Wheel alignment

[DradusContact]

The quest to restore the puma continues. Albeit very slowly. Last week I got 4 new Goodyear tyres, this week I got them aligned. The bloke said they were pretty far out, definitely needed doing. The steering wheel is much more central now, though I doubt it will ever be factory new again. Here is the result, it doesn't mean much to me, can anyone explain what the numbers mean? I know 8 is bad....

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

The right rear wheel is out of wanted geometry settings. It must have had a big pothole hit or something similar. The problem is that the rear beam allows no adjustment. The only way out of this situation would be: either producing the bespoke rear spacers taking this geometry reading into account to bring the rear wheel alignment back to spec or https://shop.grahamgoode.com/eibach-ez-rear-camber-toe-shims--15---15-degrees-ford-fiesta-02-07-all-models-575400k-75105-p.asp

 

[DradusContact]

So does that fit between the hub and the wheel? Is it easy to sort?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

If you scroll down a bit on the link I posted, you will find a youtube video explaining and showing what needs to be done

 

[DradusContact]

Hmm I was with him till he started removing the rear hub. I've never done anything like that. Is the angle on mine really bad?

 

[Frank]

[post]369035[/post] Is the angle on mine really bad?

It's not ideal, but as you can see for yourself it's right on the border of the red/green zones. That means bad, but not really, really bad.

Damned if I'd do that job myself, but if the handling was genuinely being affected and the cost was not too great, then I might well get someone in to do it.

If all that was affected was tyre wear then I wouldn't bother and would just change the real axle tyres more often just because, I suspect, that would be the cheaper option.

Other people here may take a different view on things like this.

 

[DradusContact]

I do have access to a ramp at my dad's garage, its got wheel free's too. He's not really that type of garage though, he does commercial van type stuff. He's pretty good on cars though.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

To undo the rear brake drum/hub on puma you will have to undo the big nut holding the drum in place. It is under the hub cap. Once taken the drum down you will be able to see the ABS sensor. It is well rusted in by now and you WON'T be able to take it out as shop manual says. For that very purpose I did a small tool to press it out (didn't fancy hitting it with a hammer) AFTER you have undone the bolt holding it in place. Once that is done, you are left with four big bolts accessible from the rear which hold the hub and drum in place. Once undone, you can put the shim and thus correct the geometry as needed.
For the first wheel you will need about an hour, for the other one half an hour once you get the hang of it. The brake cables/hoses need no disconnecting during the process.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

[post]369036[/post]

[post]369035[/post] Is the angle on mine really bad?

If all that was affected was tyre wear then I wouldn't bother and would just change the real axle tyres more often just because, I suspect, that would be the cheaper option.

Frank, this might force the car to go slightly sideways (we would say it goes like a dog with his rear feet not following the front ones, but being slightly offset) and that might (the key word here: might) cause the front tyres to wear down more quickly

 

[DradusContact]

Thanks guys for all the advice. I doubt I'll ever get round to this, looks a bit much for me.