Tracking & Jacking

[fulvia]

ok, two questions in one...
...I've just fitted a set of refurbished teledials to the car (very nice), as a direct replacement for my scruffy ones. Bought them with Fulda Y2000 tyres, all with about 5mm tread, and same size/aspect ratio as what were already on. Set the pressures correctly too.
A quick drive and the steering wheel alignment is now off centre.[&:] Any ideas why, given the replacement wheels are the same as those which were on the car?

Second question...I thought I might swap the fronts round to see if it makes a difference and wondered where is the best jacking point to raise the front of the car up?

 

[Sandspider]

Hi Ian

Not sure on the tracking, but this happens to my car too. (I just swapped my usual 17" alloys for the original 15" teledials, and now the car pulls to the left). I had to swap my wheels as the back left hand wheel has lost all the tread on the inner edge, to the point where it's an MOT failure (MOT tomorrow morning!), but the rest of the wheel is fine. Perhaps my tracking needs looking at.

As for jacking, there is a jacking point in the centre of each sill designed for use with the scissor jack that comes with the car. (There's a diamond marker above it on the weather sealed body panel). There are also points on the sill just within the 4 wheels, but these SHOULD NOT be used for jacking, as they are meant for use with a lift only - if you use a jack in them, you will bend the floor pan. When you jack the car using the correct jacking point, both front and rear wheel on the side you jack will come off the ground. So you'll probably need axle stands or something similar to switch the front wheels around. (Or you could put one of the scruffy teledials back on temporarily!)

HTH.

 

[sawood12]

I've found this usefull for jacking info:-

 

[robwright]

Hi mate. You should only jack the car from the middle point with the arrow pointing to it. Then put an axle stand under the box section at the front or rear as required. Then repeat for the other side. Jacking from the front has in some cases resulted in distortion of the floorpan.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

+ 1 for Scotts picture!
Mike

 

[Diver944]

I would guess the used tyres on the replacement set of wheels have an irregular wear pattern and it is causing the wheel to 'pull'

 

[fulvia]

Thanks Scott - useful picture.
Had heard about all sorts of issues bending the floor pan etc.

So, will an axle stand on the front cross member as shown in the pic be ok - I notice the pic says 'back up points'. Then I can lower the jack and use on the other side? Or is the inner section a better place - as shown in the pic?

Think I'll use the spare today to switch them over.[:-]

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi Ian
I use axle stands under the chassis legs to support the front end.
The problem of bending the floor is mainly the area between the chassis leg and the "4 point lift" location when even using a large flat piece of wood it is possible to bend the floor slightly and have the accelerator stick - not good!
I wasnt the first and I know I wasnt the last to find this out .... all on my own!
Mike

 

[fulvia]

Hi Mike -
sorry to sound totally dumb, but which bits are the chassis legs?

I've swapped them over anyway - and the problem is exactly the same[&:]

Will take the car to get tracked.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi Ian
The chassis legs are rhw box sections protruding forward from the flooreither side of the trans tunnel.
Must get mine tracked as well!
Mike

 

[Hilux]

If you go onto this site the centres they promote have the Hunters laser wheel alignment machines. Impressive state of the art kit.

Just had my Mk1 Golf done with four wheel alignment check, tracked and camber set to my requirements. £80 the lot and over an hour on the ramps with the mechanic.

Recommended (certainly at Supertyres in Welwyn Garden City where they have a classic Lola mechanic working there)

 

[fulvia]

Thanks Paul,
I did a bit of research when I needed the Bimmer tracking which suggested the Hunter machines were very good, and found a local outfit ETS on Alfreton Road, Derby which did the alignement of the fronts for £24 with the Hunter machine. They're on the site you posted if anyone else local to Derby is looking for somewhere. Will take the 944 there next week.

 

[fulvia]

just to update...

...I had the front's aligned yesterday by ETS. After paying (£24.95) and going on a quick test run, the alignment was still off, but now the car veared in the opposite direction with the steering wheel dead straight! Went straight back and they got a colleague to sit in the car ensuring the steering wheel was kept dead straight during the tracking procedure. The guy who did it said that the 44 was particularly sensitive to small adjustments. Anyway, I drove off and now its perfect.[]

 

[Diver944]

Good to hear you're back on the straight and narrow []

 

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

Good to hear you're back on the straight and narrow []

straight yes....although not as narrow as before...I failed to mention the addition of 6mm spacers on the rear[]

 

[edh]

Nottingham Aligment in Basford are good with 944's (lots of places don't know what to do with them)

having said that, even they don't like to do much with the rears as hey reckon the bolts are often seized & will shear!