07
So it could be that due to my car being lower than a normal Octavia as it has the vrs suspension it could be exaggerating the wrong settings.
I don't know ?? I'm at a loss.
As I said, and as others have said go to another garage.
On the basis that it sounds like the original garage are a bunch of bellends, I'd probably work on the assumption that if they are incapable of programming the machine properly they are likely even less capable of operating it competently to achieve a decent alignment.
In the same way that it's more than possible to do a good job on a machine that isn't a Hunter, it is more than possible to a s
t job with a Hunter machine
Minutes of toe and tenths of degrees of camber are not going to spectacularly change your handling but if it's been cocked up then it might be way out from that. If you're 100% happy that your bushes are in good condition and your tyres are good quality (i.e. not chinese ditchfinders) and correctly inflated then I'd just take it somewhere else.
If the next place produces you a big red 'before' printout and it feels right afterwards then write to the manager of the original garage so they can sort their employees out and leave them a stinky review if you don't get a satisfactory response so others are fairly warned. These sort of people are oblivious to their responsibility for other people's safety
In the same way that it's more than possible to do a good job on a machine that isn't a Hunter, it is more than possible to a s
t job with a Hunter machineMinutes of toe and tenths of degrees of camber are not going to spectacularly change your handling but if it's been cocked up then it might be way out from that. If you're 100% happy that your bushes are in good condition and your tyres are good quality (i.e. not chinese ditchfinders) and correctly inflated then I'd just take it somewhere else.
If the next place produces you a big red 'before' printout and it feels right afterwards then write to the manager of the original garage so they can sort their employees out and leave them a stinky review if you don't get a satisfactory response so others are fairly warned. These sort of people are oblivious to their responsibility for other people's safety
So just to update this thread:
Took my car to a different garage that had been recommended and they had a look on their machine.
The rear end was way off. Left hand side camber and toe were in the red and the right hand side toe was off.
Once this was set correctly it showed the front toe was off too. One wheel was pointing dead straight and the other toeing in.
All set correctly now and feels much much better. The chap that did it took it for a drive and said it handles much better too.
Took my car to a different garage that had been recommended and they had a look on their machine.
The rear end was way off. Left hand side camber and toe were in the red and the right hand side toe was off.
Once this was set correctly it showed the front toe was off too. One wheel was pointing dead straight and the other toeing in.
All set correctly now and feels much much better. The chap that did it took it for a drive and said it handles much better too.
stephen-0s370 said:
So just to update this thread:
Took my car to a different garage that had been recommended and they had a look on their machine.
The rear end was way off. Left hand side camber and toe were in the red and the right hand side toe was off.
Once this was set correctly it showed the front toe was off too. One wheel was pointing dead straight and the other toeing in.
All set correctly now and feels much much better. The chap that did it took it for a drive and said it handles much better too.
Glad it's sorted. Maybe approach garage number 1 for a refund?Took my car to a different garage that had been recommended and they had a look on their machine.
The rear end was way off. Left hand side camber and toe were in the red and the right hand side toe was off.
Once this was set correctly it showed the front toe was off too. One wheel was pointing dead straight and the other toeing in.
All set correctly now and feels much much better. The chap that did it took it for a drive and said it handles much better too.
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