[s-cars] I'm ready to SELL if I can't fix the WANDERING problem!!!

[Jack Gagnon]

Nic,

What kind of shape are the strut bearings and strut mounts in?  I just had
my car aligned and found out the strut bearings and strut mounts were shot.
I had really bad tire wear and pretty severe wandering before the alignment.
Before the alignment I had-.9 left and -1.3 right camber and .1 deg toe.
the caster was way off 1.1 left and 2.2 right.

The camber adjustment was as far as it could go so I had the top plates
modified per Igor's latest template.  The mechanic had a bit of trouble
using the templates due to his own doing (he photocopied the template even
though I told him to use the original - distortion).  When he had the top
plates out, he discovered that the strut bearings were shot and the top
mount bushing had torn.  He noted that the previous install of the shocks
and springs were the cause of the failure.  There are recesses in the strut
bearing for the bolts/studs to sit in and the bolts were sitting on the
platic race incorreclty and caused enough binding to rip the top mount
bushing.  The final results were -1.0 left & right camber and 0.25 deg toe.
The camber somehow was corrected to 1.6 left and 1.4 right.  The car does
not wander much at all now and I have 245/40/17's.

I hate to suggest you spend additional $$, but it is worth a look.  The
steering in my car is now ultra smooth, I hadn't noticed how rough the
steering was prior to the work.  Is there any notchness when turning the
wheels at a standstill?  If so, maybe you have some strut bearing problems.

Good Luck,

Jack

btw My car is a 92 with stock springs and koni's



-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-admin at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Nic Bode
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 10:56 AM
To: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: [s-cars] I'm ready to SELL if I can't fix the WANDERING
problem!!!


There must be a secret I am missing. Please help me!! A little background.
'93 S4
76,000 miles
Seattle, WA roads
H&R V8's with Bilstein Sports-switching to Eibachs soon
Bolero's with 235/45/17 SO-3's-heavy
38psi cold front
33.5 psi cold rear
1 degree negative camber-left and right-front
0.08" toe IN-left and right front
1/2 degree negative camber-left and right-rear
0.11" toe IN-left and right-rear
complete front end bushing rebuild w/ all subframe mounts
all nuts and bolts rechecked after 1,000 miles

Oh yeah, and a ton of wandering. I don't dare drink a beer and drive. I
might get pulled over by the local long arm of the law. The biggest positive
difference I saw is when I went to the tire pressures you see above. I sold
my Kumho 712's and went to the SO-3's on a reccomendation that the
Bridgestone's don't wander, in comparison. A little better. Three alignments
in the past year and a half and I can't drive over small cracks in the road
without endangering children on the sidewalk. Car has never been hit or
re-arranged. What am I missing? My GTI VR6 with 3 degrees negative camber
and toe out drives straighter than this thing. Feel free to email directly
with your words of encouragement and rays of light shining the path towards
a straight driving, no need to look out for the car in the next lane, wife
no longer laughing/swearing at me, can take clients in the car again, UrS4.

Nic
spedrcr at attbi.com

PS-I'm not kidding about selling it if I can't fix it. It's intolerable.


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