Technical Wheel alignment/Tracking

[Gregovic]

Because the steering didn't feel quite 100% right and the steering wheel wobbled on the highway I had my Brava checked, wheels balanced and the alignment checked. The wheel balancing is great now, a lot less noise and better handeling. (Not strange, by the look of the rims they have seen many a curb in the past)

One thing I noticed when looking at the measuring report I received is that the Camber for the front right was previously -0*40, and now -0*39. Still outside the limits they are giving on the report. For left rear it had gone from -1*19 to -1*21, so it actually got worse and it's well outside the limits!
The explanation they gave me for it is that the camber is "frozen" and cant be adjusted on a Brava. And that when adjusting the toe-in the camber changed and there was nothing they could do about that.

Is this actually true or are they trying to rip me off? (I don't have the report on hand at the moment, I'll update with all the values when I get home in the evening)

 

[Mr Lovedog]

Steering wobble is usually the front wheels being unbalanced. What they have said is essentially true. Rear camber is rarely adjustable on modern cars. However if it is way out, you may be able to get a camber kit fitted to your car to make it adjustable (Remember I had this done a Type R once). I would be very interested to see the report showing all the angles.

 

[skaramazoo]

I have had a similar problem recently on my brava sx. the car has a tendency to pull to the right even if wheel alignment has been carried out twice recently.
Could it be something wrong with the hydraulics in the steering?
Any ideas?

 

[Gregovic]

Well, I finally got around to posting the measuring report.

Front left:
Camber before 0*00'
Camber after -0*01'
(Camber range according to specs: -0*37' >-< 0*23')

Toe before -0*08'
Toe after 0*00'
(range to specs: -0*05' >-< 0*05')

Front right:
Camber before -0*40'
Camber after -0*39' (So this is still out of the specs)

Toe before -0*08'
Toe after 0*00'

Front camber difference l/r before: 0*40'
Front camber difference l/r after: 0*38'

Total toe before: -0*05' ; after: 0*00'

Left rear:
Camber before: -1*19'
Camber after: -1*21' ! (This is well out of spec, and got worse)
(specs range: -1*16' >-< -0*16' )

Toe before: 0*17'
Toe after: 0*15'
(specs range: 0*00' >-< 0*19' )

Right rear:
Camber before: -0*59'
Camber after: -0*57'

Toe before: 0*03'
Toe after: 0*02'

Rear total toe before: 0*19' ; after: 0*17' (Range 0*00' >-< 0*39' )
Overal driving angle before: 0*07' ; after: 0*06'

Note: * means degree symbol
All the ranges given are as noted on the measuring report. I don't even know if they are correct.

So, anything stand out as odd?

 

[The Professor]

Your figures aren't a country mile out, I would suspect that it's all got a bit soggy as time's gone on. The difference at the front might be due to kerbing heavily and you might get a small adjustment by loosening the strut to wishbone bolts and heaving the offside suspension leg inwards a bit, but there's nothing fancy like eccentric bolts to make it properly adjustable. I would suspect that your left rear is due to worn suspension bushes. My Brava held itself rock steady in a straight line even with 130,000 miles of wear on it and if yours does the same, I wouldn't fret too much about the setting being out of tolerance by a few minutes. A friend of mine had one wheel's camber out of tolerance by 3 degrees on their Clio - that's something to take notice of!
Regarding skaramazoo's pulling to the right, my Brava tracked straight as a die even with a completely shot suspension leg on the near side (oil leaked out due to failed seal). If it's got a distinct pull, I'd ask if the alignment check was a real 4 wheel check or just front wheel tracking and whether the power steer is self-centring freely.

 

[Gregovic]

Thanks for the advice. I wasn't really worried, I just found it a bit odd that the numbers were out of spec and got worse after the alignment. Like I said in the first post, I'm pretty sure the car has seen a lot of curbs. I avoid it myself.

 

[Saeed]

Dear Scaramazoo,
something simple. If all is been done, could it be just that the tyres in the front are not the same kind, same thread? and condition? Just an idea!, as sometimes the simplest things go un-noticed. As I have experienced myself on many occasion, the mechanics don't communicate properly with customers, and they just do what they have been asked to do, or they are too busy to stop, observe, and think.