Had to get my alignment looked at as the nsf tyre had worn in a very odd fashion. Upon collecting the car I asked the guy if they'd set it to the manufacturers settings (+10 minutes static toe +7 minutes constant toe). I got the "yeah yeah, all from the book". Now as the speed climbs past 80mph the steering feels very light and floaty and there is a tendancy for it to bump steer a bit. This is making me think they have set the static toe at 0 and not even looked at the constant toe.

Car is my Audi A4 BTW.

Thoughts before I go back and moan?

 

Anybody?

 

I went to three different garages until my wheels were aligned 'properly'. Well, I say properly, they're the only garage who has bothered to make the steering wheel straight! Plus you could visibly see the tracking was out with the others too!!!

Basically I wouldn't trust any 'regular' garage to track a car up properly. I'd definitely invest in a trip to a place with a motorsport department where it's done properly.

 

having been involved in alignment for many years unless your cars is as it left the factory, the OE settings mean nothing im afraid, and also, your +10min static makes sense ( although any toe out makes for wandering steering at speed) but the +7 min constant doesnt make sense with the previous numbers.

you can happily have a toe figure of what you want it to be, yes it will be a static figure as the car aint moving, the alignment total across an axle is called total convergeance as they left and right of the car do not have to be the same reading, thrust line dependant.

very few people can align cars correctly, to be able to do so you must understand the effects of the changes, and why you adjust them, the worst companies i have seen are the ones who spend thousands and thousands on computerised equipment, purely becasue the computer will (alledgedly) tell you when the alignment is correct for that vehicle, yet the operator then relies in the cimputer being correct with its data, as the operator does not understand the laws on alignment.

its very simple though, and for a fixed rear and just steering align can be done in minuetes (excluding seized nuts lol)

on my car we have a total of 28 adjustable points of geo - takes a little longer than afew mins