DIY tracking

[KevMayer]

I recently had two new tyres on my C5 and asked them to check the tracking because it pulled to the left.

They finished the job and said the front wheels were out but are now spot on.

I took the car away but still had the pull to the left so I took it back. A more experienced guy had a go. This time he measured the toe in of the rear wheels and said one side was toeing in more than the other by quite a bit and so he worked out how much to adjust the front wheel tracking to compensate for the difference at the back.

This guy made his adjustments and didn't charge. My C5 is now driving straight and true.

So, I found this to be an eye opener and now realise that perfect tracking of the front wheels won't make the car drive straight if the tracking is out at the rear. A good garage can take into account the rear set up and compensate at the front because you can only usually adjust the front.

I'm not sure you'd get this right with the device for sale on ebay

Does this mean my C5 is now going down the road slightly sideways?...probably

All I need to worry about now is my rear trailing arm bearings

[red_dwarfers]

The old man made up a tracking tool back along from plans he made years ago. It measures between the outer lips on the rim. I'll take a photo at some point.

[Dippy]

Yet to find better than these -
For illustration only http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRACKING-GAUG ... 3a6cf3cb73" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and No these are not mine !

* I have an older version ( all metal -no plastic bits ) which has served well for over many , many years ...........

though I no longer possess any modern car tracking data - FCF to the rescue - thanks

Can't believe the price nowadays quality always costs though .

* I was first taught how to use these when a HC Viva was brand new , I recently managed to aqquire a set from a retired motor dealer aqquaintance.

[GB]

There's a £15 discount available on that ATM direct from Trackace = £77.49 delivered, very tempting.

They usually sell on ebay for £67 delivered - just keep an eye, from time to time you can "buy now" at that price.

[DickieG]

I see that Trackace is now available for £64.99 + £7.50 p+p with a wheel "add on" version out later in the year.

[Northern_Mike]

After the hassle I've had with the "super laser modern alignment machine" at my local tyre place this week, I was also wondering if it could be done DIY...

3 times I've been back and it still pulls to the left.

My Berlingo did this. I swapped the tyres from left>right. It stopped doing it.

This was not the prime cause. I suspect the broken spring and knackered top-mount had something to do with the original problem, which could have caused the tyre to wear oddly.

[Peter.N.]

In the almost four years I have owned the white estate it has pulled to the right, I have checked and investigated all measurments to no avail, it came with a nearly new pair of Goodyears on the front so I never suspected tyres, I recently had to replace the n/s one as it had worn the tread off on the inside edge, the other one was perfect so not a tracking fault, since fitting a replacement tyre the car steers perfectly straight.

Peter

[citroenxm]

my xantia pulled to the right.. the garage checked it and said its only 1 deg out.. i left it but shexthen started pulling.. my nearside tyre then wore on the outside edge untill the string showed.. i stuck another matching wheel on with good tyre and the pull disapeared! she now drives straight. not sure what the wear is yet.. not done enough to see just yet.

[Peter.N.]

Yes, I put secondhand wheel and tyre on mine and it cured it.

[dnsey]

Hmmm, interesting.
I wonder what's going on here?
Were the problem tyres correctly fitted (direction of rotation etc.)?

[Peter.N.]

As they were new tyres I never checked, but the fact that the tyre wore out on one edge when the tracking was good seems to indicate a fault in the tyre.

Peter

[citroenxm]

Hmmm, interesting.
I wonder what's going on here?
Were the problem tyres correctly fitted (direction of rotation etc.)?

yes i have always observed that...

[Dippy]

Isnt " only 1 degree out " a rather large amount in real terms ? i.e - measuring in degrees and minutes , could it be a camber issue ?

Not that I'm any kind of expert on Xanties never having owned one - just old warning chimes ringing.

[DickieG]

Isnt " only 1 degree out " a rather large amount in real terms ?

Yes.

[Jabo]

Simple way to measure toe (tracking) of any car -

You need 2 flat plates. Like 2 same dinner trays. As long as they're longer than your tyre diameter.
You need markers on your plates where you're going to hold your measuring tape against. Needs to be the same mark on each plate.
Hold each plate flat against a pair of tyres and measure the distance to each plate at the front of the tyre and at the rear of the tyre.
A bigger distance at the front equals toe out, bigger at the rear equals toe in.

Grab your calculator. Do inverse sine of ((bigger toe - smaller toe) divided by tyre diameter)
This will give you your toe in degrees.

Simples!