4 wheel alignment then corner balance?
02-07-2004, 05:27 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
4 wheel alignment then corner balance?
4 wheel alignment then corner balance? or t'other way around?
I'm thinking of changing the springs and dampers in the summer so am planning ahead, local bodyshop who have painted the car have some nice bodywork kit/jigs that AFN reading have been using to check their stuff out, and as he only wants £100 for a 4 wheel alignment I thought I'd give it a go.
Adrian if you're reading this I couldn't find it in the book, if you're not reading this I still couldn't find it in Adrians book.
TIA
Kevin.
I'm thinking of changing the springs and dampers in the summer so am planning ahead, local bodyshop who have painted the car have some nice bodywork kit/jigs that AFN reading have been using to check their stuff out, and as he only wants £100 for a 4 wheel alignment I thought I'd give it a go.
Adrian if you're reading this I couldn't find it in the book, if you're not reading this I still couldn't find it in Adrians book.
TIA
Kevin.
02-07-2004, 06:35 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Good question Kevin - making my brain hurt that one!
I have only concluded so far that they either both affect each other (in which case it makes no difference) or neither affects the other (in which case it makes no difference)...
Do the cheaper one first, then re-do it after the more expensive one!
I have only concluded so far that they either both affect each other (in which case it makes no difference) or neither affects the other (in which case it makes no difference)...
Do the cheaper one first, then re-do it after the more expensive one!
02-08-2004, 04:04 AM
#4
RL Technical Advisor
Kevin:
Corner balance is always done before the car is aligned.
The corner-weight procedure involves ride height corrections/changes that will affect camber and toe settings.
Corner balance is always done before the car is aligned.
The corner-weight procedure involves ride height corrections/changes that will affect camber and toe settings.
02-08-2004, 06:09 AM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thanks
Thanks guys,
Now all I need to do is find an appropriate method of corner balancing at home before I go to the bodyshop and the alignment.
Kevin
Now all I need to do is find an appropriate method of corner balancing at home before I go to the bodyshop and the alignment.
Kevin
02-08-2004, 07:42 AM
#6
Registered User
kevin
i know there cars are much lighter , and balanced different , but have a scout around the lotus7 / caterham7 club forum for ideas .
these guys have talked in the past about d.i.y. corner weighting .
( personally , i'd just do the 25minute drive to 9m in warrington !!
i know there cars are much lighter , and balanced different , but have a scout around the lotus7 / caterham7 club forum for ideas .
these guys have talked in the past about d.i.y. corner weighting .
( personally , i'd just do the 25minute drive to 9m in warrington !!
02-08-2004, 09:07 AM
#7
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I posted a DIY corner balance thread about six months ago, and learned a lot from the feedback. It is not as simple or easy as I first thought. It is better to use scales, but I drive on the street only, and I think you can get within the factory tolerance by using tires as a crude load indicator.
Some things to note:
1) You must realign if you change the ride height (already stated). Alignment will not change the corner balance unless huge changes are made.
2) Balance is affected by uneven tire wear. It seems reasonable that you would want to do this with new tires.
3) Start with the ride height at each corner set to the correct specification. If memory serves me correctly, the factory manual gives you a 5 mm tolerance on ride height, and a 20 kg tolerance on side-to-side load at either end of the car. Balance takes priority over height, but you should be able to get within tolerance on both, My side-to-side height differed by less than 2 mm when I though the balance was correct.
3) The car is perfectly balanced when the weight (RFront + LRear) is equal to the the weight (LFront + RRear). The quickest and best way is to measure corner weight directly with scales, and change the height on the highest or lowest corner to achieve balance.
4) One problem is that most garage floors can change by several mm in the area spaned by the four tires. Think about how level your reference points are before starting.
With no scales, I connected the schrader valves on the rear tires with a hose, and observed the direction that the air flowed as I raised a lowered the rear. Then move to the front, and do the same. Air flows from the heavy side to the light side as you raise and lower the car. Therefore, if the air flow is in the same direction at the front and rear of the car, the corner balance is very close - well within the factory's 20 kg. If the flow direction is reversed from front to rear, one corner needs to be raise or lowered until the flow is in the same direction at both ends of the car. It is not possible to have zero air flow, as one side of the car is heavier.
This sounds easy, but in practice, I needed a shut-off valve in the hose to to block the air flow while I lowered the car back to the ground. I also needed a flow meter to observe the direction that the air traveled (cannot tell from the hiss).
Frankly it would have been less work to rent scales, but at least now I have a tool to use whenever I need it.
Some things to note:
1) You must realign if you change the ride height (already stated). Alignment will not change the corner balance unless huge changes are made.
2) Balance is affected by uneven tire wear. It seems reasonable that you would want to do this with new tires.
3) Start with the ride height at each corner set to the correct specification. If memory serves me correctly, the factory manual gives you a 5 mm tolerance on ride height, and a 20 kg tolerance on side-to-side load at either end of the car. Balance takes priority over height, but you should be able to get within tolerance on both, My side-to-side height differed by less than 2 mm when I though the balance was correct.
3) The car is perfectly balanced when the weight (RFront + LRear) is equal to the the weight (LFront + RRear). The quickest and best way is to measure corner weight directly with scales, and change the height on the highest or lowest corner to achieve balance.
4) One problem is that most garage floors can change by several mm in the area spaned by the four tires. Think about how level your reference points are before starting.
With no scales, I connected the schrader valves on the rear tires with a hose, and observed the direction that the air flowed as I raised a lowered the rear. Then move to the front, and do the same. Air flows from the heavy side to the light side as you raise and lower the car. Therefore, if the air flow is in the same direction at the front and rear of the car, the corner balance is very close - well within the factory's 20 kg. If the flow direction is reversed from front to rear, one corner needs to be raise or lowered until the flow is in the same direction at both ends of the car. It is not possible to have zero air flow, as one side of the car is heavier.
This sounds easy, but in practice, I needed a shut-off valve in the hose to to block the air flow while I lowered the car back to the ground. I also needed a flow meter to observe the direction that the air traveled (cannot tell from the hiss).
Frankly it would have been less work to rent scales, but at least now I have a tool to use whenever I need it.
