|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Registered
|
Four Wheel Alignment Question?
Ok,83 944 when I go get a alignment,are you
allowed to jack the car up or not?My dad's 80 928 you can't and it screwed the alignment up.I have a Excellence mag here and it has a article about (Nailing down the 944)(may 2001)anyway it says to jack the car up to put it on the sensors,but my dad said not to let our alignment guy do that,bacause he thinks the 944's are the same as his 928. Should I jack it up or roll it on? Our alignment guy is very knowlegable about alignments, but theres not alot of Porsche's around this area,and he has all new state of the art machine's.Thats the only thing I'm concearned about,everything else he will get perfect.On my recent post about my car dogtracking,I found out that the problem was the toe adujstments in the rear are f____d.Along with my camber too,the guy who I bought this car from was 18 yrs old and didn't know anything about them,so he took it to a hillbilly guy in a small town and got it aligned,well I guess our hillbilly guy didn't do the rear just the front.well anyway just thought I would ask,any help would be appreiciated...thanks Justin Martin |
||
04-23-2001, 06:33 AM
|
|
|
Mein Gott!
|
So you're asking if you jack the car up will it screw up the alignment? Whoa. Can't say I ever heard about that, but I could see how it might. If it's the case, I'm sure we've got a lot of guys here with alignment prblems
|
||
|
04-23-2001, 08:06 AM
|
|
|
Moderator
|
Some shops will want to jack up heavier cars, so they can set the alignment easier. However, fine tuning still is (and should be) done with the suspension loaded.
So to answer your question, (as with all cars), the final settings should be done with the car resting on it's wheels, as it does normally on level ground. Ahmet ------------------ It's all the driver... |
||
|
04-23-2001, 08:19 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 135
|
If they jack it, have them jack under tha A-arms, so the suspension stays loaded the whole time, and doesn't pin itself inward at the bottom when lowered...
My opinion. |
||
|
04-23-2001, 09:46 AM
|
|
|
Registered
|
Ok so aligning the 944's are the same with every other car right? The reason why I asked is because my dad's 928,is not to be lifted to find the center it should be rolled of the ramp then back on till center is acheived.Maybe because it's coil over suspension all the way around and dosn't settle back after the car is raised,it takes about 100 miles till it settles back to where it should be. thanks guys
------------------ Drive it like you stole it........Justin |
||
|
04-23-2001, 09:54 AM
|
|
|
Moderator
|
I'm against jacking up a car for an alignmet period.
Suspension settling is only part of the problem there. PS: Double A-arms with coil overs will settle MUCH quicker vs. torsion bars/trailing arms. At least in theory. Ahmet ------------------ It's all the driver... |
||
|
04-23-2001, 10:26 AM
|
|
|
|
Registered
|
It is necessary to jack up the car in order to compensate the heads on the alignment machine. The car is then lowered on to the rack and all adjustments are made with the wheels on the rack. This is normal for all alignment machines. There is also a special tool to adjust the rear toe on the 944. I have done several alignments on 944s, 911s, and 928s. They are all very simple, and should not be to hard to get it right the first time. The Tecnician also needs to check all suspention componets for looseness and wear. I hoped this has helped, good luck on finding a good alignment Tech.
|
||
|
04-23-2001, 11:22 AM
|
|
|
Moderator
|
Gabriel, that may be the case with SOME alignment machines. I believe hunter makes laser, or optical ones which do NOT require jacking the car.
Last alignment I had didn't require this. Ahmet ------------------ It's all the driver... |
||
|
04-23-2001, 04:05 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NC
Posts: 411
|
From everything I've read or spoken with knowledgable wrenches on 928s- jacking is a very big NO NO because of the settling. I don't think that 944s have the same tendency since the suspension is different. Still, I would only take mine to a shop with extensive Porsche (read 944) experience.
Ahmet- who do you use over there, I'll be needing a competent alignment when I replace the tie rod ends soon. Dave951M |
||
|
04-23-2001, 06:03 PM
|
|
|
Moderator
|
Really any shop with a good alignment machine, and the tools should be able to do a good job. You do need an offset little weird tool for the rear suspension though.
I've been doing my car at Good Year, or take it to a local shop, McNeil's performance (Mazda RX-7 tt specialists). I know the guy who owns the place, and they do pretty good work for cheap (to me anyway), but as I've noted it IS a local shop. If you're anwhere near Raleigh, Cary, Durham, or Charlotte NC, I can recommend a few shops, if not can't help much, sorry. Ahmet ------------------ It's all the driver... |
||
|
04-23-2001, 07:55 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
What kind of special tool? Is this something that a normal shop would have?
------------------ Drive it like you stole it........Justin |
||
|
04-23-2001, 10:40 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
The tools for adjusting rear toe is a small eccentric cam. Baum tools has them. To Ahmet most hunter machines in use need to jack the car up, because the heads need to be compensated. This mesures the runout of the wheels. There are a few new machines out there that have a automatic compenstion, but most shops can not afford to spend over 50000 on a new machine.
|
||
|
04-24-2001, 11:52 AM
|
|
|
|
Moderator
|
Gabriel, by compensation, you mean they bolt the 'heads' on the wheels, jack up the car, and spin the wheels, for the 'heads' to get an accurate idea of the exact angle of the wheels, in three dimentions. (right?) If so, indeed you're right, most shops don't have the more expensive equipment, but for somebody who's going to race their car, or are anal about the alignment settings, I think it'd be worth it to go to a shop with the best equipment. Keep in mind, by no means am I an expert in alignments. I've done it on my car a few times, at only two machines, both of which were optical.
I'll post a picture of the special tool if I come across it. Ahmet PS: English is not my native language, sorry I can't put it into words any better. ------------------ It's all the driver... |
||
|
04-24-2001, 02:26 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
Thanks Ahmet.
------------------ Drive it like you stole it........Justin |
||
|
04-24-2001, 10:52 PM
|
|
|
Registered
|
Where can I get the esentric cam tool...website?mail order?phone #? HELP I need to adjust my toe it,s all f'ed up
------------------ Drive it like you stole it........Justin |
||
|
04-26-2001, 03:56 PM
|
|
1984 Porsche 944 2.5 liter, 8 valve 
