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[TheBoy]

Well tomorrow i am taking it to see how bad the tracking/alignment is. embarrassed should have done something with it sooner.

Make sure a thorough check is made for duff bushes and the like before you pay for a geometry setup because if you later discover you need to change a wishbone it'll put the geometry out again!

Kevin

Gonna get it checked locally to start with atleast I can take a look myself whilst its up in the air, definately going to get them to check all wishbone bushes.

How can you tell if the steering rods are in need of replacement? think this may also be part of the problem regarding the car stableness.

Speak to WIM, say you're not sure about bushes, I'm sure he'll stick a lever in and let you check.  Ask him if its worth changes bushes before you take it, or if it will be covered by WIM's 2000 mile free check afterwards?

[Kevin Wood]

How can you tell if the steering rods are in need of replacement? think this may also be part of the problem regarding the car stableness.

Generally, get someone to rock the steering just enough to take up any play that can be felt then get underneath and feel for play in any of the joints. If you bridge a joint with your hand you will be able to feel it move as the play is taken up. Don't forget the steering idler on the passenger side.

But if you're taking it to a decent alignment place, they ought to be able to check for any problems first.

Kevin

[nixoro]

How can you tell if the steering rods are in need of replacement? think this may also be part of the problem regarding the car stableness.

Generally, get someone to rock the steering just enough to take up any play that can be felt then get underneath and feel for play in any of the joints. If you bridge a joint with your hand you will be able to feel it move as the play is taken up. Don't forget the steering idler on the passenger side.

But if you're taking it to a decent alignment place, they ought to be able to check for any problems first.

Kevin

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry but shall more than likely go to the recommended eventually

they put it up on the ramps put it up in the air checked the alignment, I was told its 2mm out and they checked pretty much everywhere I asked the checked the steering & suspension.

But they found a fault with the steering, it was the passenger side steering Idler arm has play where the steering centre rod and tracking arm join.

I have been told it will cost about £100 (tbc awaiting call) to fix including re alignment.

I was thinking get the part myself fit and then have them do the alignment or event take it to watford for a full geometry check.

Still shall see what the Super Tyre Pro's have to say price wise as i was told they would order the part direct from Vx.

[TheBoy]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

[Kevin Wood]

Sounds like they've found a problem, which may well clear up the steering issues.

As to who to take it to, I think given the choice of taking my car to someone who knows the model of car and is recommended and taking pot luck with a tyre outfit, the choice is easy.

Plenty of tyre outfits have staff who can press the buttons on an alignment rig but don't understand how the numbers relate to the handling of the car - and most of these machines operate with huge tolerances on the parameters too - so if the machine says it's within tolerance the car can still handle cr@p. I'm slightly concerned that they expressed the alignment error in mm as pretty much all geometry parameters are angles with the exception of wheelbase and track differences.

Did they say what parameter was out?

Cheers,

Kevin

[nixoro]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

Well they had it up in the air and did the 4 wheel alignenment which is how they know its 2mm out, well i say they did they didn't adjust anything as apparently the faulty steering Idler needs doing first.

[TheBoy]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

Well they had it up in the air and did the 4 wheel alignenment which is how they know its 2mm out, well i say they did they didn't adjust anything as apparently the faulty steering Idler needs doing first.

Was it just 'rulers' that they hung on rear wheels?  If so, purely 4 wheel alignment, not a full geometry check.

[nixoro]

Sounds like they've found a problem, which may well clear up the steering issues.

As to who to take it to, I think given the choice of taking my car to someone who knows the model of car and is recommended and taking pot luck with a tyre outfit, the choice is easy.

Plenty of tyre outfits have staff who can press the buttons on an alignment rig but don't understand how the numbers relate to the handling of the car - and most of these machines operate with huge tolerances on the parameters too - so if the machine says it's within tolerance the car can still handle cr@p. I'm slightly concerned that they expressed the alignment error in mm as pretty much all geometry parameters are angles with the exception of wheelbase and track differences.

Did they say what parameter was out?

