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Old 16th August 2021, 10:47   #1
thanos.m
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Default Alignment Issues

The whole issue started at some point last year when I noticed shoulder wear on my front tyres but the car at that point was tracking straight so I took the car in for an alignment at a local garage and they tried 3 times to get it done but every time the car was pulling to the left. A few people suggested that it could be the way the tyres had worn causing that. So last week I had my wheels refurbished and a new set of Michelins put on the car and it started behaving considerably better after that but it still pulled to the left. So after seeing some suggestions here I took it to a place that had hunter alignment rack. They really struggled and in the end they said they couldn't get the rear done but they got it to toe equally and they had front done and they said that the steering wheel was sitting to the right which is what I was experiencing with it pulling to the left and it's now all sorted. Still after all that it's still pulling to the left. Are 75s that difficult to get right ? Also it just sailed through an mot so I know I dont have any worn components any suggestions? I have also watched the printout they gave me
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Old 16th August 2021, 19:18   #2
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Originally Posted by thanos.m View Post
They really struggled and in the end they said they couldn't get the rear done, but they got it to toe equally
Here's the final, 2004 MGR Tracking Specification, which (if you can read it OK) should more or less tally with the printout you received. The upper table, top row is what you want.

If I read the printout correctly, before they adjusted it the rear total toe was 0°48' (or 48 minutes of arc). After adjustment, it was 0°42', so you have to wonder what they actually did? My thoughts are they either didn't know the 75's rear wheels are actually adjustable for toe, or they weren't able to slacken the adjuster. As you can see, the wheel toe is about equal each side, but in totai is somewhat outside the specified range of 0°16' - 0°28'. The rear training arm has a moveable bush held by four bolts just ahead of the wheel arch. They can be a source of problems and can get rounded off. It would be worth having a look and sourcing new ones if they're at all suspect. They're special grade, so an ordinary bolt won't do. There's more info available on this if needed.
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- - - Still after all that it's still pulling to the left. Are 75s that difficult to get right?
In my experience, yes they can be. It really depends on what you mean by 'pulling'. If you have to physically keep the steering wheel pulled right, then there's a tracking error. However, these cars can have a drift left tendency, which is much less troublesome and is often assiciated with road camber. I remember my ex-showroom/1,000 miles from new 1.8T doing this. A ten mile drive by the local MGR service manager, plus two separate Hunter tracking sessions by MGR themselves didn't eliminate it. Another 'feature' I guess.

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Last edited by T-Cut; 16th August 2021 at 19:23..
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Old 16th August 2021, 19:47   #3
COLVERT
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I've found after a good few years that my car is affected by road camber.--Depending on the camber my car will drift to left or right.---All of my tyres wear correctly and evenly.--There's no play in the steering and just a small movement of the steering wheel makes the road wheels move.---
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Old 17th August 2021, 08:06   #4
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Cheers for the replies !

Unfortunately I the final specs aren't visible.

What they told me was they slackened the bolts of the trailing arm but they couldn't get it to move I did have the rear arms plus the right trailing arm replaced last year and couple of months ago the rear springs so it seems a bit wierd to me that it would all be frozen now.

I have 155 mile motorway trip today so I'll be able to get a good idea of how it behaves now

What I felt after the alignment was gentle drift to the left which could be what you discibe as a "feature" I'm also wondering if cars whith bigger wheels are more susceptible to it as I did not experience that with my old car that was running on 15" nor mates that's also on 15".

In my last long trip before the alignment and the new tyres it was quite bad if I let go of the steering wheel it would not just drift to the left the steering would start also to turn towards the left so it felt like I had to constantly fight it will see how this trip goes and I'll report back.
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Old 17th August 2021, 21:49   #5
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I've found after a good few years that my car is affected by road camber. Depending on the camber my car will drift to left or right.
Indeed. That's what I found. It certainly behaved that way during the Service Manager's test drive. We found a deserted stretch of a local bypass and he drove for a while in the 'fast' lane. The car drifted to the right. It was also his conclusion that these models are sensitive to road camber.


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Old 17th August 2021, 22:24   #6
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Originally Posted by thanos.m View Post
The whole issue started at some point last year when I noticed shoulder wear on my front tyres but the car at that point was tracking straight so I took the car in for an alignment at a local garage and they tried 3 times to get it done but every time the car was pulling to the left. A few people suggested that it could be the way the tyres had worn causing that. So last week I had my wheels refurbished and a new set of Michelins put on the car and it started behaving considerably better after that but it still pulled to the left. So after seeing some suggestions here I took it to a place that had hunter alignment rack. They really struggled and in the end they said they couldn't get the rear done but they got it to toe equally and they had front done and they said that the steering wheel was sitting to the right which is what I was experiencing with it pulling to the left and it's now all sorted. Still after all that it's still pulling to the left. Are 75s that difficult to get right ? Also it just sailed through an mot so I know I dont have any worn components any suggestions? I have also watched the printout they gave me

So glad it was not just me. I have had problems on many cars over the years most recently I had bother on the rear of the tourer. Caused by me fitting new back subframe and all suspension component. Also had changed all three bushes on the rear trailing arms.
I ended up with a magnetic bead with angle plate, bead in two directions. Also used a piece of string and a Gussions roll over plate. Then it was a case of making up shims for the relevant areas. Thanks to RS components for their stainless shim plates all stamped with their thickness and my copy of the Ziess tables for jojing my old brain. There must be a simpler way to do this but I know I have got it right and with 4500 miles and no uneven ware but was hard work on the old brain.


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Old 18th August 2021, 09:49   #7
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Both my Rover 75 cars have been affected by camber. I do live in a rural area where cambers can be excessive (next to farms etc). To test, I tend to drive on a long, straight road and check that there is no traffic in front or behind, then straddle the white line. The car runs straight and true, so I know that it is camber affected.
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Old 20th August 2021, 19:27   #8
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Originally Posted by roverbarmy View Post
Both my Rover 75 cars have been affected by camber. I do live in a rural area where cambers can be excessive (next to farms etc). To test, I tend to drive on a long, straight road and check that there is no traffic in front or behind, then straddle the white line. The car runs straight and true, so I know that it is camber affected.

I like the idea but the front tracking is slightly tow in which should keep the car running in a straight line?
I know the spice tourer had done at least 200,000 possibly more one can never be sure when a chunk of history is missing. Speaking from over Fifty seven years of working on aircraft and cars and bikes and building miniature/ model steam locomotives along with a few petrol ones. I have never seen a set of three bushes on a trailing arm so badly worn. Both sides were as bad as each other. I wonder at what mileage you would find the wear? I ask this as I can’t think of a way you would notice the wear unless you had the arm off the car or were specifically looking for it. Long flat ended bar leavers is about the only and that would really determine if one was worn possibly two.


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Old 20th August 2021, 19:46   #9
alanaslan
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Just remembered trying to do a little car that one of the rover club members had the little car was a Reliant Rebel from 1974. Which just proves when a classic car magazine prints none were built after 1972 the DVLA don’t know any better.
Back to its steering the column drives two pivot rods with a track rod on each end one side then drives a idler bar that has two track Rod ends on it the other drives an idler box which drives the idler bar which connects to the wheel. Yes to us oldies that is eight adjustable ends between the steering box and the wheels. On the first 12 cars built the bar running right to left ran in side the chassis tube. Thankfully the other 3900 odd cars they built the cross idler bar ran outside the chassis.


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