Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (April 2009, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:59:45 -0600
Reply-To:     John Carpenter <jcarp2001@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Carpenter <jcarp2001@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
In-Reply-To:  <6bc66ccf0904121845j5eb5d646t387f9ed6a09385df@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Who are some of the experts in Syncro alignment in the west? I'm in SLC, UT but can travel west. p-mail if you'd like :o) Thanks, John C...

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 7:45 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

> Interesting thread. > You can do a better alignment job on your own than the average alignment > shop usually does, but you have to learn how. Any tool is only as good as > the craftsman who uses it. Most shops have thousands and thousands of > dollars invested in their racks and optics and computers, etc etc. But if > the $12/hr tech who is using all that expensive equipment makes one little > mistake or lets one thing 'slide' during the procedure, the results will > suck....And they often do just that. > I had to prove to my local alignment shop tech that he was full of s**t > when he insisted that aligning my Porsche 928 according to the procedure in > the factory manual was not necessary. He aligned it HIS way, using all the > specs from the alignment shop computer and gave me a pretty little piece of > paper with the alignment specs the machine 'read' all printed out...all > 'pro looking' and he said "See, it's perfect!" I knew different because he > had lifted the car and then neglected to 'settle the suspension', as the > factory manual dictates, before he did the alignment. Plus a few other > short-cuts that are specifically 'verbooten' by the German engineers who > wrote the factory manual on how to align the vehicle. So, I said "Fine, > Newt, but I bet you a case of imports that if I go drive around the block > and we put it back on the rack and check against this fancy sheet, it'll be > waay off..." He took the bet and lost, big time! I'd have had corded > front > tires in about 500 miles if I'd driven that car like he aligned it the > first > time. He learned something and I won a case of Heinies.. > Don Hanson > > > > On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Thanks very much for the help people. > > > > The explanations were really helpful. I now, at least, understand toe > > in much better. And I'm better armed to ask the right questions. > > > > FWIW, adjusting caster on passenger side, pulling rod toward front (2 > > turns, +/- 1/2 turn or nut to "original" position) made no > > difference. > > > > Hopefully a "Vanagon" shop close by, is open tomorrow. > > > > I'm sure I could learn to make these adjustments "shade tree" correct, > > but right now, I just want it done. Right. (especially considering > > repair to radius arm hole) Besides, to get my Westy on level surface > > in my carport really limits the work space. Not my cup-o-tea! > > > > Neil. > > > > -- > > Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" > > > > http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ > > > > > > > http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines > > >

-- Face Piles of Trials With Smiles... For it Riles Them to Believe That You Perceive the Web They Weave... Keep On Thinking Free !!!!


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.