wheel alignment, tracking, camber etc...Rant, Rant, PLEASE Help

[jot_ie]

Hope someone can help.

I have had my supe laser aligned 4 times this year and it still handles like a shopping trolley.
4 brand new tyres, Bridgestone so3.
Front 235 40 r18
Rear 265 35 r18
36 psi in all

At the moment it feels like its on casters. Front end feels really light. Smallest fart of wind and it feels like its on a skating rink.

I did a search and was amazed by the number of people that have had similar problems. However the fix seems to be eluding me, unlike others

Every time I bring it to the Laser alignment people they seem to overadjust it.
I.e., Bring it in, tell them its pulling to the left, steering not centred.
They have a look, adjust a few bolts.
There you go mate "perfect"
Except when I drive it, still not right
Bring it back, another bolt fiddling episode,
There you go mate "perfect".
Same story but now off in the opposite direction.
So in both cases its fu**ing "perfect " is it . The steering off to the left is "perfect" and the steering off to the right is also f***ing "perfect" is it?

If its so "perfect" why did I have a huge fishtail at about 70 mph the other night, while driving in a straight line on a not so wet road.
Secont turbo came on and I ended up looking in the drivers side window at the celica driver in the lane beside me, through my windscreen. F***ING "perfect".
Was lucky, just about hung on to it.
No damage at all.

Sorry 'bout that, needed to tell someone who understands.

Anyway, I have read most of the previous posts, and I am still baffled.
So many variables.
Anyone in the know care to give me an elimination list as to how to sort this out.

Failing that, theres a guy not too far from me that sets up cars for track racing.
Says he doesnt use laser alignment, but guarantees results. Costs €100. thats about £65
This is driving me absolutely crazy.
Your assistance greatly appreciated

Regards
John

[Pete]

Go to someone like your race driving friend who understands geometery setup and doesn't just dial in the 'correct' figures.
Chris Wilson did mine a treat.

[absxxxx]

not sure might be well out, but i was running those tyre sizes at 26psi on my car. or was i just under inflated?:conf:

[toyotasuprauk]

Tyre do seems a bit high, maybe try them at about 31 to see what its like?

[SkyJawa]

Buy a GTR ;) :p :D :innocent:


:D

[toyotasuprauk]

I've had lots of problems with mine, touch wood it seems to be ok now.

In the wet and greasy roads 4wd has to be much more fun the worrying about fishtailing into everything shame they dont look as good.:D

[jot_ie]

Whats a GTR ;)

[Scooter]

Ignoring the tyres for a minute, what sizes (diameter offset centre bore etc) are your wheels?

[jot_ie]

Wheels are kosei rg Titaniums 18"
No idea what the other specifications are.
I have checked the web, but no luck
Kosei's european websits list them as pre 2004 and the largest sizes they list are 9"

[peter richards]

whats a gtr brillo m8 well done:eek:

[jot_ie]

Should I not have said that.
Its was a joke btw.
Anyway, come on you guys, some assistance would be great.
I feel all alone here.
John

[JayDub]

Chris will probably jump all over me again, but could it be a damper problem - can cause some really strange problems when they fail (sometimes internally - so no visible signs). Ooh, just had a thought. Had an MX5 (nobodies perfect) with 16's all round & some really dodgy directional tyres on the front. Handled like a sick cow on anything but a brilliantly sunshiny, hot day!!! Had to junk the front tyres - This improved things quite considerably, but still never handled as well as my mate's on 15's - never did find out why!!

[Terminator]

It might be worth asking if someone with a set of Stock 17" wheels with good rubber will let you try them on the car to see how it feels.

[Jez sutherland]

jot_ie,

I have very similar tyres to you (so3, 275, 35, 18 and 245, 40 18.....I think!). I have no problem with them....they are great when new, but can get a bit dodgy when old and heavily worn.

I used to have a set of 17" OZ Saturns, and they made the car tramline like a bas**rd. Changing the wheels to the correct offset sorted it all out.

For what it is worth, my car is a UK with nice soft UK suspension. It handles a treat on our crap UK roads - but will still tramline on the heavily worn roads in Berkshire and Surrey. AFAIC, this is the price of wide, low profile tyres on crap roads.

Your fishtailing is a traction problem - have you uped the power?, How wet was the road?, Cold tyres?, lowered/uprated suspension?, heavy right foot?

I would look at the wheels, and then the suspension...............and then take it to someone like Chris Wilson.

Your current tyre pressure is what Toyota recommend, but I found lowering the tyre pressure to 32-34 psi helped handling and traction. IMHO, going any lower and your tyres will be underinflated and using the belted walls for their support.

I hope some (any) of this helped.

Good luck!

Jezza

[SteveL]

jot_ie,

I also run the same size/profile tyres as you, with 8.5 front and 9 rears.
But on 33psi all round.
This has always worked fine for me, on 2 cars... a manual and auto - both with cusco springs and Bilsteins.

I have 9 and 10 x 17's for track use - buggers on the road as they tramline like hell.

[JayDub]

Good idea from Terminator, don't know what part of the country yer in - I'm in Stafford & have just taken a good set of stock J spec's off & fitted some 19's. If yer not to far away, yer welcome to borrow them to try...............Jay :donkey:

[supra dan]

i am probobly talking shite but could it be the loose subframe bolts that some people have had?

[jot_ie]

Thanks Guys, some food for thought there.
Many thanks for the "the try the normal ones" offers, very kind of you. Unfortunately I am in Dublin, Ireland.
I think I will take it to the race guy as I mentioned in an earlier post.
It never handled great, crap roads here mostly and the normal tramlining associated with the wider tyres, but ever since I let the laser alignment guys at it, its far worse than ever it used to be.
Gonna try to get it back to just normal crap handling, and see what I can do from there, based on your comments.
Many thanks for your time and effort.
A very happy christmas to all.
John

p.s. the front tyres seem to wear far more on their inner edges. Is this a sign of something sinister.?

[foodfreak]

Whoever did your alignment did not do it properly.

I run 245/40/18 - 36 psi front...295/35/18 - 34 psi rear ( better grip & doesn't wear the centre of the tyre as much) Bridgestone SO2's all round

& Lowered HKS springs

aligned correctly you should not feel much tramlinning except on really crap roads ....I don't
John :D

[JayDub]

Most likely cause of the tyre wear is that your tracking is out, this will cause the car to try to "steer" itself to the left or the right on it's own (which you may see as crap handling). Basically, both of the front wheels are sticking out slightly (like when you first to turn into a corner) - but because both of them are doing it, then you get the same sort of progress down the road as an Ice Skater - If you get what I mean??!!

[MichaelG]

Are there any links or pointers to what the standard geometry should be on a J-Spec guys, and maybe some cross references to cars with 18"s / 19"s just so that some of us can compare ?

Woud be very useful.

Thanks
Michael