Wheel Alignment - do I need it?

[JoeCool]

4 minutes of a degree isn't 0.4 degrees.... The kwik fit machine is giving it in decimal, the other machine is giving it in degrees and minutes.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trust kwik fits numbers as fast as I could throw a hunter hawkeye, bit neither would I expect precisely the same numbers twice in a row.

[lamcote]

KwikFit is degrees and minutes, F1 is decimals. I have converted KwikFit to decimals for my comparison. I am quoting the variance between 0.3 (toe in at F1) and -0.0166 (ie 1 minute toe out, at KwikFit) which is nearly 0.4 variance as I said, that's actually 19 minutes DIFFERENCE on a toe angle that Wheels in Motion aim to SET at 10 minutes +/- 1 minute!

I agree you won't get the same results each time but that degree of variance is just way beyond acceptable limits and certainly can't be explained by normal suspension variation at or around static ride height.

[HFB]

Thanks for all of the input guys....will look at getting some proper readings done soon.

Is that all I'll need Ardent to have adjustable rear camber?

HFB

[Ardent]

Bit of a depends answer I'm afraid.

Stock bolts - no adjustment
These with the shallower shank give you adjustment
Do they give you enough for "your" needs, I don't know.

I sincerly believe they would allow you bring the reading s more central if that is your aim.

Your approx 20 miles closer to wheels n motion than I am, I would bite the bullet and take it to these guys.
As mentioned above not the cheapest but arguably one of, if not, the best.

[JoeCool]

My alignment there, which was all directions and on all wheels and took 90 minutes, was £114 Inc vat. No, not cheap, but good value for money IMO. Car went in undriveable and came out fun as all hell.

[Ardent]

Car went in undriveable and came out fun as all hell.

Says it all

[jvanzyl]

Quick question guys - is it worthwhile me NOT fitting my rear camber bolts, driving it down to wheels in motion and then having them fit them as part of the alignment process?
I'm just wondering if there is any reason why this would be a bad idea, financially or otherwise...

[shnazzle]

That's the preferred way. Shouldn't be a problem for them

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[lamcote]

That's what I would do personally, subject to calling them first to get an idea of cost.

[Ardent]

+1 to both aboves

[jvanzyl]

Just spoke with Joe on the phone.. the full alignment is £130 plus tax, and they'll charge 30min labour £30 odd to fit the camber bolts,... so basically do I want to save my self the £30 and try and get the camber bolts on properly myself... I think I might do with Patricks directions below:

Bolts go on the bottom of the two massive bolts at the bottom of the strut.
"Bolt goes in on the right and out the left with the ring with the lip on the right side. Lip pointing outwards. They're a pain to adjust. All the best  :-) :-) :-)  Drive carefully
to your alignment place as the camber will likely be wrong."

[lamcote]

Seems expensive for putting a bolt in? The time must be in the adjustment which ought to be included in the alignment for £130?

If you fit it just try to get the camber somewhere close to where it is now, although the impact of camber change on toe settings is less on the rear wheels than the front so there should be less to worry about.

[jvanzyl]

Yeah...I was a bit surprised by the cost..Will endeavour to get it decent my self first.

[Essex2Visuvesi]

I guess they factor in how much of a sod these can be to remove

[jvanzyl]

I guess they factor in how much of a sod these can be to remove

Do you reckon I might be better off not fitting these financially as Patrick has described the nuts as "chocolate" (superpro ones)... I'd hate to get to the point where I need to buy new ones cost I'd messed up the old ones!

[shnazzle]

Bear in mind J that I totally messed up by for some inexplicable reason putting copper slip on the bolt.

That totally knacks the torque. I over torqued it and ruined the nut.
The other side was done at the alignment place (at no extra cost...) and it went fine.
So, don't worry. Get it on yourself.

At worst you'll be running some excess camber. You'll be able to get to the place fine

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[Ardent]

HFB
in light of simons post above. Would seem more resesrch is required.

[HFB]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all of the very helpful input.

Was at Bedford yesterday and the car handled like a dream (except for one moment when I ran out of talent and spun it on the long right hander on the inner section) and affirmed how much fun this car is on track.

There were a couple of guys there who do driver training and I got into a discussion with one of them about mods for the car and handling and he suggested that adjustable rear arms would be way more convenient and give more adjustability than camber bolts.

