tracking and camber-help. Staffordshire area.

[MATTG33 0]

Hi all. Im new to here and was just seeking some advice if possible. I have over the past year re built my g reg 16v. Its totally standard. I have replaced all the suspension and it rides and drives very well.i have noticed though after the bedding in period that when pushing on especially in the wet that the car doesn't feel as glued to the road or steer as well as it should. I have set up the camber very basically but havent touched the tracking as it seemed to drive very straight. I would now like to get the track and camber properly set up by someone who knows what there doing. I was wondering wether anyone knew of a decent garage in the west midlands/Staffordshire area. I live in tamworth Staffordshire but am willing to travel a reasonable distance for a professional job.

 

any advice gratefully received. Many thanks

[davidwort 0]

Stealth is a little trip for you (Southam) but they've got some very good alignment kit and would do the job right

[Diamond Hell 0]

You *can* do it yourself, as per my build thread update:

 

Put simply you put the string down either side of the car, in line with the hubs on the (assuming same front to back) wheels.

 

I tied the steering wheel straight, having checked the indicators were cancelling at the same height either side.

 

Next measure the distance from the front and back hubs to the string and adjust the distance of the string so it's the same distance from the front and back hubs.

 

Now you'll be able to see what toe you have front and back. The rear isn't really adjustable, the front is adjusted in/out on the track rod arms.

 

For argument's sake we'll say you want 0 degrees toe on the front, so you adjust the track rod ends until the values you're measuring at the front and the back of the rim are the same.

 

On my car I've given it a heap of camber on the front, too - I know I like this set up and I know the max you'll get on the 'narrow-track' platform is around -2.0 degrees, so I just dropped it in. Do the camber before the toe, as the toe will change as you add camber.

 

If you want a more accurate set up and to check for front to back alignment and to know how to make a camber gauge and then use it there is a guide here, which I would strongly recommend you read:

 

http://www.northloop.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?13232-DIY-Wheel-Alignment-Camber.-A-how-to-guide.

 

However, the alignment on the Corrado is dead simple. You don't need to take it anywhere special - just go to any alignment place. ATS will charge you £70 for camber and tracking and it'll be fine. For most moderate road use I'd recommend zero toe and one degree of negative cmber, which will give you a car that turns in a bit sharper and is more playful.

[Jim 2]

As David says, Stealth Racing are a good shout. Alternatively DG Autotech in Kidderminster do wheel alignment too - and every time I've had it done there the car has felt perfect. Both are not an unreasonable distance from you :)

[Diamond Hell 0]

:scratch: Don't understand why you'd use a specialist? Alignment on these cars is dead simple and easy to do.

 

Anyone who has been trained on an alignment machine and is competent can get it set up correctly and the values I've provided will sharpen things up.

 

It's not rocket science.

[fla 9]

You *can* do it yourself, as per my build thread update:

 

 

 

However, the alignment on the Corrado is dead simple. You don't need to take it anywhere special - just go to any alignment place. ATS will charge you £70 for camber and tracking and it'll be fine. For most moderate road use I'd recommend zero toe and one degree of negative cmber, which will give you a car that turns in a bit sharper and is more playful.

Can you post up content of that thread as you need to be registered. Thanks

[davidwort 0]

Can you post up content of that thread as you need to be registered. Thanks

 

four axle stands and some coloured string/monofilament that's all I used :)

[davidwort 0]

:scratch: Don't understand why you'd use a specialist? Alignment on these cars is dead simple and easy to do.

 

Anyone who has been trained on an alignment machine and is competent can get it set up correctly and the values I've provided will sharpen things up.

 

It's not rocket science.

 

He wanted a recommendation, and Stealth know the cars well and have some expensive alignment kit that compensates for when the cars are lifted off the ground to adjust the bolts.

I agree it can be set up right with very simple kit, you just need to find someone who won't screw up you track rods, shorten one track rod too much and give you the car back not pulling to one side and with the steering wheel straight, sometimes that's not as easy as you might think!

[Diamond Hell 0]

No, it really is *that* easy.

 

ANY branch of Protyre will have what's usually referred to as a Hunter Machine.

 

They will also have expert guys who use the ramp every day on way more expensive and complex cars than a Corrado.

 

This is a four-poster ramp, with turntables the wheels sit on, so the alignment can be set when the car is on its wheels, as well as some fandango computerised kit that shows all of the alignment on screen.

 

I can't see how any 'specialist' will be able to do better than this, unless they have a set of settings specifically honed for particular behaviour on road.... and I've just given some suggested settings which I know work well.