Car misalignment

[Germain]

I got 195/60/15 tires installed on my rims this weekend, and notieced a bit of a problem. The drivers side tire is much closer to the wheelwell then the passanger side. Like there is less then a 1/4 between the sire and well, and over 2" on the passanger side. How do I go about centering the tires?

[Germain]

To add on here, Im referring to the rear tires, and the tires are parrallell to the body.

[John Rogers]

Did this just happen or has the clearance been this way a long time? I just noticed the same thing on my daughter's 914, but it was excessive on both sides. The shop said the pivot bushings were falling apart and will be replaced tomorrow, with an alignment. I would check the bushings and all the hardware associated with the rear suspension since the clearances should be close to the same on both sides. It could even be the suspension console ripping loose since I have seen a couple do that. I think I would worry about the side with the big clearance since the rear wheels are usually close to the fender lips anyways. Good luck.

[Germain]

I dont know how long it has been like this, I didn't notice with the 165 tires on it. Ill check the suspension console thing right away though, I didnt even think it could be that.

[John Rogers]

To continue with my earlier info, one of the things I do when taking the slicks off the race car and putting road wheels back on is to try to shake the brake rotors, a-arms, swing-arms, etc as hard as I can to see if anything has come loose or out of line. On my daughter's street car which gets autocrossed once a month or so I do that when putting the race tires on. Good luck.

[Germain]

Well, I found out what was going on here. By usings a hi tech measuring device (yoyo), I measured from the frame to the first notch of the tire's tread. Then measured from the frame to the outer point of the wheel well. I did this on both sides and found that the tires were the same distance from the frame, but the wheel wells were off by more then 1 1/4" from each other. I then used a straight piece of wood and checked the curveature of the side of the car and noticed a large curve on the passanger side vs. the drivers side. Then I got the old magnet out and sure enough found bondo in the passanger quarter panel. My compliments to whoever did this bondo, great job. It looks very smooth and I never noticed. Well, the good news from all of this is that my cars alignment is correct, there is no suspension consoul rust, and I'm driving again. Unfortuanatly there is a tire not fitting problem, check my new message for info on that if you wish. Thanks again to everyone for their help, you guys/girls are great!

[Conrad W Peden]

Just out of curiousity, what wheels do you have?

[Germain]

I put on some Kelly H rated 195/60/15's. I dont know anymore then that offhand

[oredith]

i think we're asking what kind of rims.. some of the aftermarket rims will give you trouble even without the bondo issue..

[Germain]

Oh. hehe, I got the stock 4 bolt flucs (spelling). 5.5" width, and its the non bondo side that is causing the problem

[Conrad W Peden]

Well the reason I ask is....

A few years ago one winter I hit a curb and twisted the ritht trailing about 10 degrees(ouch!) not to mention what it did to the rim. It was finished.

To make a long story short I had the later steel rims and the one I got as a replacment was from a Super Beetle...offset on the outside of the hub not the inside like the 914 wheels which look the same.

Imagine trying to give that an alignment.

On the otherhand how much would this advantage the front? Use a pair of these wheels to widen the front track?

I'm sure someone has had to try it to get away with it at an autocross or two.


Conrad Peden
72 L20E + 1 dent
73 L20E in resto. soon to be raced-o http://members.rennlist.com/a914lover
a914lover@sprint.ca