Cheers,

Kevin

I'm hoping the steering Idler is the cause of all my troubles

Regards the company I went to I say its just a local tyre place but my car has been going there on and off for the best part of 4yrs.

I actually enquired as to whether they know of WIM in watford and they said they were a partner company not sure if there is any truth to it though. Shall be checking WIM website for confirmation.

[nixoro]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

Well they had it up in the air and did the 4 wheel alignenment which is how they know its 2mm out, well i say they did they didn't adjust anything as apparently the faulty steering Idler needs doing first.

Was it just 'rulers' that they hung on rear wheels?  If so, purely 4 wheel alignment, not a full geometry check.

They had some funky laser beam jobby, I think or atleast thats what it looked like

[TheBoy]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

Well they had it up in the air and did the 4 wheel alignenment which is how they know its 2mm out, well i say they did they didn't adjust anything as apparently the faulty steering Idler needs doing first.

Was it just 'rulers' that they hung on rear wheels?  If so, purely 4 wheel alignment, not a full geometry check.

They had some funky laser beam jobby, I think or atleast thats what it looked like

A 'laser' on each wheel, or just at front shining on a gauge at the rear?

[nixoro]

Well I took it to my local Super Tyre Pro's place they told me they do tracking/ 4 wheel alignement and the geometry

So, which did they do - a 4 wheel alignment or a full geometry?  If the later, you should get a full printout, giving the before and after angles....

Well they had it up in the air and did the 4 wheel alignenment which is how they know its 2mm out, well i say they did they didn't adjust anything as apparently the faulty steering Idler needs doing first.

Was it just 'rulers' that they hung on rear wheels?  If so, purely 4 wheel alignment, not a full geometry check.

They had some funky laser beam jobby, I think or atleast thats what it looked like

A 'laser' on each wheel, or just at front shining on a gauge at the rear?

I think it was a laser on each wheel but cant be 100% sure.

There was I think lasers shining from the rear to the front

[nixoro]

Just been on WIM forum looks like STS Tyre Pro's are part of the Franchise but all the same once the Steering Idler Is done I may give it a run to Watford. :-/

If the job is more than £100 to get done would it be worth me doing it myself. :question

[TheBoy]

Just been on WIM forum looks like STS Tyre Pro's are part of the Franchise but all the same once the Steering Idler Is done I may give it a run to Watford. :-/

If the job is more than £100 to get done would it be worth me doing it myself. :question

IIRC, The idler is around £30.  

[nixoro]

Just been on WIM forum looks like STS Tyre Pro's are part of the Franchise but all the same once the Steering Idler Is done I may give it a run to Watford. :-/

If the job is more than £100 to get done would it be worth me doing it myself. :question

IIRC, The idler is around £30.  

Is that what it is new from VX only i have been looking on Ebay and can get one for about £35 inc delivery.

This one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Steering-Arm-110mm-Omega-Carlton_W0QQitemZ200091634353QQcategoryZ10404QQcmdZViewItem

So if I was to do it myself I could save myself about £30 - £40 inc getting the alignment done although tempted to go to watford for geometry check :-/

Are the drivers side and passenger side steering arms the same as I know the Drivers side one goes into a mounted box of some sort

Shall see what price they come up with first though.

[TheBoy]

Just been on WIM forum looks like STS Tyre Pro's are part of the Franchise but all the same once the Steering Idler Is done I may give it a run to Watford. :-/

If the job is more than £100 to get done would it be worth me doing it myself. :question

IIRC, The idler is around £30.  

Is that what it is new from VX only i have been looking on Ebay and can get one for about £35 inc delivery.

This one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Steering-Arm-110mm-Omega-Carlton_W0QQitemZ200091634353QQcategoryZ10404QQcmdZViewItem

So if I was to do it myself I could save myself about £30 - £40 inc getting the alignment done although tempted to go to watford for geometry check :-/

Are the drivers side and passenger side steering arms the same as I know the Drivers side one goes into a mounted box of some sort

Shall see what price they come up with first though.

There is only one idler, and its passenger side.

I'm sure I paid about £30...  (well £60, as I had 2 sent so I who have a spare for any future projects)