Wheel alignment and resulting steering wheel off centre

Gazbo · Postby **Gazbo** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:38 pm

Think I'll take a drive to East Coast Suspensions at Kirrawee...

http://www.eastcoastsuspensions.com.au/

Any experiences ?

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:18 am

From my experience with them there are better places around. Though they always managed to have the steering wheel point straight ahead.

Charlie Brown · Postby **Charlie Brown** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:30 am

Gazbo wrote:Think I'll take a drive to East Coast Suspensions at Kirrawee...

http://www.eastcoastsuspensions.com.au/

Any experiences ?

Hurricane gets her car done their and they use to specialise in MX-5s a while back so their fine.

It will take about 3/4 of an hour to do properly.

Slugoid, you were right, your first aligner didn't know his job. I'm running 2.25 degrees negative on the front and the car runs straight. If the toe is correct both sides, you need to max out the castor to keep it running straight. Mind you it will follow the camber of the road, ie run to the left on a normal road, if you have zero toe or toe out on the front. Toe in will be easier for day to day driving as it holds its line easier and won't 'tramline'.

Dweezle · Postby **Dweezle** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:28 pm

I'm going to Pedders, Kirrawee tomorrow for an alignment. Car seems to pull left a lil. Could this be due to the road leaning left?? Also is Pedders going to be a waste of time? ive been to Bob jane before and was very dissapointed.
i had the whole WHEEL NOT CENTERED, on my old car. Talk about annoying.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:41 pm

DO NOT GO TO BOB JANE AT TAREN POINT to get your MX5 alignment. The guys there are clueless. They told me my car had 10 degrees caster and my car must be bent because the caster angle isn't adjustable. When I told them this was rubbish the guy said the machine is probably wrong because they never set the caster up properly on the machine because most cars cant be adjusted. I told them to get it off the machine and not to touch it.

Dweezle · Postby **Dweezle** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:28 pm

WOW.. haha thanks for that.. SCARY STUFF.. i think i will try and find a more specialised place

Charlie Brown · Postby **Charlie Brown** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:38 pm

Dweezle wrote:WOW.. haha thanks for that.. SCARY STUFF.. i think i will try and find a more specialised place

Dweezle, just go to Spinning Wheel (if the street is open after the burst water main) or Heasman's for your quality job. Both know their stuff. Spinning Wheel has the latest electronic gear but won't let you sit in the car while adjustments are done. Stu just dials in an allowance so when you get back into the car it give a balanced reading from side to side.
Heasman's use the older mechanical setup but you can sit in the car.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:53 pm

OK, well tbro checked my steering rack and I have 9 thread showing on the right and 6 on the left.
He said I should get that to be dead even, ie 7.5 per side, before I get an alignment, and so it should fix the lopsy wheel.

ampz · Postby **ampz** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:17 pm

Yeah the threads should be even at both ends.
I'm alittle scared to touch the alignment on my car. It drives too well as is, but since i put te lowered springs in there's a chunk of neg camber there.

Mr_Q's car had an off centre steering wheel when we replaced his rack.

He had a worried look on his face when we lined it up by tape measure :shock:

It still drove straight though :lol:

ampz · Postby **ampz** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:44 pm

Yeah the threads should be even at both ends.
I'm alittle scared to touch the alignment on my car. It drives too well as is, but since i put te lowered springs in there's a chunk of neg camber there.

Mr_Q's car had an off centre steering wheel when we replaced his rack.

He had a worried look on his face when we lined it up by tape measure :shock:

It still drove straight though :lol:

irwin83r · Postby **irwin83r** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:57 pm

ive found the only places ive been happy with when getting wheel alignments so far are the places that will let you stay with them while they do it, talk about whats happening, and watch them carry out the job.

if they are willing to let you watch them do it then their not likly to \"dodgy it up\" right in front of you and if your not happy with a reading they'll change it then and there.

ive been getting my wheel alignments for no more than 40-55 bucks at Kay's tyres albion park and bobjane shellharbour, where ever is free of an afternoon after work or of a saturday morning. i did take my car to pedders wollongong once with a list of desired readings and specific details that the car was only driving on a track and they still didnt do what i asked and really didnt want to talk to me about it... seemed too keen to take my 100 dollars and get me out the door.. but had no worries about putting a free sticker on my rear windscreen without askin :roll:

however! i do know of a few people that swear by them and rave about their work.. i must of got them on an off day though

nath · Postby **nath** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:15 pm

Another vote for Stu at spinning wheel. It's worth the hassle and the extra price to get it done by him.

Just ask him for a putty rd / track day special alignment :mrgreen: