I had a new set of boots put on my car this week and whilst they were at it I asked them to check my cars wheel alignment to be checked.

The tyres on my car have been on it for 50k miles and the outer edges on a couple look a bit more worn than the centers which I've had on past VAG cars as apparently its common. 

The car has alway run straight and doesn't drift when you temporarily take your hands from the wheel.

 

After being put on the wheel aligment system the workshop guy told me all measurement were in tollerances and its not worth adjusting (pictures attached).

 

Looking at if from a simplistic point of view things in red it would seem to me that there are two items out of tolerance but hey... I'm not an expert.

 

Of course I could take it to another tyre place and get a second opinion but thought I would canvas it on here as you get some smart people who tend to know more than your workshop 🙂

@AGFalco  might be the one to be able to advise. 

7 hours ago, ffvrs said:

Looking at if from a simplistic point of view things in red it would seem to me that there are two items out of tolerance but hey... I'm not an expert.

 

The small arrows above the figures want to be in the centre of the blocks to be perfect. ( No car is perfect. )

If the arrows are within the green area they are within tolerance.

But they might become out while driving when forces are applied, eg:- accelerating, braking and /or cornering.

 

The three small figures just below the arrows are from left to right:-

1:- Lower tolerance setting limit.

2:- Perfect setting.

3:- Upper tolerance setting limit.

1 & 3 could be the other way round. eg. 1 = upper and 3 = lower, but I hope you get the idea.

 

Top photo going from top to bottom.

 

Front Caster, both are in tolerance and not adjustable.

 

Front Camber. N-S-F spot on. O-S-F is out by 8 Minutes but is NOT adjustable. 

There are 60 minutes in a degree and 360 degrees in a full circle.

This is only just out and don't worry about this small amount.

 

Front Toe. Both are in tolerance. Both are pointing to the left, this might leave the steering wheel not pointing straight ahead.

But total toe, both figures added together, 0.03 + 0.07 = 0.10 is perfect.

 

Bottom photo going from top to bottom.

 

Rear Camber, both are within tolerance but neither are perfect.

Rear camber is not as important as rear toe.

 

Rear Toe,

N-S-R is out and is showing as a negative figure rather than a positive figure. Not good.

O-S-R is perfect.

Both rear tyres are pointing left. This will leave the car having a rear thrust angle.

 

The toe figures, front and rear, are the most important to have correct.

 

So the big question!

 

Would I do anything?

 

Yes, I would want the N-S-R toe put right BUT

 

If you do this then you can find you also need to adjust both rear camber and front toe as well as rear toe.

Each one you touch can have an effect on the other figures.

 

Normal method is to do them in this order.

Rear camber.

Rear toe.

Front toe.

 

I have four cars and the alignment gets checked twice a year.

On one car it is always out. 🤬

With the other three sometimes I am lucky, sometimes I am not.🤞

I don't pay anyone to do this so it is easy for me to have this plan.

 

Thanks. AG Falco

 

I would realign the rear axle thus eliminating the thrust angle and in doing so the NSR toe angle would come back within limits.

 

In fact it is probably the front sub-frame which is out, I bet there has been some transmission or clutch work undertaken.

36 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

The small arrows above the figures want to be in the centre of the blocks to be perfect. ( No car is perfect. )

If the arrows are within the green area they are within tolerance.

But they might become out while driving when forces are applied, eg:- accelerating, braking and /or cornering.

 

The three small figures just below the arrows are from left to right:-

1:- Lower tolerance setting limit.

2:- Perfect setting.

3:- Upper tolerance setting limit.

1 & 3 could be the other way round. eg. 1 = upper and 3 = lower, but I hope you get the idea.

 

Top photo going from top to bottom.

 

Front Caster, both are in tolerance and not adjustable.

 

Front Camber. N-S-F spot on. O-S-F is out by 8 Minutes but is NOT adjustable. 

There are 60 minutes in a degree and 360 degrees in a full circle.

This is only just out and don't worry about this small amount.

 

Front Toe. Both are in tolerance. Both are pointing to the left, this might leave the steering wheel not pointing straight ahead.

But total toe, both figures added together, 0.03 + 0.07 = 0.10 is perfect.

 

Bottom photo going from top to bottom.

 

Rear Camber, both are within tolerance but neither are perfect.

Rear camber is not as important as rear toe.

 

Rear Toe,

N-S-R is out and is showing as a negative figure rather than a positive figure. Not good.

O-S-R is perfect.

Both rear tyres are pointing left. This will leave the car having a rear thrust angle.

 

The toe figures, front and rear, are the most important to have correct.

 

So the big question!

 

Would I do anything?

 

Yes, I would want the N-S-R toe put right BUT

 

If you do this then you can find you also need to adjust both rear camber and front toe as well as rear toe.

Each one you touch can have an effect on the other figures.

 

Normal method is to do them in this order.

Rear camber.

Rear toe.

Front toe.

 

I have four cars and the alignment gets checked twice a year.

On one car it is always out. 🤬

With the other three sometimes I am lucky, sometimes I am not.🤞

I don't pay anyone to do this so it is easy for me to have this plan.

 

Thanks. AG Falco

 

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. 

Is this the sort of thing that will impact tyre wear on the inside shoulders?

 

7 minutes ago, ffvrs said:

Is this the sort of thing that will impact tyre wear on the inside shoulders?

Front tyres, rear tyres or all tyres?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Edited 11 April, 20242 yr by AGFalco

6 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

 

Front tyres, rear tyres or all tyres?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

That’s what I was asking, would it impact particular tyres to wear diffident to the others?

 

I actually feel the car handles OK at the moment but I don’t drive it like a sports car or push to its limits, I guess my worry is, will the attempt to asjsut things open a can of worms in terms of ending not being able to get all within tolerance or a steering wheel that’s never straight.

1 minute ago, ffvrs said:

That’s what I was asking, would it impact particular tyres to wear diffident to the others?

 

For your car:

If the tyres are toeing out ( pretend your feet are your tyres, look at your feet and push your toes out away from each other ) then:-

This can lead to more inner tyre edge wear.

 

But:

Almost all car front tyres wear the inside edge faster because of the camber they want to run. This is not bad.

You can help to minimise this by running the high speed / heavy load tyre pressures.

 

For your car the same applies for the rear tyres.

 

It is different for a fixed rear axle car.

 

11 minutes ago, ffvrs said:

I guess my worry is, will the attempt to adjust things open a can of worms in terms of ending not being able to get all within tolerance or a steering wheel that’s never straight.

Should not.

Unless the rear toe and/or camber nuts/bolts wont move.

Not common but can happen.

 

Thanks. AG Falco