MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - front wheel alignment

Hi
After checking the front tyres of our 97 vvc i noticed pretty severe wear on the INSIDE of the tyres, as it was a sunday i popped into the only tracking station open which was kwikfit.
They said i had to call into a specialist place coz it has to be done from the back end?
Is this right & expensive?
Cheers
T T
tony thomas

Tony

The tracking is either adjusted at the front or all four wheels are laser tracked.
It may be that the height of your cars suspension is incorrect which will also give the same symptons.
Recommend that you check hight of suspension first then find a good independant tyre centre who is capable of tracking.

HTH

Tony H
Tony H

A four wheel laser alignment will check front caster, camber, toe and rear camber, toe and thrust primary angles and a whole load of secondary angles. Had mine done this week after having new rear tyres fitted (thank you Silverstone!) and it cost me 20 pounds to adjust the front toe. Font and rear toe adjustment last time cost around 40 pounds from memory.

Mike H
Mike Hall

Please make sure you take advice from this BBS on tracking angles. I had the same problem and had it fixed two years ago and still use the same tyres
Brian

Tony,
It does sound like you haven't had a four wheel alignment done.

It is important, check around for prices as you can get ripped off, one writer recently got stung, by an MGR dealer well over £100. Expect to pay under £40.00

Does anybody know the area and can recommend a place to Tony if this is what he needs.

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Where's Dave Morris when you need him?
Mike Hall

Tony, before any 4 wheel geometry check and adjustment is made a thorough check of all the suspension joints should be done and any worn components replaced before any adjustments are made otherwise you are wasting money.On a '97 car it is likely that something is worn, such as top ball joints.Correct adjustment can take time to get the geo set right so expect and hours labour.(IMO)
mike.
mike

Ride height (and therefore camber) are rarely the pure cause of the inner edge tyre wear.

Before doing anything else, as Mike has already suggested, get the suspension thoroughly checked out and any worn/damaged components replaced. Then get the suspension height checked. If over 350mm from wheel centre to wheel arch lip vertically above I would not necessarily mess about with what you've got - but if lower than that, do get the system pumped up.

If you've got good tracking, and tyre wear persists, then consider using one of the alternative tracking settings suggested by users of the BBS - the standard setting is 0 deg 10 minutes toe out. Change this to either 0 deg 0 min or 0 deg 5 minutes toe IN (all figures per wheel).

Bit more explanation etc on this link: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/suspension/index.htm
Rob Bell

Thanks all
Had the tracking done today at a local small independent place with a very expensive machine which found out that the front off side wheel was out of line.
It was fixed in about ten mins and cost £20 (result)

Thanks again for your help
TT
tony thomas

This thread was discussed between 17/04/2005 and 18/04/2005

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now