Rear Wheel Alignment - AU Sedan

Erich · 25-11-2009, 12:01 PM

Guys

For a std AU S3 Sedan, can these things have a "4 wheel alignment"? The tyre place advised yes - Im not sure

What do I look for?

cheers

T3man · 25-11-2009, 12:21 PM

Do you have IRS? If not the tyre place is having a lend of your wallet. Close your wallet quickly and walk out the door.

Erich · 25-11-2009, 12:59 PM

Cheers - I dont believe I have

Erich · 25-11-2009, 03:03 PM

I will wait till I get there, check under the rear and see if I can see 1/2 shafts instead of a std diff. Then go in and see what happens ;)

Im unaware of anyway to align the rear of a vehicle with a live axle

kratas · 25-11-2009, 07:40 PM

I have IRS, and when I took it down to the tyre place to have new shoes put on the front, I too was told that the rear wheel alignment was out. The blokes are good, I have been there a few times. He said purely that I might want to spend $30 bucks now and have a rear wheel alignment done, so I dont come back in 10,000ks and ask why my rear tyres are chewed up. He also stated that, specifically that some AU's (I have a S1 Fairmont Ghia, with IRS) came with rear wheel alignment. Seemed legit to me.

frd906 · 25-11-2009, 08:05 PM

yes they do a 4 wheel alingment both my front and back are spot on

frd906 · 25-11-2009, 08:07 PM

its mainly the front wheel alingment they worry about, but they do the 4 wheels just incase

Mr Hardware · 25-11-2009, 09:01 PM

i believe what some places call a 4-wheel alignment for live rear axle cars is basically a 'thrust' adjustment - ie ensuring that the front wheels are square with the rears. So they do no adjusting to the rear end of the car, they just take the rear direction of thrust into account. Or at least that's what i've been told anyway.

**Peuty** · 25-11-2009, 09:07 PM

Thats how I understand it also.

T3man · 25-11-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

i believe what some places call a 4-wheel alignment for live rear axle cars is basically a 'thrust' adjustment - ie ensuring that the front wheels are square with the rears. So they do no adjusting to the rear end of the car, they just take the rear direction of thrust into account. Or at least that's what i've been told anyway.

For the last four decades wheel alignments have been done this way - not exactly rocket science and definitely not a "four-wheel alignment" in the true sense.

Mr Hardware · 25-11-2009, 09:46 PM

Agreed.

svo supporter · 25-11-2009, 11:11 PM

Firstly, check if you have a watts linkage set up from the diff. That is a bolt sticking out of the diff backing plate. If it hasn't, it is rear adjust.

The reason behind doing all 4 wheels, if it is adjustable, is so the suspension is square. If it's offset, there is a big chance the car will steer from the rear. In other words, drift off, one way or the next.

mik · 26-11-2009, 03:21 AM

i have had 2 alignments with my irs equiped xr6, the first time i had front and back done, the last time i had a set of tyres put on i had the front done only as a precaution, but both front and back tyres where wearing good anyway, these things are getting a bit long in the tooth, if it had irs and never had an alignment i would be getting it done , it cost`s bugger all anyway.

Erich · 26-11-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

i believe what some places call a 4-wheel alignment for live rear axle cars is basically a 'thrust' adjustment - ie ensuring that the front wheels are square with the rears. So they do no adjusting to the rear end of the car, they just take the rear direction of thrust into account. Or at least that's what i've been told anyway.

Thanks guys - correct Mr Hardware (above)

They can only do a "true" 4 wheel align on a car with IRS, a thrust align was done for the normal price ;)

With the new Yoko's on her now, she is smooth as

:

svo supporter · 26-11-2009, 07:24 PM

The way alignments are done these days especially with pricing is, it costs a a certain amount for the front to be done. When it comes to having the rear done, they put a small amount on top to do it.

My work place, you'll pay an extra $8 to have the rear done. So for the sake of $8, you'll know the rear is going to be spot on and one less thing to cause the car to drift off in one direction.

The thrust side of things, when it comes to having the 4 heads on, is to make sure the steering wheel comes out straight, once the adjustment is completed, regardless of whether you have 2 of the 4 wheels adjusted. What I'm saying there is, if you have IRS and only have the front adjusted, the steering wheel should come out straight. But it doesn't mean the car will track straight.