Rich Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Now we all know you have alot of experience when it comes to setting a cars geometry and I'm just curious to know which car; 1. Took you the longest to set and why? 2. Which is your favourite car to set and why? 3. Which car do hate/dislike setting and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Intriguing question.... 1: The longest set-up was five hours and only two angles involved (front camber) this was on a 4x4 that needed shims fitted.... everything was seized... bent....then broke, nightmare. 2: The best to set are Japanese cars. Most times they are naturally adjustable in 3D.... totally compliant so very satisfying to someone like me who must have it correct or it bothers me personally. If i cannot achieve the desired set-up on any car i take it personally... Probably not the most healthy attitude since the non-compliance is not my fault but i hate to fail! 3: German? I love the cars but hate the setting parameters. This involves the amount of fuel in the tank and all other fluid levels... things like floor mat positions and even the spare wheel and tool box need to be in place... Geometry is theoretical enough without adding these requirements. There is a 4 4: The non-adjustable car... Lets say a Fiesta with inner front tyre wear. Simple diagnostics is not satisfying and most times it's possible to realise the problem without even measuring the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Intriguing question.... 1: The longest set-up was five hours and only two angles involved (front camber) this was on a 4x4 that needed shims fitted.... everything was seized... bent....then broke, nightmare. 2: The best to set are Japanese cars. Most times they are naturally adjustable in 3D.... totally compliant so very satisfying to someone like me who must have it correct or it bothers me personally. If i cannot achieve the desired set-up on any car i take it personally... Probably not the most healthy attitude since the non-compliance is not my fault but i hate to fail! 3: German? I love the cars but hate the setting parameters. This involves the amount of fuel in the tank and all other fluid levels... things like floor mat positions and even the spare wheel and tool box need to be in place... Geometry is theoretical enough without adding these requirements. There is a 4 4: The non-adjustable car... Lets say a Fiesta with inner front tyre wear. Simple diagnostics is not satisfying and most times it's possible to realise the problem without even measuring the car. 5 hours! You have the patience of a saint then! I can understand you don't like to fail, you can tell you are passionate about your job and whenever you've worked on my car you always make sure the job is done properly. You get alot of respect from me for that, I know a couple of people who like to bodge a job when it comes to cars, hence I don't ask them for help anymore! I'm assuming you are be sarcastic about German motors? Does the amount of fuel in the tank make that much difference? The number of beemers I've seen with funny rear camber is unbelievable though! Never realised there were cars that couldn't be adjusted. Be interesting to take a fiesta to kwik fit etc and ask them to sort the geometry out and see what they say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janey Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 Never realised there were cars that couldn't be adjusted. Be interesting to take a fiesta to kwik fit etc and ask them to sort the geometry out and see what they say! LOL kwik fit can adjust all cars.....................although they wouldn't necessarily drive in a straight line afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The German statement is true. In all Geometry calibrations there is the target data and the cars actual measured data. The target data is written for the cars suspension to be preloaded... if you do not load the car then the overlap with be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 LOL kwik fit can adjust all cars.....................although they wouldn't necessarily drive in a straight line afterwards you got that spot on...i hate crap fit thay really get on my nerve's.when i had 1 of my mondeo's done there,there idea of settin the s/wheel straight was puttin wheel staight then removin key from ignition :thumbsup_anim:humm that al do it after that thay just proper screwed the car up.was never rite 1 place i will never go for anything again..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The German statement is true. In all Geometry calibrations there is the target data and the cars actual measured data. The target data is written for the cars suspension to be preloaded... if you do not load the car then the overlap with be wrong. So you're saying that when a german car is set it needs to be loaded first to lets say the average amount of weight the car would normally have in it? Did that make sense! I've only used kwik fit once and that was to fit an exhaust when I was on holiday as it had snapped from the manifold! I have to admit they were helpful and did a good job but wouldn't trust them to align a car! Tony have you been to Croxley Tyres and seen the kwik fit invoice they have pinned up detailing their price breakdown for fitting a tyre? Comes to about 15quid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The German statement is true. In all Geometry calibrations there is the target data and the cars actual measured data. The target data is written for the cars suspension to be preloaded... if you do not load the car then the overlap with be wrong. So you're saying that when a german car is set it needs to be loaded first to lets say the average amount of weight