Readings from an alignment job

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Guys

Can you take a look and advice me on the following alignment readings. I've done this last month at the dealer who took the $ and teold me it is within specs. (The Initial & Final readings are from the rig).

I don't belive him. :evil: Take a look at my front tyre wear pattern associated with the car (outer edges) - This rig has 21K on it as of now

Please advise me on this , I will change the tyres but I wanna know if my rig needs alignemnt at another shop .. Cheers

[Damien Parker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Damien Parker]

I am pretty sure that there is some data in this thread that may be of assistance.

http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?t=706

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

mansour,

If in Dubai you drive on the right side of the road, Camber & Caster are fine, but in my opinion you have to much toe-in. To much toe-in will aggravate out side edge wear when turning.

I would have the toe set to Zero.

You will always have shoulder wear on the front tyres, being aggravated by the front wheels driving & a good turning circle but it should be relatively even.
It is all little hard to tell by the photo but from what I can see it does appear excessive on one shoulder.

Hope that helps,

Fazza.
07 GXL D4D Auto

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Left Hand Drive

FAZZA Mate

In Dubai we drive to the opposite side of what Australia is drivinbg , I.e Left Hand Drive

Andthe photo shows the outer shoulder wearing , the inner shoulder is fine with normal even wear and so for the rear wheels

Any Suggestions

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Hi mansour

I would tend to agree with what Fazza is saying and set the toe to zero and if possible get it checked at least with a driver and passenger sitting in the vehicle. We have found that this sometimes helps to get a more accurate setting for the vehicle whilst under some load. The other thing that a lot of wheel alignment people forget to do is check the tyre pressures before they start checking and adjusting wheel alignment settings.

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Mansour,
Back again,
As you do drive on the right side of the road your Camber, Caster settings are fine. You have a slight bias to the left which we hold the camber of the road drift effect.

Just have your toe -in reset to Zero & importantly as Jacto suggested with some load in the vehicle.

Now for your new tyres?

All the best

Fazza.

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Cheers Mates

Thanks Mates for your kind help

Am confused because there are some negative camber on left while +ve camber on the other side of the front wheels , Is that OK , shouldn't the righ = left if the car is to be aligned . What effect does toe has on rear wheels :?:

As for tyres:
I have three Choices of tyres Now here in Dubai that are excatly the same size (265/65/R17)

1- Grandcraps :shock:
2- Pirillie Scorpion
3- Brigestone D894 ?
4- Others like Maxixis & BF Goodrich ?

Most of my driving will be on roads since we use work Prados for 4x4 site visits :twisted:

Bothe Bridgestone and Pirillie are candiates for my next round , what do you recommend ?

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Hi Mansour
Camber figures are fine as it is giving you a slight pull to the left effect & should help your tyre wear.

The rear alignment on the Prado is none adjustable & the figures are fine, if anything the car was not perfectly square on the machine when they took the readings??

I guess a lot of others will disagree, but in your case I would go Pirelli.
My thoughts to ?? re D894 Bridgestone & was not aware that Goodrich came in your size?

Cheers Fazza :wink: :P

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

They Do

Thanks Fazza

Is it ok for rear Toe to be Different from Front Toe ?

Regarding Tyres

Not all country specs are the same mate;

For example we don't have any Michelline 265/65/17 here in Dubai , Bridgestone Don't import any D6xx series of Tyres . I should say that irt is a very rare size to find compared to the 275/60,75/17 size

But yes BF-Godrich is available in this size (American made) .. Check this www.tirerack.com

And thanks alot for your advise Fazza, Jacto :P :P

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Mansour,
Basically the rear toe should be 0, but as the rear does not do any steering 0.3 means nothing & the specs are -1.0 to +1.0 so all is fine.
Looks like Pirelli :wink:

Cheers Fazza

[quadcam Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close quadcam]

As the topic piqued my interest and as the car was getting a service today I asked for the wheel alignment figures. They were as follows;

Front castor: L = +3:53, R = +2:29
Front camber: L = -0:31, R = +0:08
Front toe: L = +0.9mm, R = +0.8mm
Total toe: +1.7mm

Rear camber: L = -0:22, R = -0:31
Rear toe: L = +2.4mm, R = -2.7mm
Total toe: -0.3mm
Thrust angle: -0:12

Intriguing that the castor hasn't swapped sides compared to Mansour's.

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Quadcam,
If this makes any sense, with Mansour's original figures his caster are near enough to being the same (ideal would be to have slightly higher on the right to help car steer to left, (or hold road camber) as he drives on the right side of the road.
In Mansour's case the camber figures, being higher on the left will give him the same effect e.g. (slight pull to left or hold road camber) and help his tyre wear.

In your figures the caster is giving you the steer to the right effect with over 1 degree variation from side to side, whilst the camber is wanting to make the car steer to the left. (Would probably balance out & steer straight)
In my opinion you have much to much toe-in by those figures.
The higher camber on the left & to much toe in you should be experiencing outside left tyre wear.

Would suggest :-
Camber Left -30 Right 0
Caster Left +3.30 Right + 3.00
Toe 0
Checked with at least the weight of 1 person in car.

Should point out High Caster on Left will make car steer to Right.
Higher Camber on Right will make car steer to Right. Same as how you steer a wheel Barrow. (Tilt it to where you want it to go)

The figures I have suggested should hold the camber of the road & ease the outside tyre wear. (you will never stop outside tyre wear on a Prado)
That is unless you can avoid turning.

That was a bit long winded. I hope it makes some sense.

Cheers Fazza

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Mansour,

Apologies; I gave you a bum steer the other day, it wasn't until I was answering quadcam that I realized the answer I gave you was for right hand drive car. I have corrected that posting. (your Camber figures are fine)

Sorry:- Craft disease :roll:

Fazza

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Fazza

Can you confirm whether the camber is adjustable on the front of Prado 120 because I was under the impression that caster and camber was non-adjustable on the Prado?

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

Jacto,
"Yes" Camber & Caster are fully adjustable. If you look at your lower control arm mounting bolts you will find they are ex-centric bolts & this will give a big scope for adjustment. (more than most vehicles)
Which also means there is no excuses when the suspension has been raised other than you will increase the bump steer effect.

Fazza

07 GXL D4D Auto