International Tracking Problem

[monkeyboybongo]

Just bought a pair of all-weather tyres for bongo and please note that this is in germany. I asked the chap in the garage to do the tracking as well but he said he didnt have the values for the bongo, uses a laser machine set-up therefore he couldnt do it.

I said I had the values for the tracking (between -1 and +7mm toe in) but he said he still couldnt do it because his computer programme didnt have the bongo listed.

Was I fobbed off because perhaps my german wasn't up to scratch/or p**sed him off for some reason or did he have a genuine issue?

I don't know how these modern laser alignment machines/computer programs work so could I go to a garage with older traditional kit and give them the figures to do? What do I need the garage to have (kit-wise) in order for them to sort out the tracking?

Thanks in advance

MBB

[teenmal]

Hi Monkey,laser is the most accurate,if they punch in a vehicle with similar values it should be ok.

Ps always trust your mechanic if you put your life in there hands.

[scanner]

The trouble with a lot of stuff these days it's not so much "the computer sez no!" as much as "the computer doesn't know what you are on about" - if it isn't in the list it can't do it.

Ask him if it has a manual set up mode, if it has he should be able to punch in the values for a Bongo - if it hasn't he can't.

He's probably just a Kwikfit style button pusher, who just can't be rrssed if it isn't in the menu.

[teenmal]

The trouble with a lot of stuff these days it's not so much "the computer sez no!" as much as "the computer doesn't know what you are on about" - if it isn't in the list it can't do it.

Ask him if it has a manual set up mode, if it has he should be able to punch in the values for a Bongo - if it hasn't he can't.

He's probably just a Kwikfit style button pusher, who just can't be rrssed if it isn't in the menu.

Hi scanner,remember this guy is German.?,

[2sticks]

I think you will find that the correct geometry is:

- 1.7 mm

That is: One point seven millimetres toe in.

A lot gets lost in translation in the manuals.

[scanner]

The trouble with a lot of stuff these days it's not so much "the computer sez no!" as much as "the computer doesn't know what you are on about" - if it isn't in the list it can't do it.

Ask him if it has a manual set up mode, if it has he should be able to punch in the values for a Bongo - if it hasn't he can't.

He's probably just a Kwikfit style button pusher, who just can't be rrssed if it isn't in the menu.

Hi scanner,remember this guy is German.?,

Exactly - He is only following orders..........................

[teenmal]

Hi 2Sticks,could you tell me what 1.7mm is in inches,?.

[francophile1947]

Hi 2Sticks,could you tell me what 1.7mm is in inches,?.

0.06692893

[2sticks]

Exactly, or as near as makes no difference John.

Remember that -1.7 mm is the correct value for standard
width tyres, 195. For different width tyres you may get a
very slight improvement by adding or subtracting up to a
maximum of 0.3 mm.

A positive value is toe OUT, if you have 7 mm of this then
you will be wandering all over the road with plenty of tyre
wear.

Find yourself a good old fashioned mechanic with good old
fashioned equipment, or at least with the ability to use the
new stuff with intelligence, it's relatively simple.

[teenmal]

Hi 2Sticks,this gets very confusing,I thought you aligned the wheels not the tyres.We learn every day.

Regs Mal..

[scanner]

Hi 2Sticks,this gets very confusing,I thought you aligned the wheels not the tyres.We learn every day.

Regs Mal..

You align the wheels because they are the "hardware" that is rigidly fixed to that which can be adjusted - the hub.

The tyres are fitted to the wheelrims and (if fitted correctly) should be properly aligned with the rims. The tyres are the bits in contact with the road and also the bits that need to be correctly aligned if they are to wear correctly. Wheels don't wear, tyres do - but tyres aren't rigid enough to have the alignment equipment attached to them, so it is the wheels that the alignment equipment is fitted too...

Now what was the question again?

[missfixit70]

I thought -1.7 was the WRONG translation, the correct translation is -1 to 7mm
Parallel works well for mine & many others

[dandywarhol]

The Factory setting is -1~7mm 2sticks - thats 1mm toe out to 7mm toe in. There's such a variance because the wishbones have quite a lot of soft rubber in them and they're pretty high profile tyres.

As Kirsty says, zero seems to do the job within the tolerances.

What's equally impostand (and rarely checked) is toe out on turns, because you can set the tracking correctly at zero but the track rods might be different lengths or bent.
The T.O.O.T, according to the manual is:
39 deg on the outside wheel while the inner should be turning 35 deg, with 2 deg tolerance.

[2sticks]

DW

While I know you are usually right in these matters, and I take your
point regarding the turning toe, however, as a static toe setting of
+ 7 mm equates to a tad over 1 degree (angle), I think this could
cause excessive tyre wear. I would much prefer to stay within the
range of - 1 to + 3 mm. At my age I find it safer to have a small
amount of understeer, but if I was a bit younger I might try some
neutral or toe out tracking instead.

As this is all uneducated conjecture, I am quite prepared to be shot
down in flames. Where did I go wrong ?.

[DemonAV]

A lot gets lost in translation in the manuals.

Here scanned page from original manual: