[s-cars] Alignment and tierod ends

[Fred Munro]

Hi Forrest;

The tie rod ends can seize up on these cars, but having said that I replaced
the original tie rod ends on my '94 S4 after 200,000 km of winter salt baths
and the factory plating was still on the threads. They came off very easily.
The usual problem with non-dealer alignment shops is that they don't realize
the tie rod end is secured by a compression sleeve. They just loosen the
lock nut and expect the rod to turn. If they don't knock the compression
sleeve loose they'll be there all day trying to move the rod. I don't know
of any North American cars that use compression sleeves (but then I haven't
wrenched on a NA car for many years), so most of the TuffMuff type shops
aren't used to them.

The UrS cars are very sensitive to alignment and all have a problem on the
right strut with getting the camber/caster settings to spec. Save yourself
aggravation (but not $$$) and go to a dealer or an import alignment shop
that knows what they are doing. Anybody that takes a S4 to TuffMuff type
places to save a few bucks or get a "free" doodad is going to learn a
painful lesson in aggravation and wasted $$$ - they aren't your average K
car.

I have my alignments done at the local dealer. It takes the tech a couple
hours, the steering wheel is dead straight, and the alignment is exactly in
the centre of all specs on all corners. I run OEM springs and had to use
2Bennett camber plates to get the right strut alignment on spec.

Good luck! Happy New Year!

Fred Munro
'94 S4



-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of forrest bradshaw
Sent: December 30, 2004 3:32 AM
To: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: [s-cars] Alignment and tierod ends


car was lowered with H&R race and Bilstein sports in July, no camber plates,
thought toe in .1 degree would do the trick, alignment was close, but the
equipment used was not the best for the job, inner sidewalls of front wheels
are wearing out, yup it's a given.  So I take car to a good ol' corporate
Tuffy Muffler (have always hated this place, but they give free
inspections), they hoist it up, and say everything is tight and good, just
needs to be aligned, $64 out the door, I think fine thats reasonable and
they sound like they can handle it.  drop car off at 9am, go home and pass
out again, 11am, they call and say they are having problems with the tierod
ends, gonna be another $70 cause they have to remove the wheels and do
whatever, fine I goning back to bed, (long, busy night at work).  get car
back at 4pm, they said the tierod ends were froze (rusted) and they could
not get them very loose, but they got the alignment really close, and that I
will be really pleased with t
 he
 results, great.  start driving car, steering wheel is like 15 degrees off
center to the right, I'm pissed, paid double the quote for absolute
bullshit, when I dropped it off I wrote them a note saying I wanted my wheel
to be straight with the car, now its off way more than before, they said
they will fix it next week.
anyway, anyone ever have there tierod ends rust up, can I handle the DIY on
em?  I want to avoid camber plates if I can, gonna see how the inner
sidewalls hold up after this alignment job, hopefully its better.
if you have never been to a Tuffy, never go!!!

Forrest


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