2001 sport alignment nightmare!!

[Stevenmckinlay]

Hi, just joined! 3months into my first jag! I'm loving the feel! I'm used to big cars, some crap but mostly decent, bmw, Volvo, mainly Saab's though! And the style is lacking on space but its still a nice ride!!

Anyway, I'm doing my usual on my cars, go through the checks! I like a tight car. I've replaced front springs, drop links, front lower wishbone bushes, n/s upper wishbone, front antiroll bar bushes,front and rear trackrod ends,

I have 20" chrome alloys on the car, look superb!

I have visited a few tyre shops every time I do work on the suspension and it has been a nightmare with alignment. Farmers Autocare was the place I took her, now I'm at a place called redpath tyres, just had another second opinion from redpath tyres and they've adjust the toe etc but the guy says he needs 2 hours to adjust drivers side front and passenger side rear camber!!! I've read up on the jag stype and and alignment details, spec, process and special 4 wheel alignment machines. Looking at what's been done, how its being adjusted and end up with so called aligned wheels, when I'm in fact not?

If i can I'll put up a photo of the printout.

This issue makes me mad cause it makes the unstable at speeds of 60mph plus, handles crap. I thought replace parts, take her to a tyre shop, wheels balanced, alignment done with right equipment and should be sorted!

Any info, advice would be great

Steve

[Old Peter]

Welcome to the Club, Steven.

 

The S type is a great ride, and I fail to see why the [alleged] experts and all their equipment cannot get the wheels aligned perfectly.

 

I have 18" alloys with Pirellis on my s type 2.7D SE and find the handling really great.

 

Keep on trying!

 

Regards,

 

Peter. 

[Mike_eng]

Hi Steve,

 

I'm afraid  you're going to have to cough up and have the camber sorted, it will make a huge difference, I had my full alignment done and it transformed the handling.

 

I just spent two weeks in the Italian Alps and it handled better than most of the sports cars I've ever owned.

 

Sorry, no quick fixes that I can think of :-(

 

Mike

[Stevenmckinlay]

According to the alignment guys, the fee I pay is for full four wheel alignment, camber, castor etc. Should I not receive a printout with everything in green? I know what it needs to adjust camber and Castor on the style. Just seems these alignment guys aren't up on there game, as in toe is easy and common adjustment but castor and camber isn't? If I could I'd adjust the car myself, if I could get 1hr on a hunter machine!! I'm gonna take the car back to redpath tyres, as they said a couple of hours to do camber. Fed up with visiting alignment shops, especially when its so called professional and accurate!!!

From what I've read online, I'm not alone when it comes to getting proper alignment. Some people accept the way the car handles even though its all over the shop.

Do you think the camber is out that much to affect stability? I've swapped front and back over and seems to drive better but maybe due to tyres having full width tread pattern, the tyres that were on front have slight feathering off inside edge.....

Also I've thought that there's been play in the steering rack but is it or is it the camber affecting the stability??

Thanks for the replies guys.

[Mike_eng]

Hi Steve,

 

You're right, when I had mine done it was for a fixed price, £45 for the front and an extra £35 if the back needed adjusting (which it did).

 

Unfortunately you're a bit far away or I'd recommend you use STS in Bedford.

 

Having the camber off front and back can seriously affect the handling, I'd get that sorted before I started looking at replacing hardware.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike