[DRC]

I went to a wheel alignment centre recently.
While those guys were at their job, I noticed, The right Caster is 1 deg ( red) and left one was 2.5 deg (green). Which means to my so called common sense, right wheel had hit something some time.

This could possible cause some sort of pulling to right/ when the steering return happens after a turn, it may not return to median, but to a little right.

Now, when I asked the alignment guys to correct it, I was told they can not do it on Fiat vehicles. Fiats come with only Toe adjustments and Caster and cambers not adjustable.

They also added, these adjustments come only on Tata vehicles..

Experts throw light...

[Shan2nu]

It's true that most vehicles don't come with Castor and Camber adjustments.

Shan2nu

[DRC]

Then How do they fix the alignment issues??
Do hammers work?

[Shan2nu]

Then How do they fix the alignment issues??

No idea.......

But Honda says that the new City has adapters that allow the Caster and Camber to be re-alligned if required.

To make things easier, try not to hit anything at high speeds. lol.

Shan2nu

[DRC]

hmmm..
But I dont remember having hit anything at high speeds!!?
What are other causes??
Is hitting a small stone at high speed=hitting a big stone at slow speeds (5km/h)?

[Gurkha]

Caster and Camber are not adjustable on most vehicles, few of them allow for thrust washer corrections for minor adjustments but in most, you would have to change the ends, arms, link etc.

[chandan]

My cousin had the same problem on his Palio diesel.The right tyre got worn out in no time.Please get it checked at the authorized service ASAP.They do some kind of a filing on one of the bolts & camber diference is minimized....

[ananthkamath]

Its not possible to change caster on most cars with strut suspensions. The camber is, however, adjustable through a cam bolt on the upright. Even if it is not, there are service struts available which can take a cam bolt.

Caster difference may not accelerate tyre wear as much as camber does. However, I think your only option is to change the damaged part, either the ball joint or the entire lower-arm assembly, as the case may be.

[Mpower]

Its likely that the caster was off right from day 1 due to poor build tolerance. What is the caster specification?

Are you noticing more steering effort on either right or left? How about returnability? Do you see a difference left to right? Other wise 1 deg error should be OK. camber and toe are more important in that order.

[DRC]

Not very much, but it does take a little more effort to steer left than right..

Returnabality is OK. No issues..

[dev]

ok.. guys..
My vehicle went for Alignment 2 weeks back.
Problem:
when touching 110kms/hr, the steering wheel gets small shake and it increases more at 120 and at 130, cannot hold the steering.
Is there any problem with the alignment done? When checked the air pressure, front right tyre had 40psi, where as others had 30psi. In the first instance he is unable to correct the wheels. So in the next visit, he filled more air in one tyre.
Mine is Ikon.

Expecting some responses.

Thanks

[chandan]

As far as I know,steering shake is a problem with wheel balancing.So,get the wheels balanced ,if not done already.

[ananthkamath]

Originally Posted by DRC

Returnabality is OK. No issues..

If you have no issues with the car pulling to one side, I suggest you leave it alone. No need to worry about it. As MPower said it might be within build tolerance.

[turbo_c]

After I purchased my "pre-owned" Esteem, I noticed that the front left wheel was tilting a little bit outward... I recognised it as a camber problem and took it to a nearby alignment shop as my favourite alignment shop's mechanic was out of town... they fidgeted with their "computer" a bit and returned the car without correcting anything saying that "there is no setting for camber on this car"... and charged me 250 bucks none the less!

A couple of days later I took it to my regular guy and he fixed it in 10 minutes flat! Turns out that the camber setting bolt itself was missing... Rs. 70 ... Recently I got my wheels and tyres upgraded and changed the steering rack due to excess play... Camber settings were again thown off... same problem... left front wheel tilting outwards... Since the whole job was done at a Maruti Authorized Service Station, I expected these guys to correct the camber problem, but again I was told, by a Maurti Service Engineer, no less, that "there is no way to adjust camber"!!! Still, they charged me 120 bucks for some "suspension" bolt!

Took it back to my fav. alignment guy again and he told me that "somebody has messed with the camber setting bolt and put in a wrong one... ". He pulled out the 120 bucks bolt and replaced it with the another for 70 bucks, and showed me the difference between the two... The Maruti bolt was of the wrong diameter and lenth! ... camber problem corrected (again) !

The take away point from all this is that all the computerized tools and training in the world can't replace true experience. Ask around and find a good mechanic, preferrably somebody who deals with rally cars...

I don't know about Fiats, but in an Esteem:
1. Camber setting IS possible on the Front Wheels
2. Camber setting is irrelevant for the rear wheels because they vary from positive to negative depending on the load in the car

- T u r b o C -

[raajks]

Turbo C nailed it perfectly. I own an Esteem. When ever the steering gets a little hard.
Wheel balancing makes driving a real pleasure.

There is nothing that beats experience