Tracking & Geometry

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

Has anyone had problems trying to get their steering wheel central ?
I took mine today despite many attempts by normal tracking methods, to a decent place with a hunter geometry machine it costs £66, but they measure all your toe and camber angles.
Despite their best efforts they now say I need some different camber adjusting bolts with a thinner shank to allow for more adjustment. Will this help do you think ?

Does anyone know if the steering wheel is on a splined or hexagonal shaft...?

[rita]

Hi does this help,

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... es#p442689

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... eplacement

[stuc]

Do they know how to use the machine properly? To do a full geometry check you must measure the rear first to check the thrust line. Once you have done this and the back is ok you can then set the front up. If the rear is slightly out and has no adjustment you set the front up to compensate. Once you have all settings within tolerances you can then set the steering wheel straight.The steering wheel is on splines.
Most garages have the machines but do not understand geometry they just use the machine to set the vehicle up so all settings are in green but dont actually know what they are adjusting.
Just my opinion but I have seen it happen a lot.

[The_Gordons]

I had the steering track rod ends changed by the local garage in our village then took it along to the nearest place which did wheel alignment. It took them less than an hour to confirm that the rear wheels were okay and to align the front wheels and centralise the steering wheel.

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

Thanks Rita the lower steering rack splines sound my best method of attack, my bongo has an airbag and i'm sure the shaft will be hexagonal ??????? anyone know if its splined as the garage said they can remove it and move the wheel ....i'm not sure camber angle adjusting bolts will work ....everyone that has tracked it always has it so its down to the right when i'm driving straight ahead makes me think somethings worn or bent somewhere? drives me MAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Northern Bongolow]

when i did my new rack the geometry was checked and found to be out,non airbag model, so the 4 wheels were aligned and the steering wheel was then out, so i undid the bottom spline to the rack and straightened everything up.
the worry for me with yours may be the airbag connections/earth.
if i remember right the entire column had to be raised and pushed up into the bongo to release it from the rack splines, could this trigger the mechanism via an earth fault, or cause a warning light etc. i am not sure. just raising the issue. .
would it be better altering the trackrod ends to pull the steering wheel back to straight , this would also keep the indicator self cancelling at the correct position.

[stuc]

Usually doing geometry you would lock the steering wheel in the centre position with the tool supplied with the alignment machines. You would then do the adjustments from the track rod end as northern bongolow has said.If you need to there is no problem removing an air bag steering wheel. Just disconnect the battery and leave for at least 10 minutes. When you remove it just dont sit in front of it wearing nylon static pants and touch the terminals. When you reconnect it, as long as there are no faults the bag light should stay off.

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

Thanks for all your replies.. the steering wheel was supposedly centered during alignment...everywhere that does it seems to get it in the same, down to the right position once i drive off up the road...i would assume altering the track rod ends would straighten things up ???? but they never mentioned it.... if anyone has messed around with the steering rack, would i be able to loosen the nut that holds it onto the main rack and open up the joint and move the wheel to the left a few splines to align it back to central or is the connection to strong to open up ? The machine used was a fancy hunter set up so i thought it would sort it without a problem as it lists the bongo in its data base...

[Northern Bongolow]

generally the trackrod end screws on to the rack rod for 22 turns, this may give you an indication of whats going on, they must be the same (ish) or you wont turn both ways properly.
when ive seen similar kit being used, the theory of it is easy, but if you watch a good chap use it to set things up, it does look very complex.
i would suggest that the people you have used dont know what they are doing.

you can just move the wheel a few splines as you say, but you have to remember the indicator self cancelling, as this may be knocked out and only work on left turns etc. that is why you always start from a straight steering wheel position and work through it this way.

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

I was thinking of just taking off the steering shaft that connects to the splined shaft on the steering rack, surely that would allow centreing of the steering wheel that wouldn't affect the cancellation of the indicators...?...

[teenmal]

I was thinking of just taking off the steering shaft that connects to the splined shaft on the steering rack, surely that would allow centreing of the steering wheel that wouldn't affect the cancellation of the indicators...?...

Hi,
Has the steering wheel position problem just occurred or has it been there from when you obtained the vehicle.

[jaylee]

My wheel was never truly central, but i could live with it... The usual tracking & stuff done over the years...?! Then...? See here. http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... &hilit=duh

Bang on!

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

The problem has always been there since i purchased the vehicle... despite it being tracked 3 times it always comes back the same i know the rear right toe setting is out, its coming out at 0 degrees 13' toe in on the rear right when the setting should be 0 degrees 08' but i think this not adjustable . Everyone tells you something different...i mentioned to the garage today cant we adjust the track rod ends but he seems to be following the hunter tracking machine advice which says alter the camber angles, hence im looking for camber adjusting bolts ???.............
ta folks

[j333.vrs@wimanx.net]

how do i add an image i can put the printout on here ?

[jaylee]

This may help..? http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =42&t=9285