VXii Front suspension/steering issue

[Trevor loves holden.]

Thanks trev, any chance you could email me this manual also attached pic of the bush. I was under the impression the washer was built in to the bush assembly.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Apb4H64OaJ-WOlyeUFntAbWSERYgdBVK

 

[MiKExAUS]

legend trev.
If anyone could measure the thickness of this OEM washer on the driver side behind the tension rod bush it would get me a step ahead before i visit the alignment shop! Labelled 17 in diagram. Cheers

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

I think 4mm from memory for front and 2mm on the back.
His Pedder's set up.

 

[vc commodore]

I knew you would put it into words better than I could be bothered

What are you saying? I've got too much time on my hands at the moment?

 

[Immortality]

Not at all.

I've been at home for 8 weeks now which has given me great time to practice doing diffs in 3rd gen Commodores. 3rd time's the charm hopefully.

No, it's just that suspension and wheel alignments is your thing and you articulate the info fairly well, better than myself.

 

[vc commodore]

Thanks heaps for your input!

Just want to clarify that the Mackay "aftermarket" kit didn't come with any washers. And before it there was a nolathane kit in its place. I'm not sure if the washers that were used with the nolathane kit I have taken out were factory washers. I would say they chucked them. So in this case, what would you recommend in terms of washer placement? In your explanation are you referring to placing the washers on the drivers side? This would give the drivers side less caster than the left which makes sense with your explanation about road camber. How many mm would you recommend I space out the Drivers side?

I have disconnected the tie rods and the disc and suspension swivels freely back and forth so no binding in strut mounts or ball joints. Is there any way you can suggest to check it is the rack? The first time I turned the car on after the replacement of parts I did notice the power steering groaning without touching the wheel...

Thanks again

Before you go playing round with washer placement , have you driven the car, with the current kit installed? If so, does the car drive straight or does it drift/pull left or right? The answer to this question determines whether you need to stuff round with washers and placement.

If it drifts, place the washer, control arm side of the opposite radius rod in which the car is drifting. ie, if it's drifting left place the washer on the right hand radius rod...Thickness...About as thick as what the big factory style washer is to begin with..( Can't be bothered measuring at this stage)

Specs....Specs aren't the bee all end all with alignments, despite what the young idiots say in stores....Tyre wear patterns and how the car drives determines how you set the caster, camber and toe....Specs are a broad guide....eg, you can set the camber within the specs given by the factory, but the car can still drift one way or the other and can still wear an edge of the tyre....So pointless wanting them....

 

[MiKExAUS]

Before you go playing round with washer placement , have you driven the car, with the current kit installed? If so, does the car drive straight or does it drift/pull left or right? The answer to this question determines whether you need to stuff round with washers and placement.

If it drifts, place the washer, control arm side of the opposite radius rod in which the car is drifting. ie, if it's drifting left place the washer on the right hand radius rod...Thickness...About as thick as what the big factory style washer is to begin with..( Can't be bothered measuring at this stage)

Specs....Specs aren't the bee all end all with alignments, despite what the young idiots say in stores....Tyre wear patterns and how the car drives determines how you set the caster, camber and toe....Specs are a broad guide....eg, you can set the camber within the specs given by the factory, but the car can still drift one way or the other and can still wear an edge of the tyre....So pointless wanting them....

Thanks VC

I only drove it around the block as I thought something was seriously wrong due to the wheel not centreing. I think it does drive fairly straight for the amount of work ive done. New springs and strut mounts have raised the car about an inch.Today I was going to do a DIY alignment for toe before taking it out for another test drive. What do you think? Thanks for the washer placement guide.

 

[vc commodore]

You can do a DIY toe set....

With a tape measure, get a measurement from the outside of the front of the front tyres and another from the same point of rear of the front tyres....(Hope that makes sense)

With those 2 figures in hand, adjust the tierods, so the front of the front tyre measurement is 2 to 3MM less than the rear of the front tyre measurement....

It might take a little to get it right, but persistance pays in the end. And hopefully you understand what I'm referring to with the measuring points

 

[MiKExAUS]

You can do a DIY toe set....

With a tape measure, get a measurement from the outside of the front of the front tyres and another from the same point of rear of the front tyres....(Hope that makes sense)

With those 2 figures in hand, adjust the tierods, so the front of the front tyre measurement is 2 to 3MM less than the rear of the front tyre measurement....

It might take a little to get it right, but persistance pays in the end. And hopefully you understand what I'm referring to with the measuring points

Thanks for the tip, I understand and it seems much easier than the string method i was going to do! If the car drives fairly straight but the non centreing persisits you're thinking along the lines of an internal rack issue?

 

[vc commodore]

Thanks for the tip, I understand and it seems much easier than the string method i was going to do! If the car drives fairly straight but the non centreing persisits you're thinking along the lines of an internal rack issue?

Sure do.....