the car would normally have in it? Did that make sense! I've only used kwik fit once and that was to fit an exhaust when I was on holiday as it had snapped from the manifold! I have to admit they were helpful and did a good job but wouldn't trust them to align a car! Tony have you been to Croxley Tyres and seen the kwik fit invoice they have pinned up detailing their price breakdown for fitting a tyre? Comes to about 15quid! a peugeot 406 i used to drive i had to tack it to pug to get tracked up and some other bit done.and thay said that hang waghts from under the car.was not there whilst bein done thow so dont no how true this is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The German statement is true. In all Geometry calibrations there is the target data and the cars actual measured data. The target data is written for the cars suspension to be preloaded... if you do not load the car then the overlap with be wrong. So you're saying that when a german car is set it needs to be loaded first to lets say the average amount of weight the car would normally have in it? Did that make sense! I've only used kwik fit once and that was to fit an exhaust when I was on holiday as it had snapped from the manifold! I have to admit they were helpful and did a good job but wouldn't trust them to align a car! Tony have you been to Croxley Tyres and seen the kwik fit invoice they have pinned up detailing their price breakdown for fitting a tyre? Comes to about 15quid! The loading puts the suspension in a mid point of it's active range..... more or less! The problem is that the target data is expecting this loading so without it the calibration is worthless.... My personal opinion of KF is subjective and open to liability since this club is so visible now.... Although i am free to express an opinion of other peoples experiences without litigation. I have never been to Croxley tyres but i do know the owner..... He is a really nice chap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The German statement is true. In all Geometry calibrations there is the target data and the cars actual measured data. The target data is written for the cars suspension to be preloaded... if you do not load the car then the overlap with be wrong. So you're saying that when a german car is set it needs to be loaded first to lets say the average amount of weight the car would normally have in it? Did that make sense! I've only used kwik fit once and that was to fit an exhaust when I was on holiday as it had snapped from the manifold! I have to admit they were helpful and did a good job but wouldn't trust them to align a car! Tony have you been to Croxley Tyres and seen the kwik fit invoice they have pinned up detailing their price breakdown for fitting a tyre? Comes to about 15quid! The loading puts the suspension in a mid point of it's active range..... more or less! The problem is that the target data is expecting this loading so without it the calibration is worthless.... My personal opinion of KF is subjective and open to liability since this club is so visible now.... Although i am free to express an opinion of other peoples experiences without litigation. I have never been to Croxley tyres but i do know the owner..... He is a really nice chap! So do you tell the owners the car needs to be loaded so it can be set correctly, what is their response to this? Yes friendly fella, maybe you could sort out a WIM discount! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The fuel loading on the bigger cars is sometimes received in a hostile fashion by the owner..... But what can you do? Croxley tyres however friendly would not get a marked wim approval since the sale of secondhand tyres is like fitting secondhand brake pads..... Professionally this is just not done. nevertheless the need is there and i extend every part of wim to assist but i cannot directly approve....... Hope you understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The fuel loading on the bigger cars is sometimes received in a hostile fashion by the owner..... But what can you do? Croxley tyres however friendly would not get a marked wim approval since the sale of secondhand tyres is like fitting secondhand brake pads..... Professionally this is just not done. nevertheless the need is there and i extend every part of wim to assist but i cannot directly approve....... Hope you understand... I was joking (probably didn't come across like that on the forum), they're cheap enough to be honest and personally the first time I've had a part worn tyre fitted was today. I'd much prefer to buy new ones, especially now I know how important it is to make sure they're paired properly etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 The fuel loading on the bigger cars is sometimes received in a hostile fashion by the owner..... But what can you do? Croxley tyres however friendly would not get a marked wim approval since the sale of secondhand tyres is like fitting secondhand brake pads..... Professionally this is just not done. nevertheless the need is there and i extend every part of wim to assist but i cannot directly approve....... Hope you understand... I was joking (probably didn't come across like that on the forum), they're cheap enough to be honest and personally the first time I've had a part worn tyre fitted was today. I'd much prefer to buy new ones, especially now I know how important it is to make sure they're paired properly etc... Yeah i know that mate. But i also know people need to make the best choices available to them. It's our responsibility to aid those choices however much they deviate from the perfect world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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