Rear Subframe out of Alignment

[jonnykillpop 10]

Hello, the rear subframe on mine is 2mm too far to righ, drivers side, and more annoyingly too far forward by mm or two so that if got tweo fatboys in the back, which recently did on a trip to Whitby, it'll scrape the arch, just, on the front of rear arch, not on the top, on bumps.The other side never scrapes, that mm or two makes all the difference. It's got 17 inch wheelsd, RS4's, WITH 17, 205, 40'S and is lowered and stiffened on Koni's, all done before I got it.

I've loosened the 3 drivers side bolts and you can see the adjustment is out. I've got an old Golf GTI Manual and says set those bolt holes to the centre and adjust the other side, and they were'nt. The other feels really stuck fast though and worried bout snapping them, can you get to these bolt heads to heat or at least oil up from inside car, maybe if take rear panelling off.

 

What's the correct adjustment procedure for rear subframe, looks like had new bushes recently.

[emu 0]

Did you car clipped a curb by any chance on like they say handbrake turn ??

 

Rear beam is not adjustable.

 

Do your wheels are same et ??

[winchbietch 0]

Sorry emu but the rear is adjustable on the d brackets that mount the axle to the body.

From memory there are holes / slots in the underside near to the d brackets where you can spray penetrating oil and work the bolt back and forth to free them up.

4 wheel allignment is whats needed to be accurate.

 

Paul

[jonnykillpop 10]

Nope never smacked it and no signs any previous owner has, got two sets of wheels and both dead straight.

 

What I'm talking about here is the position of the rear axle/beam call it what you will, the actual beam is'nt adjustable but there's slight adjustment as to where it can be fitted if you know what I mean, the 3 bolts that attach it to the floor/chassis, or to be exact the bracket can be set few mm's back forth left right, your meant to also set the angle I think for new bushes but not sure how, the setting their would effect positioning of rear wheels left right, back forth, mm's admitedly but still should be bang on.

 

I'd say it's most likely been off when the Koni's and springs were fitted, looks pretty recent, looks like new bushes recently and not been set well.

 

---------- Post added at 5:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 4:45 PM ----------

 

Cheers, I'll check for those holes to get a bit of penetrating oil in, they don't look rusted at all, look like new bolts but their on damn tight and though I could shift then with an extension bit paranoid after snapping the front suspension arm bolt putting in R32 bushes which is bigger, and had to have cut out with an oxy torch which my mechanic did'nt thank me for. Snapping these would be even worse, could,nt cut them out.

P.S. Wheels are all same ET and good quality, RS4's are proper Audi ones not copies.

[winchbietch 0]

Just go carefully with the bolts and you should be ok, if it goes tight working it back and forth bit by bit is the way - trick is not to get greedy lol - if it looks doubtful a lick of flame will save you.

If it snaps you would need to drill them out and hope to use a stud remover or completely drill through and re tapp the threads.

Gt85 oil is a good penetrating oil along with wd40 - good because it doesn't dry out like alot of other brands making you reaply it alot and as a result not soaking in

 

Paul

Edited January 4, 2013 by winchbietch

[emu 0]

Sorry emu but the rear is adjustable on the d brackets that mount the axle to the body.

From memory there are holes / slots in the underside near to the d brackets where you can spray penetrating oil and work the bolt back and forth to free them up.

4 wheel allignment is whats needed to be accurate.

 

Paul

 

ups, never notice that, will take a good look again when will be replacing mu bushes.

[KIPVW 0]

Yep after having ALL my rear axle & brackets off for coating recently and the whole front subframe it was Waaayy off so the company I trusted it to did the full alighnment and the first part of the job was to set the rear end up first before moving onto the front.

 

It feels astonishing now with everything replaced and as it should be :)

 

If the bolt head should snap off i'd be surprised if it doesn't turn easily with Irwins though as the pressure will have freed off with the head snapping, I had to cut a rear wishbone bolt in too as the head had been rounded off so just managed to get the hacksaw inbetween the wishbone and subframe and once the bolt was cut in two I actually unscrewed the offending stud with my fingers :) so not all doom and gloom should it happen.

Edited January 4, 2013 by KIPVW

[clumpy1 11]

Yep after having ALL my rear axle & brackets off for coating recently and the whole front subframe it was Waaayy off so the company I trusted it to did the full alighnment and the first part of the job was to set the rear end up first before moving onto the front.

 

It feels astonishing now with everything replaced and as it should be :)

 

If the bolt head should snap off i'd be surprised if it doesn't turn easily with Irwins though as the pressure will have freed off with the head snapping, I had to cut a rear wishbone bolt in too as the head had been rounded off so just managed to get the hacksaw inbetween the wishbone and subframe and once the bolt was cut in two I actually unscrewed the offending stud with my fingers :) so not all doom and gloom should it happen.

Paul who did you get to do the alignment setup :?

[KIPVW 0]

Place called Autotecnic in Sheffield, They were amazingly delicate with it after all the work and really appreciated the car too. I'd easily take any of them there for doing.

 

Run by a Father & Son team.

 

http://www.autotecnic.co.uk/

[clumpy1 11]

Cheer's mate.

[KIPVW 0]

Bit of a trip for you mind :lol:

[clumpy1 11]

Bit of a trip for you mind :lol:

Yeah especially if i get a bit happy with the right foot probably £200 ish in petrol:( good fun but :dance:

[emu 0]

Anybody got any picture of rear alignment ??

[Riley 0]

Place called Autotecnic in Sheffield, They were amazingly delicate with it after all the work and really appreciated the car too. I'd easily take any of them there for doing.

 

Run by a Father & Son team.

 

http://www.autotecnic.co.uk/

 

Slight off topic sorry but... Would they be worth a visit for me you reckon Kip? How do you think they would get on with the low ride height/slightly stretched tyres etc?

[KIPVW 0]

Give them a call, they dont work weekends but if you ask them before hand they'll be as honest about it as they could be. I'd drive a fair way to be honest for the level of service they gave me if i could drive it a fair distance that is :)

[jonnykillpop 10]

The whole car could do with professionally set up as I've been experimenting with camber angles on front to see what I like before getting properly set up, plus put new uprated top mounts and r32 bushes on it. Camber angles make huge difference by way, with a lot of camber on front turn in is best of any car I\ve ever driven but at that extreme scrubs tyres in straight line so got to find a compromise. Car is rock hard at front, literally can't move it and has strut braces front and back but feels little bit to soft on back for me, can move it bout half an inch maybe, so was thinking bout getting stiffer springs/shocks on back, but maybe that's just as I'm used to rwd and it's a good set up for fwd, it's got koni shocks and springs all round, had yokohamas and toyo's on it, yoko's are best.

 

What cambers are people running, anyone found any benefit in getting kit to put bit camber on back (do mean a bit not these loonaflids that pose around wi the back looking like it's about to collapse)

 

P.S. Normally I would heat those bolts and they'd be straight off but could\nt get flame on the head looking at it, the threaded bit where need heat is well into chassis andd shielded. As someone said after snapped the head of front bolt once got rubber burned through and threaded part heated red hot turned with pair of mole grips.