Wheel alignment

[Rory 0]

Hi again,

 

My corrado (95 VR6) has been lowered using Ebiach springs only. As far as i know the bushes/shockers etc are standard. It has 77000 on the clock and full VAG service history.

 

My problem is that i had some Porsche cup alloys on the car and the tyres were wearing on the inside. I thought it was the camber or the tracking.

 

I decided to get the tracking done but left the camber alone as i planned to put the old speedlines on again. The guy at the garage adjusted the tracking to what was almost the end of the adjustment on the track rod end. This made me suspicious as the steering was all over the place from that day on. i.e when i steered the car round a bend it 'pulled' round the corner etc

 

I put the speedlines on then took it in for a full track and camber wheel alignment at a different garage (about a month had passed). He then claimed that the wheels were all over the place as he put it, both the tracking and camber. Then from that day the tyres wore on the inside and outside!!!! :(

 

Having lost faith in the steering of my car i cant tell whether the highish torque of the engine can put the steering out or the springs are somehow to blame. Im also not sure whether the latest 'tramlining' over pot holes is due to the Ebiach springs or this problem.

 

Any suggestions how i can have faith restored in my steering????????

[chuck 0]

I have Eibach springs, and don't experience huge tramilining (205 tyres). Though imho, no-one is fully qualified to properly sort the camber. Anyone can do tracking, but ask a guy that only fits tyres for a living to think in the third dimension (for camber) and he falls apart. (Sorry if that offends anyone - my experience thats all - three times to get it right at a well known tyre fitters, and I had to supervise him the last time, and I've never used the digital machine before!!!!!).

The first time he left me with a self steering car around the corners (especially in reverse), the second time with max camber on one side and min on the other, claiming that he couldn't adjust it any more. Sorted the third time after I looked at it myself.

Have heard tho that the best place to get it done properly is at the VW dealers. They even set it up correctly for eibach springs (everywhere else just resets to factory settings).

 

Note, if wearing on both inside and outside, this indicates low tyre pressure.

[Ess Three 0]

Note, if wearing on both inside and outside, this indicates low tyre pressure.

 

Not always...

Wear on the tyres can be catagorised in two ways...simple wear where the tyre is simply worn away, or tyre scrub, where the outside edge looks chunked or scored badly in it's wear profile.

 

Lots of negative camber 1.5 degrees or more (the Corrados already run 1.2 degrees negative as standard) will wear the inside edge...but too much toe out will wear the outside edge, but it will look scrubbed....and the trye pressures can be spot on for this to occur.

 

I always have my cars set up with 1.5 degrees of negative or more, and at least 5 minutes toe out per side, and slightly higher tyre pressures...a combination which gives great grip, but accelerated wear...which doesn't bother me on the roads I use, but could be a problem for those using motorways a lot.

 

Perhaps you have this problem?

[Rory 0]

Tramlining isnt huge, im just very fussy when it comes to a cormftable ride. Just have to fight it to handle smoothly sometimes but its quite mild.

 

The guy that did the tracking the second time was a VW specialist who seems to know everything and has been in the trade for years. The place is called Volksentre (correct spelling) and is up North in Blyth near Newcastle, he also works for peanuts (not literally) which is nice :lol:

 

As you say i might have to visit my VW dealer although their hourly rate (100 quid an hour) puts me off a bit. Need to get it serviced now, they quoted 180 quid although im scared in case they come back with a bill for three figures :cry: . Any experience of dealers adding on money for 'critical repairs'? And do you think a VAG sarvice hstory is that critical come resale time? Do they use special diagnostics that other garages wont be able to do? It already has 2 blemishes on the recored i.e non VAG services.

[Rory 0]

Ess Three you may have something. The standard tyres have circular swirl like marks on the outside edges. Could this be tyre scrub? There are no chunks missing but if the tyres arnt very sticky that may not happen or am i wrong?