Problems with wheels alignment

[chilipalmer]

I've always had problems getting a good alignment on my Puma. If i go with Ford's specs the tyres only last a couple of months. For some reason there's always quite a lot of wear on the inside edges. I had a technician change the alignment but still the abnormal wear continues. The car has new front shocks. Would going a bit radical, i.e, fitting a new suspension cradle help?

 

[Van_Dammesque]

A mechanic told me that Ford always have inside tyre wear but a few months is ridiculous!

What are the specs used? Go to National Tyre Centre, they do free wheel alignment checks, and charge £35 to make a change. The tow-in (SP?) should duplicate a Fiesta's.

Otherwise are the bushes and inflation pressures OK?

Is the new suspension lowered or non-standard? What about the top mounts?

Has the car had an accident in its past?

 

[chilipalmer]

I've changed a lot of stuff in the car. The shocks and mounts are new (standard). The inflation is the recommended. I'm pretty sure the car had an accident in the past and wasn't fixed properly.

 

[YOG]

My 4-wheel alignment report, done in March 2011, tyres have worn perfectly since then. Suspension bushes etc, replaced as required, fitted with Eibach Springs/YSB Dampers.

Range settings are the smaller numbers in the green boxes:

Puma Suspension Settings

• YOG
• Jul 28, 2014

 

[Pkp]

Just a basic question - Are your track rods the same length ?

I ask this as some tyre fitters think it does not matter about track rod length as long as the steering wheel is in the correct position............

I had Eibachs and standard struts on my Puma, and no problems with tyre wear - set up by Micheldever Tyres

For any one who may have had a 4x4 Sierra, they will know that the dished washers on the ARB where it goes into the TCA are different front to back. If your Ford trained mechanic puts them on in the incorrect position your front tyres wear out the insides in a matter of weeks! (Correct way - Flat washer at the back so the wheel does not move backwards under braking, dished washer at the front to give toe-in under acceleration if I remember correctly. At the time I had two 4x4s so I could compare the them!)

 

[chilipalmer]

[post]368733[/post] Just a basic question - Are your track rods the same length ?

That's a good question. I suppose they are but i'm not sure.
Like I said before, the car as new struts (KYB Excel g) but I might have to change the springs because the car is still a bit bouncy. The guy who did the alignment thought the car had worn shocks...

Are those Eibachs worth it?

 

[Pkp]

Are they worth it ?

In my case, as I had a broken front spring, I would be replacing both front springs, and as the car had done 100k, I did all four!

Four Eibachs were actually cheaper than four standard springs from Ford, so that clinched it really. If anything the ride was better than previous, but that might have been because the front rubber top mount was also replaced along with the four dampers. I would sum it up as "A bit lower, with good firm handling".......

Interestingly (?) the replacement Ford strut does not have enough length to fit the vibration damper weight - so they did not go back on.