Section : Rear Axle

DIY Tracking 

Posted By : Chris Leachman, 04-Jul-2003, 01:24pm

• DIY Tracking 

  Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 04-Jul-2003, 03:00pm

  Usa a bit of string! Tie it tight around all four wheels at the the wheel centres and look for the bends in it. Blance them out side to side.
  
  Then drive the car, and check that it drives in a straight line, without help.
  
  This'll get you started, but will probably need fine tuning. Then again you could just get the car to Kwik-fit for tracking.
  
  NiG
  http://www.niginthecar.net

  • DIY Tracking 

    Posted By : Dean Whitehead, 04-Jul-2003, 06:01pm

    &163;20.00 at kwikfit,although they did ask me if i had any figures to set it to,they did it all ok though,even tho they couldnt find reverse and had to push the car out of the garage,and the mechanic claimed he used to own a spitfire!!
    still,they did a good job.
    dean.

    • DIY Tracking 

      Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 04-Jul-2003, 09:13pm

      Ahh but reverse is in a different position for the 1500 than it is for all the other spitfires. It's easy to assume it's all the same - so the spanner man was not necessarily telling porkies
      
      Also, you can get the tracking info from one of the many site on the internet.
      
      NiG
      http://www.niginthecar.net

      • DIY Tracking 

        Posted By : Dean Whitehead, 04-Jul-2003, 10:07pm

        ahh,that explains it,
        still reverse is in there somewhere
        dean.

        • DIY Tracking 

          Posted By : Philip Brammer, 05-Jul-2003, 08:55am

          Probably no help at all but I used to own a Paddy Hopkirk diy tracking set (30 odd years ago) which consisted of two lengths of aluminium angle which were held onto the metal wheel rims (cutouts to avoid the tyre) with bungees. You pushed the car forwards first then applied handbrake. You then used the supplied metric tape measure (all very exciting at the time) to measure the diference in distance, under the chassis obviously, between the front and rear of the angle aluminium. Some nifty maths produced the toe in. Worked for me! Semperit tyres were at that time the new budget tyre!

          • DIY Tracking 

            Posted By : Chris Leachman, 07-Jul-2003, 03:52pm

            Philip
            
            Do you know what the difference is between the front and back of the rims?
            
            Chris

            • DIY Tracking 

              Posted By : Philip Brammer, 07-Jul-2003, 06:28pm

              Hi Chris.
              If the car was pushed forwards in a straight line before the handbrake applied then if you want 0 degrees, or parallel, then the will be no diffence. Anything more than that, and you will want toe in I guess, will require triganometory, which I can't even spell apparently. I always set mine to a slight toe in as a rear wheel drive car.
              Is no good for castor, camber, or king pin inclination obviously.
              Hope that helps.