couple quick question, geometry figures and jacking point

diabloam · Jun 25, 2008

Hey all.

Got my car booked in for 4 wheel alignment, well tracking and camber anyway, as recently put new wishbone/ball joint on (rebuilt ball joint lasted 4 months!). However what is the correct figures or known good ones for an 86 Turbo as cant seem to locate them, my car also has cup wheels if that make any difference.

Also with a car lift where should the arms locate, is it on the OE jacking points or elsewhere. When I work on the car (its never been in a garage since I got it) I dont use my trolley jack on the front but the OE jack on the jack point, or trolley jack on chassis rail. And for rear I put trolley jack under shock mounting (which worries me since it looks to be an alloy casting). Is this correct way to jack car up. And what shall I say to garage on how to do it and good setting for the geometry. All advice much appreciated. Cheers

zcacogp · Jun 25, 2008

Geo figures - there's been quite a lot of discussion about that around here recently. Go to Rick Cannell's site (www.cannell.co.uk) and download the manuals for your car. That has the geo figures in it. Print the page off and take them to the person doing the alignment.

Jacking - you are doing the right thing. Only point to note is not to use what looks like a jacking point on either side behind the front wheels as a single point of lift - you will bend the floorpan.

Oli.

edh · Jun 25, 2008

I always jack up the rear using the gearbox - seems to work well.

Big Dave · Jun 25, 2008

You shouldnt realy use the gearbox for jacking up, as it compresses the rubber box mount....
There should be a jacking point halfway down the sill . If it has original sills there will be a small diamond shape denoting where the jack point is. is...

Diver944 · Jun 25, 2008

This picture shows the factory recommended points for a 4 point lift as well as the centre of the sill for a pump jack:

nags · Jun 26, 2008

Ah, so to get the front of the car up, the trick is to jack in the middle and put axle stands at the brace under the engine?
To get to the rear of the car, jack in the same central point but place stands at a point before the rear wheel arch(es)?

I'm not sure I've been doing it in the most suitable manner in that case...

diabloam · Jun 28, 2008

Ok guys sorry if I am missing something but where should a garage put the 4 lifting pads to lift whole car up on ramp, is it the fitting on either end of sills (where OE jack goes) or should it be the two chassis rails at the front and where at the rear, the green crosses is it?, sorry, thanks again. Also what points on the suspension at the rear are adjustable in terms of geometry, or is it onlt the front that adjustable for camber etc, thanks all

peanut · Jun 28, 2008

my advice would be not to use any part of the cills or floor . I would say that was questionable even on a new car.
On a 20 year old car with some inevitable rust you are asking for trouble. It will jack ok and probably seem ok but afterwards you will find all sorts of distortion especially floor pans and throttle pedal problems
I would stick to the chassis rails and gearbox and wishbones.

Or better still insist on using a driveon ramp as I always do .Every garage has one

diabloam · Jul 3, 2008

Well in the end they could only do the tracking, because the track on the rear of the car is wider (wider wheels) it was sending there machine bananas, saying I had crap like ten degrees toe in on the rear, lol. Operator thinks there is way of setting machine up but he was going to have to research it, he said. They did the tracking though and it does now does seem slightly more responsive around the straight ahead, plus the wheel is centred at straight ahead..

They also stated something I have thought for a while, that my passenger side track control arm is actually slightly bent, and caused them problems getting alignment correct or close as (am going to post a picture). I won some off ebay a while ago, and they are new in box. However the boxes were open. Two questions guys if you can help me. Has anybody fitted new arms before. I know my rack was changed a few years ago as its in the paperwork so only need to change the arms. What kinda job is it, a bugger or not too bad, also what should be included with the new boxed arms (in case there is anything missing from my open box). And what does everybody think of home camber gauges (read about people doing it with success), as I put new wishbone on, and although I marked it when changed eccentric over, would still like to check them, although to be honest car feels good on the road. I stay on the Isle of Lewis (Scottish Isles) and garage I tried have the best equipment up here (the only 4 wheel alignment gear, but dont think it is laser type), other garage up here only do tracking etc. Anyway thanks for help everybody, cheers

zcacogp · Jul 3, 2008

If by "passenger side track control arm" you mean the arm that connects from the steering rack to the king-pin, it is easy to swap.

You'll work the outer end out quite quickly (whether you have a replacement end or not, and therefore whether you need to re-use your old end), and the inner end is no harder. You need to pull back the rubber boot, which will reveal a large collar nut around the joint. This may well have a small notch peened into it, which will be deformed to prevent it from coming loose - so you'll need to knock this out with a small punch or something. Once you have done this, apply a large spanner to the collar nut (24mm from memory, but could be larger), and undo, and it will all fall off in your hands.

New one will bolt straight on. Oh, and by looking at the end of the new one you will understand the fitting (it is pretty simple.) And use the aforementioned small punch to re-do the peening, as having this falling off while driving along would be enough to spoil most people's mornings.

Don't tear the rubber boot in the process of refitting.

Oli.