Question On Checking Geometry (tracking)

[caveman_si]

Does any one (especially toyota techs) know if there would be any reason to drive a car for a few miles when having the geometry checked?

Assuming its a 4 wheel laser alignment and adjustment being done? And the work was done in a main dealers.

Just checking before I query it with the dealers.

Cheers Si

[in_the_no]

x

[jamesholden]

One reason for taking it out for a short run is to check that the steering wheel stays centred as it can slip slightly whilst clamped, in other words you steer to the left or right slightly when the steering wheel appears to be centred.

[Sagitar]

One reason for taking it out for a short run is to check that the steering wheel stays centred as it can slip slightly whilst clamped, in other words you steer to the left or right slightly when the steering wheel appears to be centred.

I had the geometry of my Prius checked and adjusted recently at W.I.M. when I had new wheels and winter tyres fitted. There was no suggestion that they needed to drive the car and "steering wheel level" is one of the indications on the "before and after" printout that I received.

[Cyker]

I had my tracking done on my old car once, but when I drove off I found after a few hundred metres that I had to keep my steering wheel like, 5 degrees to the right to go in a straight line!!

It turned out that although they'd aligned the wheels properly, they hadn't centered the steering wheel properly, because it looked okay in the bay, so a quick test drive is probably worth it ;)

[in_the_no]

x

[Sagitar]

Rule of thumb: ALWAYS r'test to check operation, keep you the client happy. :D

I must admit to boggling a bit at some of these posts.

If I take my car for a geometry check I want to satisfy myself, as a minimum, that the job is going to be done competently and that I will receive a print-out that shows the specification for my vehicle and the extent to which the chassis is in tolerance. I would be most unlikely to go back to a firm that claimed expertise in measuring and adjusting chassis geometry but returned a vehicle to me with the steering off centre.

[jamesholden]

Rule of thumb: ALWAYS r'test to check operation, keep you the client happy. :D

I must admit to boggling a bit at some of these posts.

If I take my car for a geometry check I want to satisfy myself, as a minimum, that the job is going to be done competently and that I will receive a print-out that shows the specification for my vehicle and the extent to which the chassis is in tolerance. I would be most unlikely to go back to a firm that claimed expertise in measuring and adjusting chassis geometry but returned a vehicle to me with the steering off centre.

You can have the wheels set up 100% perfect and the steering wheel still be off as the laser sights don't read what position the steering wheel is in, as manuafacturers rarely manage to design steering wheel positions to be 100 perfectly in line to start with so you can't use a laser sight to measure it as the clamp won't be 100% flat and in the middle, readouts only confirm that it hasn't moved during the procedure.

It's still best to check by eye, you can tell straightaway if the wheel is horizontal and the car is travelling in line.

[Sagitar]

Rule of thumb: ALWAYS r'test to check operation, keep you the client happy. :D

I must admit to boggling a bit at some of these posts.

If I take my car for a geometry check I want to satisfy myself, as a minimum, that the job is going to be done competently and that I will receive a print-out that shows the specification for my vehicle and the extent to which the chassis is in tolerance. I would be most unlikely to go back to a firm that claimed expertise in measuring and adjusting chassis geometry but returned a vehicle to me with the steering off centre.

You can have the wheels set up 100% perfect and the steering wheel still be off as the laser sights don't read what position the steering wheel is in, as manuafacturers rarely manage to design steering wheel positions to be 100 perfectly in line to start with so you can't use a laser sight to measure it as the clamp won't be 100% flat and in the middle, readouts only confirm that it hasn't moved during the procedure.

It's still best to check by eye, you can tell straightaway if the wheel is horizontal and the car is travelling in line.

We are not talking cosmetic differences are we? Cyker said that he needed to turn the steering wheel "5 degrees to the right to go in a straight line". Needing to have the steering wheel off centre in order to get the car to travel straight is a classical indication of misalignment and I would not expect a geometry outfit that knew what it was doing to return the car to me in that condition. I can only repeat that if they did, they would be most unlikely to get more of my business.

[ToyotaDomo]

Rule of thumb: ALWAYS r'test to check operation, keep you the client happy. :D

I must admit to boggling a bit at some of these posts.

If I take my car for a geometry check I want to satisfy myself, as a minimum, that the job is going to be done competently and that I will receive a print-out that shows the specification for my vehicle and the extent to which the chassis is in tolerance. I would be most unlikely to go back to a firm that claimed expertise in measuring and adjusting chassis geometry but returned a vehicle to me with the steering off centre.

You can have the wheels set up 100% perfect and the steering wheel still be off as the laser sights don't read what position the steering wheel is in, as manuafacturers rarely manage to design steering wheel positions to be 100 perfectly in line to start with so you can't use a laser sight to measure it as the clamp won't be 100% flat and in the middle, readouts only confirm that it hasn't moved during the procedure.

It's still best to check by eye, you can tell straightaway if the wheel is horizontal and the car is travelling in line.

My problem started when I thought that one of my rear tyres was wearing on the outside a bit. So I brought it to a tyre center to have it checked out. I was told that they were good and had lazer alignment gear. They said the back was fine and when I said to check it again and check camber of tyre they came back and said it was ok BUT that they had adjusted the FRONT. They said it was just a friction out, and that the wheels were tracked slightly to the left. They said to drive from a bit and let the new setting settle in.

So now my steering wheel is slightly turned to the right in the straight. I have thought of going back to them again but by now it is too late as they might charge me €55 again. Another reason why I won't go back is because I think that they don't know really what they are doing, so I will adjust myself a little at a time on both sides to get it right.

Now the most important bit - I THINK THAT THEY ADJUSTED MY TRACKING AND LINED UP MY STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE WIPERS WERE AT THE AUTO POSITION, SO THEY SET THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT SLIGHTLY. Due to the fact that the wipers don't come on in the dry (inside) they the blonkers assumed that this was the nuetral position for the stauks and then set the steering wheel to them.

What do you think????

Couldn't agree more with you and you should read the post on wheel steering position today about that. By the way do you know how to adjust the steering ? tracking on a 1.8L avensis with electronic steering assist??