Looking to do an alignment

[willydiesel]

Hey guys, first post here on tdiclub. Long time lurker here, even before I had a tdi. I have a 2003 golf tdi, 2 door 5 speed. 220,000 miles, and what a great little car. Anyways the car was wrapped around a pole before I got it. And I just got into an accident with it as well. Ive been piecing it back together as much as my finances will allow. Im no expert, but the frame isnt bent, I dont think. The front framerails are basically untouched. Anyways the car wasnt really aligned correctly to begin with. Now its pretty bad. I can even tell the drivers side tire is "cambered", as some would call it. The bottom of the tire is more pitched towards the car, if that makes sense. But its crooked. Im gonna eat through tires like no other. Anyways I have a few more suspension components to replace before I do an alignment. I want to find a quality shop to do my alignment, with computerized alignment and to show me on a graph a before and after of what it looks like. Is this realistic or what? Id love to know how you guys go about an alignment. I still have some lurking to do, and ive been looking for some type of spec for toe, camber and caster alignment and havent found anything. I have the bentley manual on book and pdf. Anyways id love to hear what you guys have to say and would love to learn more about aligning this vehicle.

 

[Tdijarhead]

Some people get all bent out of shape (pun) when you start talking about putting a car back together. When it's done right you generally have a good car for a lot less money. I've owned several rebuilds and even a flooded vehicle. Though the flooded one was a 91, years ago. I'd have to think a little on buying a flooded computer driven grocery getter that today's cars have become.

I just use a good local alignment shop. Someone you can trust and who will give you their honest assement of what they find, if anything.

 

[Quadrifoglio]

I recently did my own alignment on my car and it turned out great! BUT all
I had to do was adjust the toe. I believe most alignment shops will only adjust the toe. There is a shop in my town that specializes in alignments and they do set ups for a lot if track cars. See if you can find somebody like that near you.

I could be mistaken but I believe that to adjust the camber/caster on out cars you actually have to loosen the subframe and move it around. I don't think most tire shops will go to that trouble. Just ask the shop of your choice how far they are willing to go to get everything correct.

 

[RacerTodd]

Camber and caster are not adjustable. If they are off spec, something is bent. Toe is easily adjustable.

The subframe can be loosened and shifted a bit side to side or back to front in an attempt to get the camber or caster numbers the same on both sides.

 

[dremd]

Front camber and caster are not EASILY adjusted.
You can shift the subframe around to get some adjustment (technically CROSS camber and mostly CROSS camber.
You can also shift the control arm bushings a tad on their bolts and another bit is available by using the oval holes where the ball joints bolt to the control arms.
Beyond that you can purchase aftermarket camber/ caster kits, I've got no experience there.

You can adjust the rear with shims, not a very big job, rear brakes + 4 bolts if you have the special wrench, however I've also done it with a 16mm (I think that's the size) lowes kobalt xtreme access "3/8" drive socket and a 19mm open end.
When doing the rear make sure that your total toe is in not out DOH, I screwed that up.

 

[willydiesel]

Okay, thanks for the input. Does anyone know what the toe alignment spec is for the golf? I should only need a toe alignment. Im hoping

 

[Quadrifoglio]

Zero.

 

[willydiesel]

Hey guys, so yeah the winters are so cold here in NY so I havent had my girl on the lift. Im at 240,000 miles now.
So yeah...as an update. As an addition to the camber Ive discovered something quite scary. I was behind my car being driven by my best friend, and I was on the motorcycle. Were driving up twisty turneys, going uphills/downhills. I could tell that the front drivers side that was hit is smushed in like 2 maybe 3 inches from where its supposed to be. I cant really explain what I saw. Ill try a diagram..
So if Im supposed to see this:
(|)------(|)
-
-
-
(|)------(|)
I saw this:
--/|/-----(|)
-
-
-
(|)--------(|)
Roughly. I love this ****ing car. When spring comes around Im going to do an inspection to the best of my ability. I hope its something stupid like an A-Arm or something but I kinda got a bad feeling. I dont know if the unibody "framerails" (as I call em) are able to be straightened by a COMPETENT frame straightening technician, yada yada. Ive got some type of course of action pertaining to this. I will also give you guys some pictures I have of what happened.

 

[dremd]

Take some pics and post them.

I lost my last TDI to a crappy rear frame rail repair.

 

[willydiesel]

Steering wheel was turned all the way to right, S shaped tierod

I hit the guardrail here and dragged alongside it..initial impact roughly 30-40 mph...I couldve dragged up to 75 feet or more..

Picture of me fenderless...can kinda see the camber

 

[Tdijarhead]

Could be your A arm or your subframe or both. A arm is a fairly easy job, sub frame would be more involved but still doable.

 

[willydiesel]

Thanks, jarhead! Your giving me hope. I was preparing myself to deal with a bent unibody rail. Ive never heard of working on the subframe. Can you elaborate what is doable? Is the whole thing replacable or no?

 

[Tdijarhead]

If the front subframe is bent, that is replaceable , your steering rack sets on it. However if the mounting points where the sub frame attaches to the body have shifted that is a different story. There are jut 4 bolts 21mm I think that attach the front subframe to the body. Of course the steering rack, A arms, down pipe and a couple of other things are attached to that sub frame.

Take it apart and see what is bent and what is not, then make your decision.

 

[meerschm]

on a 2013, you should have the alignment properly checked.

not really a good way to adjust camber. you can move the subframe to split the difference.

if you want to check, pretty easy to come close with a level and tape measure to the wheel edges. (if you remember your trig. 16 sin 1 degree is 0.279)

 

[meerschm]

Firestone is nice, and the lifetime deal is a good one, (if the equipment is working and calibrated), but if the camber is out as much as you think it is, they will tell you there is no adjustment, and to take it to a dealer.