Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:02:09 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: ? Can the rear wheels be aligned for an 88?
In-Reply-To: <97FE6346-F78F-4139-BA16-543B0409A819@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The rear wheels are adjustable for both camber and toe. The outer bracket is
slotted for camber, the inner for toe. Most likely though you will find the
bushing bolts are rusted to the sleeves making alignment impossible. The fix
will require cutting out the and replacing the rear trailing arm
bushings/mounts.
Alignment changes after a road impact are always the result of a failed part
or something bending. Drifting or pulling to one side is usually the result
of a caster angle difference from one side to the other. The part that is
usually the cause of this change is the radius rod mounts. If you don't know
when they were changed you need to consider doing so. The lower control arm
mounts are the next cause. The caster angle (Steering Axis Inclination) is a
very important setting as it determines straight line tracking and returning
the wheels to center. Unfortunately it is also the least understood and can
be very difficult to get set properly. When the radius rod mounts are shot
it will keep changing under load.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Robert Stewart
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2012 11:57 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: ? Can the rear wheels be aligned for an 88?
Hello everyone,
Been gone for a while. I have an 88 Wolfsburg edition weekender automatic.
I hit a pothole recently and it threw off the steering which made it start
pulling to the right. I had the front end aligned at Midas or so they say
they did it. It is still pulling with a slight drift. I was told that the
computer set the front properly but the right rear can not be aligned as he
says its missing some components. Which made no sense to me.
He is telling me it will need to be shimmed and needs a special kit. Can
someone explain what is going on? He said the right real wheel it pitching
inward slightly toward the engine which is what is creating the slow pull.
Could he be right?
Thanks,
Robert
--
Bloomingburg, New York
88 Wolfsburg, Silver
257,000 miles - automatic, engine rebuilt with 11K on it, all new fuel and
coolant lines in engine bay.
