Steering Wheel off centre!

[DAMIT]

Just had the car alignment done on my V8 Roadster, only because the steering wheel was off centre, but everything else felt ok.

Two hours later nice print out with all green little boxes instead of mostly red from the hunter equipment. All reset to factory settings and also £xxx lighter in the pocket!

However, steering wheel still off, not as much, but now tramlining like mad! Front end all over the place when braking on uneven roads!

Anybody know what needs adjusting to get it more planted on the front? Is it Camber or Toe? Might have to get them to go back to old settings when I go back to get it redone.

Edited by DAMIT on Saturday 11th August 21:59

[LC23]

I would suggest that if the car feels like that they have either messed up the settings or there is something wrong with your suspension/tyres. Have you checked tyre pressures as a starting point?

[mikey k]

They didn't centre the steering wheel properly before starting
They also way over charged you

ETA tramlining is probably too little caster
Did they weight up the seats as per the manual?

Edited by mikey k on Friday 10th August 20:10

[Jockman]

Weights usually required as well as half tank of fuel - I forgot - or they will weigh down the boot.

It hasn't been done properly by the sound of things and it is £100 tops under usual conditions.

Sure you haven't been given the Sports Pack settings

[michael gould]

Just had my BMW sorted with 4 wheel alignment on Hunter kit......I now also have 4 green little boxes........what a bloody con.........took them all of 20 min and charged me £95 + vat..........the new front right tyre however has cost me £240

[yeti]

95 quid not unreasonable michael, they do have to cover the cost of the machine and it's upkeep!

280 for the OP and sending it out the door without the wheel being straight... Sorry, that's disgusting.

As to the settings not feeling right... Well if they don't feel right, they're not right, something is up - uneven pressures, uneven wear, something!

[mikey k]

+1
MG £100 is the going rate for 4 wheel lase alignment. Done properly it is essential on a RWD car. Done bad it is dangerous!
OP take it back, ask about what weight they put in, get it redone and post a scan of the print out up!

[v8woollie]

As an example, my before settings at the top (done as a fast road setup) and the after (done as factory spec on a Hunter machine for £100). These are as close to the absolute factory settings as I think you can get.

Edited by v8woollie on Saturday 11th August 09:04

[michael gould]

yeti said:

95 quid not unreasonable michael, they do have to cover the cost of the machine and it's upkeep!

280 for the OP and sending it out the door without the wheel being straight... Sorry, that's disgusting.

As to the settings not feeling right... Well if they don't feel right, they're not right, something is up - uneven pressures, uneven wear, something!

Your right 95 is not to bad

[DAMIT]

v8woollie said:

As an example, my before settings at the top (done as a fast road setup) and the after (done as factory spec on a Hunter machine for £100). These are as close to the absolute factory settings as I think you can get.

Edited by v8woollie on Saturday 11th August 09:04

My new settings do not appear to be much different. Caster may need to be changed a little. Would that solve the tramlining?




The front tyres are about 6 months old and have done about 2-3k miles I guess they could have worn in to the old settings and may need a few miles to bed in??

Great to find out that I have been taken to the cleaners again. Think they must see me coming!!

[mikey k]

The reason you are feeling the tramlining is they have taken front camber off and reduced the castor.
This makes the front more "point" and sensitive. IT will make it easier to steer but it does find ruts more and feels more fidgity.

Check your tyre pressures and live with it for a bit.

[DAMIT]

mikey k said:

The reason you are feeling the tramlining is they have taken front camber off and reduced the castor.
This makes the front more "point" and sensitive. IT will make it easier to steer but it does find ruts more and feels more fidgity.

Check your tyre pressures and live with it for a bit.

Thanks Mikey.

All tyre pressures were and are spot on, as was the fuel level.

So you think live with it for a while and see how it goes or go get more monies worth and get them to redo the whole thing? Especially since the wheel is still slightly off centre.

[v8woollie]

The factory settings are on this page:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

It looks like the biggest difference with your settings is the castor. I aso had a steering wheel that was slightly down on the right side. Although it is now predominantly level there are many roads where the car takes the camber and I drive with a little right hand down I definitely don't get tramlining under braking though.

[mikey k]

If you are not happy get them to redo it
At that sort of money they should be more than happy to oblige
What part of the world are you in?