Adjusting non adjustable rear axle tracking?

[CompoSimmonite]

So I've heard. But wouldn't a pair of adjustable trailing arms fix that?

It's worse on the Series models with leaf springs all round. Even the factory manual gives chassis dimensions as + or - a figure

 

[Pete.]

Your car insurance is the most exacting form of the law of torte (contract).
Any changes you make to the original design would need to be communicated to the insurance company, which might prompt the need for a vehicle inspection.
If you have an accident & fail to notify them of the mod, they might legitamely turn down your claim.
RonA

They might well turn down a claim by the first party in the event of an accident but the road traffic act specifically prohibits insurance companies from denying 3rd party claims on the basis of the condition of the vehicle. You can have your insurance cancelled, they can refuse to cover any damages to your own vehicle but 3rd party liability (the minimum required by law) is something they cannot get out of.

 

[dobbslc]

but 3rd party liability (the minimum required by law) is something they cannot get out of.
I bet they're working on it though.....

 

[ajlelectronics]

but 3rd party liability (the minimum required by law) is something they cannot get out of.
I bet they're working on it though.....

They overcome that by suing the policyholder for the loss.

 

[zzr1200]

take it to someone else to get the tracking checked again first
and as said if it drives OK and not scrubbing tyres leave it alone

It also depends if the person who stated the wheels were out of alignment, knows how to use the equipment properly in the first place....

 

[RonA]

They might well turn down a claim by the first party in the event of an accident but the road traffic act specifically prohibits insurance companies from denying 3rd party claims on the basis of the condition of the vehicle. You can have your insurance cancelled, they can refuse to cover any damages to your own vehicle but 3rd party liability (the minimum required by law) is something they cannot get out of.

Why risk it in the first place?
RonA

 

[Pete.]

Why risk it in the first place?
RonA

That's a matter for each individual person to judge for themselves surely? I wouldn't think to criticise you for following the book to the letter, but that doesn't mean I'm compelled to myself.

 

[brightspark]

a bit of flexibility

 

[Turbo]

Check all bushings for wear, check all suspension components by comparing each side in case one is bent. Also check for a bent rim, that would throw off the alignment readings. Another thing to check is that all 4 rims are the same, I had 3 original alloys on a 406 & one SMR. The SMR looked identical but was made of thicker ally & it threw off alignment readings.

If all this checks out, it's wearing tyres evenly & it drives ok I wouldn't worry about it.

I knew a man who did bodywork & he drove a vectra that suffered from having an unpredictable rear end. He put it on his bodywork rack & tweaked the rear end giving it some negative camber. It transformed the car & it stuck to the road like glue!

 

[bricol]

Don't ever measure an old Renault 4 or 5 . . . used the same trailing arm and cross-car torsion bar each side, just turned one upside down - and moved it 100mm or so backwards relative to the other . . . so wheelbase each side was rather different ;-)

 

[Keith 66]

Took a Mk 2 mondeo estate in for two tyres as got a load of screws in both rear ones at work. Tyre place advised me wheel needed alignment & charged me for doing it. A weel later a funny rubbing noise fro the rear offside wheel.
Turned out the trailing radius arm was bent like a banana & hitting the tyre. Mechanic changed both sides as both were bent. He reckoned the tyre place had jacked the car up on them & in any case they were not adjustable.
Went back & had a right moan & they refunded what they had charged me for alignment.

 

[Pete.]

Don't ever measure an old Renault 4 or 5 . . .

Or an old mini. I think their rear subframe was an early version of rear wheel steer

 

[Cobbler]

Don't ever measure an old Renault 4 or 5 . . . used the same trailing arm and cross-car torsion bar each side, just turned one upside down - and moved it 100mm or so backwards relative to the other . . . so wheelbase each side was rather different ;-)

I heard a story soon after they came out, someone had quite a minor bump, but got the garage to do a check to make sure everything was straight. The garage did a drop check, found it way, way out & set about straightening it up. They wrote the car off trying, not realising that was how it was built. I have no idea whether it's true or not, but it made a good story at the rime.

 

[dannyp]

Would help to know what car.

If it’s an older French car. The rear wheels tend to just chill out somewhere near the back of the car pointing in vaguely the same direction after about 60 k miles every one I know I think has a pair of beam bushes on a shelf for one. I think everyone ran out of bothered at the same point and decided it passed the mot and drove ok