tracking... again
Moderator: RichardW
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- Moderating Team
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- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1204
The best way to make sure your tracking is correct is to do it yourself. I use a length of threaded rod with a couple of nuts, slid inside a length of metal tube. I adjust the length so that it just touches the tyres at the front, level with the bottom edge of the rim, then transfer it to the rear and see whether its tighter or there is a gap. Providing you can get the nuts on the track rods undone, you can adjust it in a few minutes. The adjustment is not that critical, if the setting is 'toe out' you only have to make sure that the bar fits slightly more tightly between the back inside edges that the front, and vice versa for toe in. You do need to have the car elevated so that you can get underneath, I have a ramp I can drive on to, but metal car ramps would do, also make sure the car is at normal ride height.
I have use this method with all my CXs and XMs over the last 20 years or so, and have never had a problem with uneven tyre wear.
I have use this method with all my CXs and XMs over the last 20 years or so, and have never had a problem with uneven tyre wear.
Yea, but when you're adjusting it with the wheels on the ground, you are working the thread against the weight of the car, where as if you the wheels are off, you do the adjustment, drop it, roll it back and forth a few times and it should be settled? They are just my ideas mind, I could be wrong myself.
-
- Moderating Team
- Posts: 11574
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1204
You must have the normal weight of the car on the ground, the tracking goes all over the place if you dont. That's one of the great bonuses of self leveling suspension, the wheels stay in track! On a car with conventional suspension, every time you change the weight in the car the tracking changes. So if you have your car tracked up in the garage, as soon as you get into it the tracking alters! After you have adjusted the track, you need to roll the car back and forwards again to take any stress out of the system before you check it.
a good website is http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/ for some basic details.
this guy is very highly rated on the http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum and seems to know what he is talking about.
i take it you had the 4 wheel alignment, which (if done correctly) should ensure the steering is centred.
When i has my xantia aligned form this garage (http://www.tyresgalore.co.uk) they charged £25 with a pre reading and post adjustment readout, only the front toe is adjustable on standard type xantia
this guy is very highly rated on the http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum and seems to know what he is talking about.
i take it you had the 4 wheel alignment, which (if done correctly) should ensure the steering is centred.
When i has my xantia aligned form this garage (http://www.tyresgalore.co.uk) they charged £25 with a pre reading and post adjustment readout, only the front toe is adjustable on standard type xantia
currently no citroens
1.4 2000 forte now gone too
xantia 1.8i 16v dimension 1996P now gone,
1.4 2000 forte now gone too
xantia 1.8i 16v dimension 1996P now gone,
Where are those figures from ? I have to admit they are a little bit ambiguous in my book (the columns etc) so I've scanned the page to see if you or someone else can interpret them a bit better than me...deian wrote:TRACKING FIGURES
0 to -3 mm
0° at -0°25'
Data
Wheel alignment Castor Camber King pin inclination
Steering Adjustable Not adjustable Not adjustable Not adjustable
Mechanical 0 to -3 mm 1 ° 0 ° 00 ' ± 30 ' 13 ° 20 '
Power assisted 0 ° 00 ' to -0 ° 25 ' 3 °
So it's up to -0°25'
And the -3mm is just for the non power steering then?
Now that I look at it again it looks like the toe-out is the SAME for all models ? I understand 0 to -3mm fine, but I don't understand what 0° at -0°25' means ? (Why not just a single angle figure ?)
Regards,
Simon
Simon
1997 Xantia S1 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive in Silex Grey
2016 Nissan Leaf Tekna 30kWh in White
2011 Peugeot Ion Full Electric in Silver
1977 G Special 1129cc LHD
1978 CX 2400
1997 Xantia S1 2.0i Auto VSX
1998 Xantia S2 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive
1997 Xantia S1 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive in Silex Grey
2016 Nissan Leaf Tekna 30kWh in White
2011 Peugeot Ion Full Electric in Silver
1977 G Special 1129cc LHD
1978 CX 2400
1997 Xantia S1 2.0i Auto VSX
1998 Xantia S2 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive
I'm with PeterN here using a simple and sensible approach.
Its a tedious timewaster to try get it right as pr specification tables.
You know the front wheels must be parrallel with a slight tendency towards toe-out. This is very easy to check using the simple tool as pr peterN. Of course the wheels must be turned straigth ahead by the steering wheel, height must be in normal, tyres correctly inflated and weight of car on wheels.
If & when it comes to adjusting, you simply back off the locknut on the tie rod, then adjust the length of the rod and re-tighten the locknut. Even dirty rusty tie-rod locknuts are surprisingly easy to unlock provided correct and well matching tools are used. Even easier if you WD40 it the day before.
Never do more than ½ turn of the tie-rod at one time for adjusting. Then testdrive the car before further adjustments. Its quite easy to overdo the job.
PS : On my BX with PAS, one ½ turn of the tie rod equals approx 3cm offsetting on the steering wheel. Thats how sensitive the adjustment is.
Its a tedious timewaster to try get it right as pr specification tables.
You know the front wheels must be parrallel with a slight tendency towards toe-out. This is very easy to check using the simple tool as pr peterN. Of course the wheels must be turned straigth ahead by the steering wheel, height must be in normal, tyres correctly inflated and weight of car on wheels.
If & when it comes to adjusting, you simply back off the locknut on the tie rod, then adjust the length of the rod and re-tighten the locknut. Even dirty rusty tie-rod locknuts are surprisingly easy to unlock provided correct and well matching tools are used. Even easier if you WD40 it the day before.
Never do more than ½ turn of the tie-rod at one time for adjusting. Then testdrive the car before further adjustments. Its quite easy to overdo the job.
PS : On my BX with PAS, one ½ turn of the tie rod equals approx 3cm offsetting on the steering wheel. Thats how sensitive the adjustment is.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
i got it from citroen pr net like you simon, i'm not sure what the -0°25' means either.
So it means it's EITHER -3mm or -0°25'? So -3mm from the middle towards the side, or from one end of the wheel to the other? I will tighten my passenger side in a bit tomorrow, to make the wheel come out a bit, it's nearly to the middle now, but it's a bit vague and to the right again.
So is it -3mm, or -1.5mm on each side? I understand the theory guys, but i still get confused.
So it means it's EITHER -3mm or -0°25'? So -3mm from the middle towards the side, or from one end of the wheel to the other? I will tighten my passenger side in a bit tomorrow, to make the wheel come out a bit, it's nearly to the middle now, but it's a bit vague and to the right again.
So is it -3mm, or -1.5mm on each side? I understand the theory guys, but i still get confused.
The value in degrees is universal as pr the unit circle.deian wrote:i got it from citroen pr net like you simon, i'm not sure what the -0°25' means either.
So it means it's EITHER -3mm or -0°25'? So -3mm from the middle towards the side, or from one end of the wheel to the other? I will tighten my passenger side in a bit tomorrow, to make the wheel come out a bit, it's nearly to the middle now, but it's a bit vague and to the right again.
So is it -3mm, or -1.5mm on each side? I understand the theory guys, but i still get confused.
The value in mm's can only be at the tyre edge to make any sense.
It will be too much if measured at the rim edge or the difference in tierod length.
Note that a negative value is toe-out as pr the note given in the table above.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
well i think it'll be a good idea to get 4 wheel tracking done, then at least the front will be centred with the back wheels, they should then go on to toe the wheels out.
I reckon a trip to ATS is needed, I need my front wheel balancing too.
How would worn drop links affect the tracking? I don't think it matters much myself.
I reckon a trip to ATS is needed, I need my front wheel balancing too.
How would worn drop links affect the tracking? I don't think it matters much myself.