Re: Alignment - 200TQ - front end is off a tad.

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

    This should work, Peter, as long as it doesn't trap good Canadian road
salt under the inner tube and exacerbate the problem. I would think it would
be hard to ensure a water-tight seal in that location. Maybe filling the
tube up with a rubber-friendly grease would help.

Fred Munro
'91 200q  277k km

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Berrevoets <peterb@mysysltd.com>
To: Quattro List <quattro@audifans.com>; Fred Munro <munrof@isys.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 1999 5:22 PM
Subject: RE: Alignment - 200TQ - front end is off a tad.


> Has anyone tried using a bicycle inner tube and a couple of nylon cable
> straps to cover the adjusters on the tie-rods?
>
> It seems like an obvious thing I'm wondering if there is a "Don't do it
> because..." lurking out there.  I'm going to fix mine this weekend and I
> thought that, after cleaning them thoroughly, I would just oil and grease
> the adjusters and seal them with a piece of inner tubing.  I'll probably
> just slide the inner tube on and leave it sitting on the tie rod until
I've
> had the camber and toe set.  Then lube-it, pull the inner tube sleeve over
> it and tie the ends. Should work yes?
>
> Sometimes it seems that team door handle was employed to ensure that
people
> would eventually have to buy new Audis.  This tie rod end in it's exposed
> place has got to be some kind of built-in obsolescence.
>
> Later,
>
> Peter
> 1990 200TQ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fred Munro [mailto:munrof@isys.ca]
> Sent: Monday, July 19, 1999 10:32 PM
> To: peterb@mysysltd.com; Quattro List
> Subject: Re: Alignment - 200TQ - front end is off a tad.
>
>
> Hi Peter;
>
>     On my last alignment, I watched the mechanic at the local dealer sweat
> for 1.5 hours to remove the left tie rod end.  He used every form of
> persuasion known (short of a cutting torch - well, he did use a cutting
> torch but without the extra oxygen feed, though it must have been sorely
> tempting). That's why I took it to the shop - better him sweating with it
on
> a hoist than me on my back under the carport! For some reason, these tie
rod
> ends seize up something fierce.
>
>     On both of my Type 44's, the camber could not be set right on spec
with
> the adjustment available. Usually the left side would come on spec, but
the
> right side wouldn't just quite make it.
>     A good alignment does indeed make a world of difference on these cars.
> If you've found a good shop, treasure it - most shops won't take the time
> and care necessary to set the car up right.
>
> Fred Munro
> '91 200q  277k km
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Peter Berrevoets <peterb@mysysltd.com>
> To: Quattro List <quattro@audifans.com>
> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 1999 3:50 PM
> Subject: Alignment - 200TQ - front end is off a tad.
>
>
> > Had the car in the alignment shop yesterday - found an excellent guy in
> the
> > Toronto area if anyone wants to know email me.
> >
> > Set the rear alignment to -0.20 camber (preferred setting was -0.24) and
> toe
> > to +1/32 (the preferred setting).
> >
> > Front end was problematic.  It looks as if there had been a collision
with
> > the drivers side front wheel and a stationary object.  The shock had
been
> > replaced, and there were indications of some sub frame adjusting.  The
> > steering rack was also discovered to be slightly offset towards the
> > passenger side.
> >
> > Net result was that the caster on the left is at +0.96 (preferred is
> +1.00)
> > the right at +.084 (preferred again +1.00).  The Camber on the left is
> > at -0.84 (preferred -0.52) with the right at -0.56.  The toe could not
be
> > properly set due to totally rusted tie rod ends. The current toe is left
0
> > (preferred +1/16) and the right -5/16 (preferred +3/32).
> >
> > He also measure the front set-back - the amount that the distance
between
> > wheel centres front to rear differs from left to right and discovered
that
> > the drivers side is shorter by 1/32 indicating a rearward relocation of
> the
> > front suspension.
> >
> > Even with these problems the drive feel of the car has improved
> > tremendously. Now I just have to figure out how I can fix my baby so the
> > set-up can be the 'preferred' all the way around.
> >
> > If I loosen the sub frame bushings and lever the left side forward a
> touch,
> > will this correct the problem, or am I opening a nasty can of worms?
> >
> > BTW the mechanic has offered to redo the four wheel alignment when I
> replace
> > the tie rod ends at no charge! And this after he spent over two hours
> > checking, measuring and adjusting!
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Peter Berrevoets
> > 1990 200TQ 10V
> >
> >
>
>
>