Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 22:33:52 -0400
Reply-To: Ed <eduntz@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ed <eduntz@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Alignment woes before ling trip
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For the last few weeks, the '85 Vanagon Westfalia has been pulling to the right. I have to turn the steering wheel a few degrees to the left to keep the van going straight. I'm going on a 1500 mile trip Wednesday, and thought I could take it in for an alignment. I was able to be in the shop (Town Fair Tire) as the guy tried to do it. It was the type where they put something like a checkerboard panel on each wheel and aim lots of LEDs at each one. He straightened the wheels, said the toe was already within specs, and proceeded to try to adjust the camber. He said the castor was not adjustable, and his machine gave no specs. Other sources say otherwise. (I don't have the Bentley in front of me, but the green Brooklands Books manual tells me something about the alignment.) He then said that he didn't have the tools to do the camber. I was really pretty shocked that this shop didn't have the allen wrench required. He said he didn't have any that large, and he couldn't do it. He also noted that the outside tread was worn more than the inside on my passenger side, which he said was from the bad camber.
So now I'm wondering a few things. The manual I have says that caster, camber, and toe are ALL adjustable. Are they all routinely adjusted or found to be out of adjustment during an alignment? Should I leave these tires on, which are only a year old, but the passenger side has this uneven wear? Or should I put on a practically new set I have from my other Vanagon? Should I shop around on the way to TN from CT for an alignment shop that knows what they're doing or drive 1800 miles and try another shop closer to home?
The manual I have says that bad castor is more likely to cause a pull to one side. Is this likely?
My Bentley and Haynes are in the van right now, so I'm relying on this English Brooklands Books manual.
Thanks for any advice. I'm trying to leave Wed. morning for TN, then over to NC for High Country Bus Fest, then back to CT.
Ed in CT
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