Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 14:45:10 -0400
Reply-To: Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Subject: Re: Syncro Alignment Spreadsheet
In-Reply-To: <58FAEC726D1@msvu1.msvu.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 03:06 PM 7/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Two things:
>
>1) I thought I had mailed your micro-fiche back to you, but I just
>found in with all of the syncro alignment stuff - sorry, I will get
>it mailed off on Monday - back to you.
As I said, there is no hurry to get the microfiche back to me. You will
need to keep the microfiche for a little while longer if you are to use the
conversion data inside. That is, the spec sheet you have typed in and sent
to me is not useful to your automotive technician because he needs those
figures translated into the format used in alignment machines. To translate
our specs, including the linear extrapolation we discussed, you will need
to translate the Bentley numbers into numbers of the sort used on alignment
machines. For that, you will need to consult the microfiche to get the
proper conversions. You are converting between degrees, minutes, seconds,
and inches and so on.
>2) Have you had a chance to look at the file I sent to you to make
>any corrections on material that I could not read from the photo-
>copies?? I'm sort of waiting for that before I make up a spreadsheet.
OK, here are correction:
1. For toe eliminate your spec and instead put in the extrapolated 44.3a
spec. For many vans, this will be using a measurement of 460 or so.
2. I see on your rendition of page 44.5 are that in later versions of
Bentley they changed the Maximum permissible difference between sides from
-20 mins to simply 20 mins. (I assume they did this for the obvious reason
that it is silly to specify negative 20 mins difference when the mere
difference of 20 mins is sufficient to designate difference.)
3. You appear to have the rest of the page right, although there is no plus
or minus sign in the full load castor box. That spec is simply "+3 degrees
35 minutes".
There are some errors on your rendition of page 44.2, but these errors are
in a way unimportant since, as you pointed out, this page 44.2 is for
non-syncro.
>Next week I am going to take the syncro in - with the specs - to get
>the wheels aligned. I guess I'll use the linear extrapolation for the
>empty to full numbers to get the specs for about half loaded (as
>you did) as I really only drive the van for camping = loaded.
Only do this if you have a stuff in the camper closets when you go in for
the alignment. If you go in fairly empty, then I would use specs for 33%
loaded. In other words, the fact that you sometimes drive with a heavy load
does not mean that you should align for a heavy load if your van is fairly
empty at the time of alignment. I *am* suggesting, however, that the
typical Westfalia in the alignment shop with some articles in the closets
should be considered at least 33% laden.
Consider getting an alignment at Sears, which may still be offering free
lifetime alignments for one flat initial fee. Notwithstanding the
possibility of betting a bonehead, if you insist on getting a printout
after the alignment, you can check the work of your mechanic and make sure
he did it right. Do check the power steering rack boots to make sure they
are not twisted up after the alignment. After an alignment, you may need to
reseat these to make sure they don't eventually tear.
>Sorry about the fiche - but you did say that there was "no hurry" -
>but I'd rather get it back to you rather than sit here waiting for
>you to ask.
>
>We're off for a week of camping - Malcolm S
There. Now you have no excuse. I have done my work. All you have to do is
to translate your specs into the type that the alignment shop can deal with.
The format alignment shops use is: Castor and Camber in degrees, and Toe in
inches. That is not what Bentley provides, so you have to do your own
conversions. The translations I used are these and they are likely wrong
given Volkswagen's issuance of more precise conversions for 14" wheels in
the microfiche I sent you:
TRANSLATING DEGREES, MINUTES, AND INCHES:
Degrees Minutes Inches
0.01* = 0.6' = 0.005"
0.0165* = 1' = 0.00825"
0.025* = 1.5' = 0.0125"
0.05* = 3' = 0.025"
0.10* = 6' = 0.05"
0.167* = 10' = 0.0825"
0.25* = 15' = 0.125"
0.5* = 30' = 0.25"
0.75* = 45' = 0.375"
1* = 60' = 0.50"
Degrees devided by 2 = inches
2* = 1.00"
3* = 1.50"
4* = 2.00"
5* = 2.50"
Inches to Minutes
1.00" = 15'
_____________________________________________________
Derek Drew New York, NY & Washington DC
ConsumerSearch
drew@interport.net
212-580-6486 (W)
212-580-4459; 202-966-0938 (H)
