Tracking/alignment question
Discussion
Long-time lurker on this forum, but only just decided to join so I may discuss an issue (and hopefully contribute in the future)...
I have used the search facility, but all the alignment questions I have seen are more on the lines of "Where to get it done" rather than the technicalities.
Since it is my first post, and just for reference, my background is in engineering, but not automotive. I have built vehicles from Westfield, through a LandRover S2A rebuild and now on with Jag Mk2 and looking for Mk1 Mini. I have a 'classic' (at 20 years+) Japanese too, with one of those devilish rotory things. My interests are mostly classic based, our 'fleet' being between 56 and 8 years old.
I am really after some opinion on 4 wheel alignment and what is 'correct'. Short version of the story is having had a vehicle setup/checked on a Hunter machine, it is really down to what is the expectation of the result. I had the resulting print out from the Hunter machine, which as you all probably know is simplified to be green if the measurement is within the manufacturer's tollerance, red otherwise. It appears that the operator considers things to be 'right' if it is all green. This resulted in a bit of a discussion with the guy operating the machine who swore blind that the steering wheel centre position was nothing to do with tracking - which was a bad start. (Okay for pedants - I understand that the tracking can be correct with the steering wheel offset - but clearly adjusting the tracking settings equally from that point will centre the wheel).
However, let us for argument say that a setting tollerance is +/-1 degree. Is it acceptable when correctly setup for one measurement one side to be +1 whereas the other side is -1? I understand that each measurement is 'in spec' but it can't be a good setup. If I was doing this myself I would match each side (actually they haven't done it too badly in this respect). I understand that it is also possible for being 'at one end' of the tollerance may be better for certain situations eg. high speed stability. Again, if this setup was chosen, I would expect equal values. Also, I believe that a quality setup, may take account of the road camber and therefore have different values for each side.
If it helps the discussion I could share the measurements... it does however show I need to do something with the whole rear subframe in order to adjust a non-adjustable angle.
Does anyone have access to the 'proper' figures for a Jag SV8?
Am I just whinging about nothing?
I have used the search facility, but all the alignment questions I have seen are more on the lines of "Where to get it done" rather than the technicalities.
Since it is my first post, and just for reference, my background is in engineering, but not automotive. I have built vehicles from Westfield, through a LandRover S2A rebuild and now on with Jag Mk2 and looking for Mk1 Mini. I have a 'classic' (at 20 years+) Japanese too, with one of those devilish rotory things. My interests are mostly classic based, our 'fleet' being between 56 and 8 years old.
I am really after some opinion on 4 wheel alignment and what is 'correct'. Short version of the story is having had a vehicle setup/checked on a Hunter machine, it is really down to what is the expectation of the result. I had the resulting print out from the Hunter machine, which as you all probably know is simplified to be green if the measurement is within the manufacturer's tollerance, red otherwise. It appears that the operator considers things to be 'right' if it is all green. This resulted in a bit of a discussion with the guy operating the machine who swore blind that the steering wheel centre position was nothing to do with tracking - which was a bad start. (Okay for pedants - I understand that the tracking can be correct with the steering wheel offset - but clearly adjusting the tracking settings equally from that point will centre the wheel).
However, let us for argument say that a setting tollerance is +/-1 degree. Is it acceptable when correctly setup for one measurement one side to be +1 whereas the other side is -1? I understand that each measurement is 'in spec' but it can't be a good setup. If I was doing this myself I would match each side (actually they haven't done it too badly in this respect). I understand that it is also possible for being 'at one end' of the tollerance may be better for certain situations eg. high speed stability. Again, if this setup was chosen, I would expect equal values. Also, I believe that a quality setup, may take account of the road camber and therefore have different values for each side.
If it helps the discussion I could share the measurements... it does however show I need to do something with the whole rear subframe in order to adjust a non-adjustable angle.
Does anyone have access to the 'proper' figures for a Jag SV8?
Am I just whinging about nothing?
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