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[dippydave]

Hi guys n gals, hoping for some words of wisdom on some alignment figures! Thanks

My local tyre place (Tyres R Us) are the best i've found for supplying the car's rubber so I thought i'd ask them for a recommended  geometry setting place. I wanted somewhere local as Fleetfit and Wheels in Motion are a fair trek away and I needed something doing quickly after getting both (eventually!!!) my bottom arms done at Timbuks place  

BMTR has been mentioned on here so I was thinking of them but Tyres-R-Us said " there's nothing BMTR can do that we can't here"!

so I told em what'd been done, they said probably be about £30 to sort! I thought this'll just be a standard 4wheel tracking set up but worth a go for starters. So I booked it in and here's the results.....

The numbers I'll post below but basically they said:

The NSF was out a lot as it had been adjusted previously to cater for a worn bottom arm
The rear axle is out, but not by a lot
The camber is over on the OSF.

So in detail:

They adjusted the front left wheel to make it straight

They told me the rear wheels are parallel to each other but causing a slight thrust to the left as the axle is slightly out. This shouldn't scrub the tyres at all so it's ok to leave. Both my rear adjusters are seized solid- boy did they try to move em!- and it's been left like that. Apparently it's less thrust than many non adjustable cars have from new! so new tie bars needed at some point....

The Camber setting was over for the OSF but the difference between left and right was ok.


And the charge?
£15. as one adjustment had been made!  

Now i'm happy paying just that, but.....if you guys think the numbers tell another story then i'll save up for a short trip to Fleetfit in Loughborough or even a long way 'darn sarf' to the legendary WIM!

NUMBERS:

Front
Initial Toe:    Total   -0deg58'      LH -1deg 02'    RH +0deg05'
Final Toe:      Total   -0deg04'      LH +0deg 01'   RH +0deg03'

Inital Camber: max diff +0deg57'        LH -1deg 58'    RH -2deg55'
Final Camber: max diff +1deg05'        LH -1deg 53'    RH -2deg58'

Initial Set Back 0deg10'
Final set back   0deg03'

Rear
Initial Toe:    Total   +0deg13'      LH -0deg 03'    RH +0deg16'
Final Toe:      Total   +0deg14'      LH -0deg 02'   RH +0deg16'

Inital Camber:        LH -2deg21'    RH -1deg49'
FInal Camber:        LH -2deg11'    RH -1deg58'

Initial Set Back +0deg33'
Final set back   +0deg35'
  
Thrust angle        Initial   -0deg10'     Final -0deg09'
Track difference   Initial   +0deg08'    Final +0deg08'

They listed all there databank tolerances as well, but i'll leave them on the paper!

[sassanach]

if you want your front tyres to last then -1.25 degrees camber on the front MAXimum

[dippydave]

if you want your front tyres to last then -1.25 degrees camber on the front MAXimum

thanks for the tip. they did say that osf tyres are prone to wearing on the outside edge (based on several staff owing omegas as well as customers!)

maybe the change in  camber would sort that?

oh and their databank stated -1deg40' with a +/- 45' so thought i'd be ok!

[Marks DTM Calib]

The OSF camber is much to great.....

[TheBoy]

once again, it will show that its not just a case of getting it within manufacturers spec (or 'in the green')

[Tab]

Where is this BMTR place?

[ffcgary1]

That camber setting is going to scrub your tyres to bald inside 5000 miles there mate, 1'10 is what they should be set at. 1'40 is vx setting at new but as the springs soften then the camber will be wrong........... WIM will save your tyres and a great deal of money in tyres and fuel as the car wil not be fighting the road camber.

[dippydave]

Where is this BMTR place?

BMTR is in North Birmingham, near UCE (or city uni as it is now!)

thanks for the advice guys, i've read all the praise for and genius coming out of WIM but didn't realise until now how wrong  my set up is at the mo!

[HerefordElite]

Remember only 60' in a degree so Front RH is good as damn it at 3deg nearly 2 deg out!!!!

get that sorted they should be the same both sides -1deg40' MAX

[ffcgary1]

1' 40 is not the setting for an omega with used shocks and springs, that is the setting that vx set them at when the springs are new and hard, thos settings are what the alignment centres see as the green spec in there book or on the comp and they tell yu everything is spot on, well kiddo it aint and thet spec will cream your tyres something rotton.

[Marks DTM Calib]

1' 40 is not the setting for an omega with used shocks and springs, that is the setting that vx set them at when the springs are new and hard, thos settings are what the alignment centres see as the green spec in there book or on the comp and they tell yu everything is spot on, well kiddo it aint and thet spec will cream your tyres something rotton.

Actually, that setting wont cream the tyres particularly.

What you will find is that after 50K or so miles the camber will be upto the -2deg+ mark and that will cream the tyres.......trouble is that this large camber value is still within tolerance so wont get touched.

If the geometry places reset to -1deg 40min then things wouldn't be to bad.

WIM set to about -1 deg 10-20mins.....This is liekly to give a bit more bite to the tyres but, will depend on your driving as it if its the best setup.