Astra j alignment issue

[Daniel]

Hi all I have an issue where my astra wants to wander left. If let go of steering wheel, the wheel naturally wants to drift to the left and the car follows. I've had alignment checked at various places but car still wanders. Tire pressure all fine and wheels have been rotated to eliminate other problems. I've attached a print out of an alignment I had done. I've been advised the camber can't be adjusted on this car. The front toe only can be adjusted. Any ideas what it could be? 

 

Cheers 

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

Hi Daniel

It looks like the O/S/R needs to come in a bit as out of range which is probably causing the issue.

Wheel alignment should be carried out from the rear first and rechecked once adjusted (that is if it is possible to adjust) or alternatively it could have sustained impact damage and a suspension component needs replacing.

 

[siggyv6cdti]

If you want professional advice head to www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/forum and post this there for tony to see. He is a chassis god and has a centre in Chesham near hemal Hempstead.. 

 

 

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

siggyv6cdti   chassis dynamics is an art and its good to know there are people out there who know their subject

Usually, most fastfit centres tend to compensate for any misalignment at the rear by pulling in the front wheels which will average out the readings and at least help the vehicle steer straight but does not resolve the issue of the rear suspension being out of alignment (usually through impact damage)

[siggyv6cdti]

They dont really get any kind of training to use the likes of hunter machines etc. Ive always been one for handling and the newer cars have taught aot as has tony @wim. He is one of the industries finist from road to race drifting to sprinting he gwt you going in the right direction hr is a legend with the mx5.. Curred the is 200 fro t tyre wear issue with his revised set up.

 

He has an up to date Centre. Actually has all yhe gear and the right idea as to what to do with it too .. People drive from other countries to get geometry set ups done (no bs) *

 

His forum is very informative a d always offers the best possible advice and solutions. He has a bloody good team behind him too... 

 

 

I happily take a day off work and do a 250 mile round trip to have my cars set up by tony.. If i can't get there i get use of a hunter somewhere somehow and tony will help me if need be via text fone etc im so amal about alingment these days

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

Sounds definitely like the right sort of guy to sort any chassis issues.

It is amazing (but not unusual on the crappy roads we have nowadays) to put out the geometry with kerbs and potholes and for it to have a detrimental effect on tyres, steering, etc.

Definitely worth anyone having their car's steering geometry checked at least once a year to avoid unnecessary tyre wear and driving a dangerous vehicle.
I recently replaced 3 out the 4 coil springs that had broken on a 2008 Astra and you wouldn't have known they were broken from driving it normally  

[siggyv6cdti]

When i find the print out for my astra h ill post it. That seems to have more toe on one side at the rear but only since the shock and spring got changed. Im guessing the vxr i got the konis off had been pranged as the rear sat sweet as when itbwas checked just weeks before the shocks went on.. 

 

Honestly tony and his lads are bloody good at what they doo  

Im glad ive been to the centre for set ups too because im quite in to alignment/geometry side of things and learnt enough to confidentiality set mine up when i have acces to a local machine

 

 

[Vauxhall Owners Club]

Its certainly an art and an exact science....even down to the correct loading prior to taking readings.
I used to show students the smallest effort required to throw readings out by pressing my hand down on the rear bumper and seeing how the readings for the front would throw out.

Would love to see the read out sheet and you should maybe ask Tony to join up so as he could add his know-how on any posts he can answer