Tracking on lowered cars.

does anyone know where i can get my tracking done, my car is loooow
front jacking points are bout half inch off of the ground?
so cant get it on a ramp or even get a widow maker under it, lol.
any help would be good, MarkGTX said magnum in haddenham.
am i right in thinking i cant have it four wheel aligned as its so low and can only have the fronts done?
seriously needs doin as its majorly out!
cheers guys

There was a thing in PVW about 4 wheel computer controlled tracking - don't have the issue with me though so I suppose that's not much help

Might jog somebody else's memory though?

bin to a couple of places today and as i have no arch gap on the front they cant get in just wondered where everyone else gos?

I always took my pug to sts in wisbech n they all they did was put it on at 90degrees then swinge it round so its at the top, yours is abit lower now than my pugs was though

yeh if i raised it to get tracked and then dropped it again wud it b to far out?

I had my done at Cambridge Performance Tyres in Cambridge. They said that their branch in Bury has the sensors that hold onto the wheel and not the tyre, so no arch gap needed.

I would confirm this before going tho!

kool, dnt spose you have there number do you?
cheers

That's the nu,ber for Cambridge. Should be able to help you out tho.

01223 778476

i asked magnum and they reckoned it didnt matter how low the car was. bloke was proudly teeling the machine cost 9 grand and could track anthing up.

went there yesterday mark and he took a look but told me he needed an inch of arch gap, think not lol!!
think olympic tyres can do it in soham now if not il give cambridge a call, cheers Q86ARR!!

U defo dont need an inch arch gap m8. go back n ask the boss. they should be able to hook it over the tyre lower round the wheel and swing it round to the top.

no he tried it bruce no em at magnum as dad does all his business stuff there, granty told me his dad can do it off the rim not the tyre soo i will go see him,
also matty, can i borrow ure sluts till sunday, bloke im getting me new wheels off mucked me bout bit,
if not dont worry, il put it on axle stands for a couple of days!!
i owe ya buddy!!

yeah not a problem m8, you can return the favour by givin me a hard measuring up for them centre caps m8 yeah

its a deal bruce!!
u want me to bring me verniers friday??

no point friday m8, cuz ill have the carbon 1s in, so probs wait till after edition adn ill take them out n we can measure up and figure out a way of holding them in.

ok matey, u still goin for the sunday?

Yes m8,

keeping it on topic, did ya get the tracking sorted anywhere, cuz mine needs doin now i think?

well goin to olympic tyres after work tomorrow, (grantys dads garage) as he can do it off the rim (dunlop tracking i think its called?) and if he cdant then cambridge performance tyres i guess number is on this thread.
im sure i dnt have that lowa car that i have more problems getting this done than anybody else?

im sure ive read a lot that mk3s always pull slightly to the left when lowered quite a bit? even with the tracking set up

Kwik fit on histon road in cambridge has four wheel tracking machine which grips rim not tyre, definetly know cos i work for kwik fit in bar hill, recent changeover from ebley to kwik fit, dont ask. but histon road definetly do it.

You can get the tracking spot on with a tape measure and a willing voulenteer. I won't bore you with the method but if you'd like to know on detail I'll post up a guide.

h5lrw, thated be good, ive since had it done and sold the car lol but im sure many ppl on here would like to no to stop them earing tires lol

Right here goes......

Firstly find a nice level surface and turn the steering wheel into the straight line position (eg the way you have to hold the steering wheel for the car to travel in a straight line)

With a willing assistant look at the tread pattern on the tyre and select a common reference point in the tread pattern. (alot of sporty pattens conveniently have a sold centre line.)
You'll need to both be clear about the point as you'll both be taking a measurement from it.

Ask your keen helper to go to the opposite side of the vehicle and pass them one end of the tape measure and to hold it on the reference point on the BACK of the tyre.
Hold your end of the tape over the point on your side and take the reading ensuring that the tape isn't touching anypart of the body, subframe etc underneath the car. If it is both you and your helper should lower the tape and take another reading.

Make a mental note of the measurement and do the same for the FRONT of the tyre.

Now with both measurements it should be apparent if the vehicle is toeing in/out or is neutral.
If the FRONT measurement is larger than the back it is TOEING OUT. If the BACK is larger than the front it is TOEING IN. EQUAL = Paralell.

Visually the angle of the wheels should agree with the reading your tape has given you.
If at any point you need to check the measurement beacuse it doesn't correspond to what you are seeing or you suspect a bent rim, roll the vehicle forwards or backwards 180 degrees and take another measurement.

After performing an alteration (if required) push the vehicle backwards, turn the wheel from lock to lock bounce the suspension & finally push the vehicle forward with the steering wheel in the "straight ahead" position.
It may be nesecary to refit the steering wheel if large adjustments have been made.

This method is only as acurate as your measurments but is a quick way to check your track "in the field".

A home made tracking bar can also be effective but thats for another day!