[200q20v] Re: DIY Alignment, was front suspension/replace

[Derek Pulvino]

Howdy all,

What are you guys using for alignment specs?  Are you setting to the factory 
prescribed specs (ie .5 degree neg. camber, and .17 deg. toe in on front, 
etc.).  Have you found that being slightly off that mark makes a difference 
in the handling/tracking of the vehicle?

As asked several months ago, still trying to sort out the front end tracking 
on my vehicle.  Have had several alignments on the vehicle, and still not 
there (only one of which I've had to pay for).  The funny thing is, going 
from one shop to the next, I found the alignment readings where not the 
same.  Not much time between alignments, and don't think the car was jolted 
to terribly in that time; makes me wonder about machine calibration.

I'm guessing you're using the degree/bubble gauges for camber, but it would 
seem a good t-square, engineers scale, and some math would also get you 
there.  What are you using to check toe?  String-box method?  I know the 
garage floor in my abode is not flat, so I guess to using a bubble gauge 
would require me to first find the angle of the garage floor, before setting 
camber.  Once you get a camber reading, how are you physically moving the 
strut housing-once you loosen the bolts on the camber plate, is hand 
pressure enough to move the strut housing's position?

How also would you suggest checking/setting the thrust angle.  I'd seen one 
suggestion to use a plumb bob to check alignment of the front end 
componentry, but I guess I would once again have to compensate for the 
garage floor.  I'm pretty sure the subframe is not right in the middle.

Also, does anybody know if the 92-94 S4 had any issues with tracking and/or 
twitchiness running it's stock wheels (star fish wheels)?  I remember 
discussion saying the strut housings, and control arms between the 200 and 
the S4/V8 are not the same, but I'm wondering if anybody knows if this 
changed the front end geometry at all, to make it more compatible with a 
40mm offset wheel?  My logic is following that if the geometry hasn't 
changed between these vehicles, and the S4 didn't have problems with 
tracking in stock guise, then my car when correctly set up shouldn't 
either-I'm running the 16" star fish wheels on my car.  That's where the 
lion's share of my tracking problems arise.

All right, enough said.  I leave this one to the floor for discussion.

TIA

Derek Pulvino.

>Message: 4
>To: b.m.benz at prodigy.net
>From: Igor Kessel <ikessel at amexol.net>
>Cc: 200q20v at audifans.com, audi20v at rennlist.org
>Reply-To: Igor Kessel <ikessel at amexol.net>
>Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2001 14:04:52 EST
>Subject: Re: [200q20v] Re: DIY Alignment, was  front suspension/replace
>     tie rods
>
>On Thu, 31 May 2001 22:06:03 -0800 Bernie Benz wrote:
>
> > Have you ever done a bump steer evaluation on your Audis?
>
>No I haven't. Quite frankly I have never felt any appreciable bump steer
>in my heavy quattros. Now, my friend's FWD 900 Tutbo, which was so quick
>and powerfull on acceleration that we dubber it a "mad rabbit", was a
>whole different story. It had suffered from bump- and torque- steer in a
>very ugly way.
>
>--
>Igor Kessel
>two turbo quattros
>
>
>

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