Anyone know what it is exactly I am looking for (links would be very helpful) and if they are easier to fit/replace than camber bolts?

I'm pretty sure that having Meister coilovers gives me the camber adjustability on the front already....is that correct?

After a coaching session with Brad there, I went from 3 min 30's down to 3.13 best lap of the day..........not BTCC standards, but made it great fun for me.

Will try and post up a Youtube clip here when uploaded of my last session with th e roof down and a lovely dry day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNljQXApmlU&feature=youtu.be

Will heed your advice and once I've sorted out (camber bolts or adjustable arms) adjustability will call up W.I.M/Abbey Motors and get a proper geo set up done.

Will me swapping wheels from TD set to road set mess with the geometry (they are both PFL 15" sets of wheels)?

Cheers all

HFB

[ChrisGB]

Bear in mind that adjusting camber by lower arms alone can lead to asymmetric track.

[HFB]

Bear in mind that adjusting camber by lower arms alone can lead to asymmetric track.

AAAARRGGGHHHHHH!!!    s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  

So what would people here recommend to enable me to have full, easy adjustment for front and rear camber and Meister coilovers please?

HFB

[lamcote]

I think the camber adjustments at the top of the strut and or the adjustable arms are less appropriate than the strut bolt option because they change the angle of the whole strut itself. The struts are already at quite a significant angle (c.15 degrees) so adding negative camber by these methods further increases this angle which affects steering geometry/feel at the front and reduces the effective spring rates slightly.

Using crash bolts / camber bolts avoids these issues.

[JoeCool]

Right. Adjustable arms, other than the toe arms, IMO, aren't worth it. Which is why I didn't fit them. In fact I don't think I've ever seen adjustable traction/track arms (the front and lower arms of the three) for a roadster. You're just far more likely to ruin your geometry than fix it. Those are the two arms that predominantly dictate the actual position of the hub carrier on the car - fore and aft and in terms of track width.

The stock car actually has good toe arm (the rearmost arm with the ball joint) adjustability. It can move the cammed bolt a good cm or so either way for adjustment. I did get adjustable toe arms, but mainly because they were cheaper! (and a bit bling). I still got the minor adjustment done using the cammed bolts, you just set them to length and fix them there.

Camber adjustment is what the stock car doesn't have, and annoyingly what even coilovers don't gain you. I don't know why rear coilovers don't have slotted top bolt holes (or adjustable camber plates on the top mounts) like fronts do, but they don't. So you need camber bolts. But most camber bolts appear to offer about 2 degrees of adjustment which should be ample to get the car in spec. If you want more than that then you're doing something quite specialist. I can't imagine slotting the top holes slightly would be a terrible idea, bit unless you're making a stanced car you shouldn't need to anyway.

Anyway, my suspension overhaul at the rear involved:

• Gt-4play polybushed traction and track arms.
• Hard Race toe arms also supplied by GT4-Play
• Camber bolts (some American engineering company) second hand
• Meister R's.

That got me everything I needed to get the car in spec.

The fronts, the coilovers alone get you plenty of adjustment: the top holes on the strut leg are slotted so you can pivot the hub knuckle on it, and they top mount is adjustable for fine tuning.

No, swapping wheels alone shouldn't change your geometry.

[jonty]

I've got Che adjustable arms and they are fine, you set them side to side with the stock arms and can measure thread exposed to make sure you start in the same place side to side before fitting. They weren't that expensive and you won't knock the alignment off over curbs which I seem to recall some of the guys in the mr2 championship grumbling about.

I'd price it up and go with the cheaper option (bolts vs arms) -it depends if you have any bushings that are a bit tired as well..

[JoeCool]

I think the CHE arms are rose jointed also? In place of the inner bushings? That's another consideration IMO. Bit of a difference to Noise and vibration and you have to decide if you want the compromise.

I think you need to be doing something quite special geometry wise if you actually "need" all around adjustable arms.

[jonty]

Mine had a bent lower arm, it was doing something special geometry wise BEFORE I fitted the Che arms!

Yes they are rose jointed. I didn't notice any vibration or noise at all from this. I do know the car was epic in the bends at Bedford when I was there a few years ago. Need to get off 17s and back to stock diameters and hopefully it'll be like it again, just this time with 2zz power  s:) s:)