2 or 4 wheel alignment?

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by marinabrian

To all the other smug old duffers who thought it wise to crow on about Alan's printout showing the rear wheels being out of adjustment should perhaps reflect on why that was? nothing to do with the fact he'd changed the rear subframe, upper and lower arms and the road springs ...

My car's rear was misaligned despite having no work whatsoever carried out upon it since it left the factory, and mss says his was similar, so irrespective of the writer's intentions, it would be fallacious for readers of the above post to consider it proof that the rear does not require checking and/or will not be out of alignment.

There isn't any significant financial saving to be had with 2 wheel alignment and if the rear is misaligned, the eventual cost of replacing those tyres will make you poorer than if you'd had 4 wheel alignment done in the first place!

So my advice is to do the job comprehensively and properly so that you know about your suspension rather than just crossing your fingers and making a wish.

Simon

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by SD1too

So my advice is to do the job comprehensively and properly, rather than just crossing your fingers and making a wish.

Simon

It's a shame you didn't apply that philosophy to the thing that really make a difference in vehicle maintenance Simon

Brian

[MSS]

Well, now that the Oracle of All Things Engineering has bestowed his wisdom upon us, we can conclude that Hogweed has the following options:

1. Have front-wheel alignment done (checking followed by any required adjustment)

2. Have 4-wheel alignment done (checking followed by any required adjustment)

3. Drive past Newcastle (the A1 should be close enough) and allow telepathy to perform the alignment check

4. Buy a roll of Poundland string and have fun.

Simon (smug old duffer), it appears that your and my thinking on this matter is somewhat outdated. Telepathy and string are the way forward.

Unfortunately, this does probably mean the rapid demise of a reputable engineering firm known as Hunter.

p.s. I was under the car with a roll of yellow string this morning. Unfortunately, I tied myself up in knots.

[hogweed]

I AM enjoying this. Tell you what... I always get 60mpg out of my car, towing a caravan uphill into a 70mph wind. Eh? Eh?


Seriously, any comments on the front-wheel-roundabout theory?

[MSS]

Originally Posted by hogweed

I AM enjoying this. Tell you what... I always get 60mpg out of my car, towing a caravan uphill into a 70mph wind. Eh? Eh?

Brian gets 70MPG without even trying. His is always bigger and better!

Originally Posted by hogweed

Seriously, any comments on the front-wheel-roundabout theory?

Take a different route for the next 30k miles and see for yourself. Or, follow sound engineering practice and wrap some string on the inner edge of the nearside wheel.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by mss

Well, now that the Oracle of All Things Engineering has bestowed his wisdom upon us, we can conclude that Hogweed has the following options:

1. Have front-wheel alignment done (checking followed by any required adjustment)

2. Have 4-wheel alignment done (checking followed by any required adjustment)

3. Drive past Newcastle (the A1 should be close enough) and allow telepathy to perform the alignment check

4. Buy a roll of Poundland string and have fun.

Simon (smug old duffer), it appears that your and my thinking on this matter is somewhat outdated. Telepathy and string are the way forward.

Unfortunately, this does probably mean the rapid demise of a reputable engineering firm known as Hunter.

p.s. I was under the car with a roll of yellow string this morning. Unfortunately, I tied myself up in knots.

Maninder, you crack me up, you really do

Anyway interestingly I had the tracking set on my firefrost 75 six years ago by an independent garage HERE

The work came with a printout of each wheel before and after adjustment, and after collecting the car I drove home finding the steering wheel off centre and the car pulling somewhat to the right.

I ran it it up onto the ramps, and found that only one of the front wheels had been touched, and the rear wheels were obviously toeing in as the tyres (brand new Uniroyal Rain Expert) were feathering after being driven fifteen miles.

I dug out the trusty trackrite from the garage and checked the shear, took a piece of string tied to the lashing eye and run across the centre of the rear wheels, checked with a steel rule against the leading and trailing edge of each of the rear wheel rims , and found the rear wheels to be toeing in by 8mm

So you might be right about it being prudent to have you car checked then rechecked by another garage

Brian

[BigRuss]

I see nothing has been mentioned about the issue of the correct loading of the car before checking the alignment or carrying out any adjustments especially the rears

If it's been adjusted without doing that, then chances are it's been a waste of money.

Also note that that the proper data must be used because tolerances changed during production, and the appropriate figures should be used to match your model year

Russ

[clf]

Originally Posted by hogweed

I AM enjoying this. Tell you what... I always get 60mpg out of my car, towing a caravan uphill into a 70mph wind. Eh? Eh?


Seriously, any comments on the front-wheel-roundabout theory?

60mpg whilst accelerating up the M2 hill section is easily achievable (I remember the days having to stir from 3rd to 4th maybe 4 or 5 times driving up there in my R5.

Slow down approaching Sandyknowes and stop driving around at speed?

Book the car (needs to be booked) into Ivan Kerr's. You can see from mine it didnt need the rears done, even though I requested it (new tyres and new suspension- figured it would be needed), and I was charged half the price for that reason. So if it doesnt actually need to be done, he wont do it, and charge accordingly.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by BigRuss

I see nothing has been mentioned about the issue of the correct loading of the car before checking the alignment or carrying out any adjustments especially the rears

If it's been adjusted without doing that, then chances are it's been a waste of money.

Russ

Sorry Russ, I should have mentioned that my 75 was taken in with 3/4 tank of fuel and nothing other than the spare wheel and toolkit in the boot.

I had wirebrushed the threads of the tie rods, cracked the locknuts and wound them up and down the thread to ensure both were free, before applying a stripe of paint on the top side of one of each of the flats of the locknut and onto the track rod itself as a "telltale"

On the rear each of the four bolts in turn were removed from the trailing arm toe adjustment bracket, the threads wire brushed, lightly lubricated with 3 in 1 oil then refitted to the correct torque, so there could be no possibility of cack handed use of air tools to snap of a seized bolt, or captive nut in the body.

Still all of that preparation didn't stop them from not getting it right, it's called all the gear, and no idea

However nobody should let my experience put them off having this type of work carried out, finding a competent operative will transform the car, perhaps into something decent if you're lucky

Brian

[clf]

Originally Posted by BigRuss

I see nothing has been mentioned about the issue of the correct loading of the car before checking the alignment or carrying out any adjustments especially the rears

If it's been adjusted without doing that, then chances are it's been a waste of money.

Russ

and fuel tank capacity. (approx 3/4 full if I recall)

not sure if this link will work, but for Roger, it gives a little extra confidence in their attention to detail.

https://www.facebook.com/ivankerrtyr...08562639319714