Alignment margin of error...
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AudiWorld Senior Member
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From: Boise, Idaho
Alignment margin of error...
I gave up on corner balancing the car given the local speed shop's recommendation that they couldn't do a '04 TT and move the weight around more than 5 lbs with a 1 inch change. Chassis just too stiff.
Anyway, so I went in for the alignment. Didn't really like the printout based on what I wanted so we put it up on the rack again and a completely different set of measurements (actually what I wanted) show up. This was a Hunter system and I watched the tech put the wheel systems on. He did a good job. So I'm left with a conclusion that at such small angles of measurment these systems lack good calibration and may not have repeatable results.
I'm interested in any BTDT where you had to re-rack the car and if the previous measurment aligned (ha!) with the current.
Maybe I just need to go to a different shop with newer/cleaner equipment.
However the car feels like it has close to zero toe in the front, it's very neutral, camber measures out at -1.1 in the front and -1.4 in the rear with rear total toe at 0 with one side -0.04 and the other at +0.04. That was after the second time up.
Anyway, so I went in for the alignment. Didn't really like the printout based on what I wanted so we put it up on the rack again and a completely different set of measurements (actually what I wanted) show up. This was a Hunter system and I watched the tech put the wheel systems on. He did a good job. So I'm left with a conclusion that at such small angles of measurment these systems lack good calibration and may not have repeatable results.
I'm interested in any BTDT where you had to re-rack the car and if the previous measurment aligned (ha!) with the current.
Maybe I just need to go to a different shop with newer/cleaner equipment.
However the car feels like it has close to zero toe in the front, it's very neutral, camber measures out at -1.1 in the front and -1.4 in the rear with rear total toe at 0 with one side -0.04 and the other at +0.04. That was after the second time up.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Boise, Idaho
Corner balance -->
Do you have before and after? The two shops were different, corner balance vs. alignment. He actually turned away my money for the corner balance with that claim that they didn't see any change moving one corner to transition the weight on the previous TT they worked on. I'd be interested in what you started with and how much movement did what to the weights.
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No, that's it. I don't think you can do it by just working on one corner at a time.
I think you need to find a good performance shop that is familiar with VAG cars to do the balance. From what I understand, it isn't something that the novice can do easily. THis shop charged me 6 hours in labor to do the balance and the alignment.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 659
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From: Boise, Idaho
No data -->
It would seem to me moving one corner would make a change that should be measureable. The reading I've done says minor movement of the perches (i.e. 1/4 inch) moves a lot of weight, maybe 35 lbs.
In any event, the scales will be at the at the Auto-x this weekend and I'll see what it measures out at to start.
Back to the original question though... the data you have and I presume eveyone else has is the "final" printout of alignment. The quesiton is, if you drove around the block and put it back up on the alignment rack, would those measurements repeat?
I'll go to another shop and see what they measure it out at. And compare where shop one says it is and shop two says. I think a lot depends on calibrating the equipment which likely is not within the avergae tech's capability.
So far, I've been to two "highly recommended" shops and neither one has done a good job.
In any event, the scales will be at the at the Auto-x this weekend and I'll see what it measures out at to start.
Back to the original question though... the data you have and I presume eveyone else has is the "final" printout of alignment. The quesiton is, if you drove around the block and put it back up on the alignment rack, would those measurements repeat?
I'll go to another shop and see what they measure it out at. And compare where shop one says it is and shop two says. I think a lot depends on calibrating the equipment which likely is not within the avergae tech's capability.
So far, I've been to two "highly recommended" shops and neither one has done a good job.
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Here's what our TTR looks like - without any balancing effort yet
<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/9/tt_scale_2.jpg"></center><p>That's 51.4% in one diagonal vs the other.
Since I have a scale, I can tell you that there is not much I can do suspension wise to get this close to 50/50. It will be done by moving weight around.
On the other hand, having the right spring rates and shock dampening go a long way more than corner balancing, at least for most street coilovers available I've seen.
Since I have a scale, I can tell you that there is not much I can do suspension wise to get this close to 50/50. It will be done by moving weight around.
On the other hand, having the right spring rates and shock dampening go a long way more than corner balancing, at least for most street coilovers available I've seen.
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