Everything about Wheel Alignment: Post your queries here

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 17th September 2010, 17:54

Nikhil, could you please share the wheel alignment specifications for Santro Xing?

Spike

idofsuresh · 11th October 2010, 17:05

I got the wheel alignment done for my Civic. In a perfectly flat road, like the electronics city to silk board fly over, the alignment is perfect. The car goes rock straight even at speeds of 100 kmph for a long distance. BUT when driven on other roads, say GQ, where the road slightly inclines towards the left, the car pulls towards left noticeably. I drove 350 kms yesterday and my shoulder pains now! IF the road is inclined towards right, the car pulls towards right. In my Inidca i do not face this problem. Can anyone explain the reason ? One theory is that the distance between the two wheels is larger in Civic compared to Indica and even a slight slope has pronounced effect. Then the question is whether all Civic owners or a D segment car owners (high width of the car) face a similar issue ?

headers · 11th October 2010, 17:10

looks like you toe-in settings are incorrect! Can you please post your WA settings for our BIG BOSS to comment?

idofsuresh · 11th October 2010, 20:26

Here are the alignment reports.

Before the first report:
Car was pulling to the left significantly.

After the first report:
Car was pulling to the left significantly.

After the second report:
Refer My previous post
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...ml#post2101870

khoj · 14th October 2010, 01:17

Well I am no expert but a simple look at the second report shows that the initial and the final Caster readings for the Front left and right as well as the readings for the SAI under Secondary angles are way out of the range compared to the values specified. You could have those corrected and then recheck.

Surprisingly in the first report the caster readings for the front are left blank. What I would like to know is whether the set up in the Civic allows for all three settings i.e caster, camber and toe. I doubt that it does.

Also in the first report the rear wheel values are not even specified. In the second not only are they specified but the before and after readings show adjustments. I thought only the Beemers and others in similar vehicle class required and allowed for rear wheel alignment.

civic-sense · 16th October 2010, 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by khoj

Well I am no expert but a simple look at the second report shows that the initial and the final Caster readings for the Front left and right as well as the readings for the SAI under Secondary angles are way out of the range compared to the values specified. You could have those corrected and then recheck.

Surprisingly in the first report the caster readings for the front are left blank. What I would like to know is whether the set up in the Civic allows for all three settings i.e caster, camber and toe. I doubt that it does.

Also in the first report the rear wheel values are not even specified. In the second not only are they specified but the before and after readings show adjustments. I thought only the Beemers and others in similar vehicle class required and allowed for rear wheel alignment.

Nothing to worry about the castor. The problem with the reports above is that the "specifications" are incorrect. The numbers there belong to 2001+ civic. In 2006+ civic, the castor angle is 7+-1. Hence the castor angles are well within range. Same should hold true with other angles as well. Check the workshop manual (download). idofsuresh, you better do wheel alignment at some place where they have readings for 2006+ civic. I did mine at Madhus.

BTW, my Civic too has the behaviour as described by idofsuresh. Except that it is so mild that it is not a real bother. I however feel that the first couple of kms in the elevated expressway has a slope towards the center, and holding the steering straight while driving on the right lane is a pain. I was thinking that my car's allignment has been screwed up until I drove my friend's palio on the same road.

Nikhilb2008 · 17th October 2010, 12:48

Let me do some digging into this and get back to you guys.

guptavis · 17th October 2010, 23:10

Hello all,

Can someone post the possible adjustments for NHC ZX (front/rear; toe-in/camber/castor). Am going to get it done in a couple of days, would like to know what all values can be corrected.

Also do all the previous weights have to be removed while doing wheel balancing again?

idofsuresh · 18th October 2010, 00:55

Thanks Civic sense and Khoj. I did a little bit of research on the 8th gen civic values. I found from a post in the 8thcivic.com that the castor angle is 6 deg to 8 deg. The alignment shop technician selected "Honda Civic" while doing the alignment - I am now convinced the recommended values they set are incorrect. At the same time I think the correctness of the recommended values makes sense only if they are adjusting the caster or camber to that value, which they don't do anyway. I doubt whether it has anything to do with the quality of alignment.

