Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:45:53 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
In-Reply-To: <c4e7c5f90904121721y7fba19c0l9ac96918a22a5370@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Interesting thread.
You can do a better alignment job on your own than the average alignment
shop usually does, but you have to learn how. Any tool is only as good as
the craftsman who uses it. Most shops have thousands and thousands of
dollars invested in their racks and optics and computers, etc etc. But if
the $12/hr tech who is using all that expensive equipment makes one little
mistake or lets one thing 'slide' during the procedure, the results will
suck....And they often do just that.
I had to prove to my local alignment shop tech that he was full of s**t
when he insisted that aligning my Porsche 928 according to the procedure in
the factory manual was not necessary. He aligned it HIS way, using all the
specs from the alignment shop computer and gave me a pretty little piece of
paper with the alignment specs the machine 'read' all printed out...all
'pro looking' and he said "See, it's perfect!" I knew different because he
had lifted the car and then neglected to 'settle the suspension', as the
factory manual dictates, before he did the alignment. Plus a few other
short-cuts that are specifically 'verbooten' by the German engineers who
wrote the factory manual on how to align the vehicle. So, I said "Fine,
Newt, but I bet you a case of imports that if I go drive around the block
and we put it back on the rack and check against this fancy sheet, it'll be
waay off..." He took the bet and lost, big time! I'd have had corded front
tires in about 500 miles if I'd driven that car like he aligned it the first
time. He learned something and I won a case of Heinies..
Don Hanson
On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks very much for the help people.
>
> The explanations were really helpful. I now, at least, understand toe
> in much better. And I'm better armed to ask the right questions.
>
> FWIW, adjusting caster on passenger side, pulling rod toward front (2
> turns, +/- 1/2 turn or nut to "original" position) made no
> difference.
>
> Hopefully a "Vanagon" shop close by, is open tomorrow.
>
> I'm sure I could learn to make these adjustments "shade tree" correct,
> but right now, I just want it done. Right. (especially considering
> repair to radius arm hole) Besides, to get my Westy on level surface
> in my carport really limits the work space. Not my cup-o-tea!
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>
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