@Khoj: First couple of Kilo meters in which direction ? From EC to Silk Board or from Silk Board to EC ? Inclined towards the centre means car pulls right ?

khoj · 18th October 2010, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

@Khoj: First couple of Kilo meters in which direction ? From EC to Silk Board or from Silk Board to EC ? Inclined towards the centre means car pulls right ?

I believe the query above was meant for another member!!

civic-sense · 18th October 2010, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

@Khoj: First couple of Kilo meters in which direction ? From EC to Silk Board or from Silk Board to EC ? Inclined towards the centre means car pulls right ?

From EC to Silk Board. The right lane is very uneven with a slant towards the right. So the car pulls towards the right slightly and needs constant correction of the steering. Even for the entire stretch, the left lane is the better one. Well, if only the bikes kept away.

vsk2009 · 6th December 2010, 22:09

Thanks Nikhil for very informative article. I observed recently that my brand new GP is pulling towards left. Today I have shown the vehicle to *** center.
They checked the alignment and did the toe adjustment. The problem is still there. So they asked me to drop the vehicle for suspension check. What will be the role of brake getting jammed on wheel in left pulling. My GP has done 1200 km. I was unaware of the technical details of alignment so could not figure out the actual work(with data) that has done at *** center.
Now after going through your article I think next time I could able to figure out what is happening. What are the things they do in suspension check.

vsk2009 · 7th December 2010, 23:34

I had show the vehicle to MRF alignment center. Their approach was to first interchange the front tyres and check for any right pulling. If right pulling is there then definitely the problem will be with tyre. Otherwise it can be due to faulty alignments. But before doing that they noticed that the front left tyre is slightly displaced toward rear compared to the front right one. In that case definitely it will cause left pulling. So they advised me to reort it to A.S.S to rectify it under warranty.

vsk2009 · 9th December 2010, 14:47

I have one more query. Can the A.S.S people do the caster adjustment. Is it allowed? TASS people told that they will try to adjust the caster and if it is not possible they will replace the necessary parts. My biggest worry is whether it will change the originality of the car?

ch.nathan · 9th December 2010, 15:35

Very nice article Nikhil.

Last week I got Balancing and Alignment done for my Palio SDX at Good Year dealer, Indiranagar. After alignment, the car was pulling to the left significantly. Took the car back to them. They swapped the front and back tyres (on the LHS) and it's fine now.
Is this a correct solution? Should they have checked the alignment again after swapping?

17th September 2010, 17:54	#106
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,856 Thanked: 1,545 Times	Nikhil, could you please share the wheel alignment specifications for Santro Xing? Spike
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 17:05	#107
idofsuresh BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 157 Thanked: 81 Times	I got the wheel alignment done for my Civic. In a perfectly flat road, like the electronics city to silk board fly over, the alignment is perfect. The car goes rock straight even at speeds of 100 kmph for a long distance. BUT when driven on other roads, say GQ, where the road slightly inclines towards the left, the car pulls towards left noticeably. I drove 350 kms yesterday and my shoulder pains now! IF the road is inclined towards right, the car pulls towards right. In my Inidca i do not face this problem. Can anyone explain the reason ? One theory is that the distance between the two wheels is larger in Civic compared to Indica and even a slight slope has pronounced effect. Then the question is whether all Civic owners or a D segment car owners (high width of the car) face a similar issue ?
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 17:10	#108
headers Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Greater Chennai Posts: 4,667 Thanked: 563 Times	looks like you toe-in settings are incorrect! Can you please post your WA settings for our BIG BOSS to comment?
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 20:26	#109
idofsuresh BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 157 Thanked: 81 Times	Here are the alignment reports. Before the first report: Car was pulling to the left significantly. After the first report: Car was pulling to the left significantly. After the second report: Refer My previous post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...ml#post2101870 Attached Thumbnails Last edited by idofsuresh : 11th October 2010 at 20:27.
	() Thanks

14th October 2010, 01:17	#110
khoj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,718 Thanked: 1,288 Times View My Garage	Well I am no expert but a simple look at the second report shows that the initial and the final Caster readings for the Front left and right as well as the readings for the SAI under Secondary angles are way out of the range compared to the values specified. You could have those corrected and then recheck. Surprisingly in the first report the caster readings for the front are left blank. What I would like to know is whether the set up in the Civic allows for all three settings i.e caster, camber and toe. I doubt that it does. Also in the first report the rear wheel values are not even specified. In the second not only are they specified but the before and after readings show adjustments. I thought only the Beemers and others in similar vehicle class required and allowed for rear wheel alignment.
	() Thanks

17th October 2010, 12:48	#112
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,195 Thanked: 10,177 Times	Let me do some digging into this and get back to you guys.
	() Thanks

17th October 2010, 23:10	#113
guptavis BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: chandigarh Posts: 339 Thanked: 66 Times	Hello all, Can someone post the possible adjustments for NHC ZX (front/rear; toe-in/camber/castor). Am going to get it done in a couple of days, would like to know what all values can be corrected. Also do all the previous weights have to be removed while doing wheel balancing again? Last edited by guptavis : 17th October 2010 at 23:12.
	() Thanks

18th October 2010, 00:55	#114
idofsuresh BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 157 Thanked: 81 Times	Thanks Civic sense and Khoj. I did a little bit of research on the 8th gen civic values. I found from a post in the 8thcivic.com that the castor angle is 6 deg to 8 deg. The alignment shop technician selected "Honda Civic" while doing the alignment - I am now convinced the recommended values they set are incorrect. At the same time I think the correctness of the recommended values makes sense only if they are adjusting the caster or camber to that value, which they don't do anyway. I doubt whether it has anything to do with the quality of alignment. @Khoj: First couple of Kilo meters in which direction ? From EC to Silk Board or from Silk Board to EC ? Inclined towards the centre means car pulls right ?
	() Thanks

6th December 2010, 22:09	#117
vsk2009 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 156 Thanked: 23 Times	My GP pulling towards left Thanks Nikhil for very informative article. I observed recently that my brand new GP is pulling towards left. Today I have shown the vehicle to * center. They checked the alignment and did the toe adjustment. The problem is still there. So they asked me to drop the vehicle for suspension check. What will be the role of brake getting jammed on wheel in left pulling. My GP has done 1200 km. I was unaware of the technical details of alignment so could not figure out the actual work(with data) that has done at * center. Now after going through your article I think next time I could able to figure out what is happening. What are the things they do in suspension check.
	() Thanks

7th December 2010, 23:34	#118
vsk2009 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 156 Thanked: 23 Times	left pulling:update I had show the vehicle to MRF alignment center. Their approach was to first interchange the front tyres and check for any right pulling. If right pulling is there then definitely the problem will be with tyre. Otherwise it can be due to faulty alignments. But before doing that they noticed that the front left tyre is slightly displaced toward rear compared to the front right one. In that case definitely it will cause left pulling. So they advised me to reort it to A.S.S to rectify it under warranty.
	() Thanks

9th December 2010, 14:47	#119
vsk2009 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 156 Thanked: 23 Times	Re: Everything about Wheel Alignment: Post your queries here I have one more query. Can the A.S.S people do the caster adjustment. Is it allowed? TASS people told that they will try to adjust the caster and if it is not possible they will replace the necessary parts. My biggest worry is whether it will change the originality of the car?
	() Thanks

9th December 2010, 15:35	#120
ch.nathan BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 516 Thanked: 70 Times	Re: Everything about Wheel Alignment: Post your queries here Very nice article Nikhil. Last week I got Balancing and Alignment done for my Palio SDX at Good Year dealer, Indiranagar. After alignment, the car was pulling to the left significantly. Took the car back to them. They swapped the front and back tyres (on the LHS) and it's fine now. Is this a correct solution? Should they have checked the alignment again after swapping?
	() Thanks