Rear Wheel Alignment: No Can Do?

fatbhoy · 20-01-2022 2:35pm #1

Car is a 2003 Peugeot 607 2.0 SE petrol. The last NCT indicated that while the front wheel alignment was okay, that of the rear was near the limits. I brought it to Red Cow Tyres, and the guy put it up, attached the stuff, and just before he went ahead with the job he said that the rear can't be adjusted on this car. When I asked about it he said that the suspension is missing whatever that allows the adjustment. IDK.

Is this true?

Atlantic Dawn · 20-01-2022 3:27pm

Not sure, did he mean perhaps that it's not adjustable and it's instead a replacement job when needs to be done?

fatbhoy · 20-01-2022 4:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506575#Comment_118506575

Dunno, he just said it wasn't adjustable. Then he said he'll do the fronts, so I said no, I only really want the rear done really, then he says the fronts are miles off, to which I said that the NCT showed that they weren't, although the NCT was from a few months ago, but I still reckon he was spoofing.

FGR · 21-01-2022 10:14pm

A lot of cars have torsion beam rear suspension and in many cases it's not easy to adjust the alignment on them, if at all. I had the same problem with a B5 Passat where the only option was to adjust the subframe or to get a whole new beam.

Hopefully you'll get a result on this OP. Does the car still drive straight to you? If it does then keep it going until it reaches a fail on the nct then consider replacement setup as it's not exactly cheap.

PaoloGotti · 21-01-2022 10:16pm

Your rear suspension is not adjustable and if reading out on the NCT (which has a huge range) then something is bent.

jmreire · 21-01-2022 10:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515123#Comment_118515123

Yes, he should have let the Red Cow reset the front according to his alignment equipment, and then checked the rear. Even if there was no adjustment in the rear, it would show if something was bent.

PaoloGotti · 21-01-2022 10:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515191#Comment_118515191

I agree, the NCT was not measuring his fronts against the manufacturer’s spec like Red Cow likely were. NCT just use a upper limit of x m/km side slip. This is an upper limit used to ascertain that any given car will likely be unstable if beyond it. It doesn’t aim to optimise handling and tyre wear based on the car’s weight and front/rear bias.

jmreire · 21-01-2022 10:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515266#Comment_118515266

And in most cars, when it comes to alignment, front and rear positions are relative to each other. So if the front was out, it would affect the rear measurements too. The Red Cow were in a lose / lose position.

PaoloGotti · 21-01-2022 11:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515307#Comment_118515307

Exactly. “Front is out” is a relative term when we are taking about thrust alignment. It is relative to the rear axle.

Although the NCT is only measuring toe in/out of the front, basically they are doing a very basic cursory check.

fatbhoy · 22-01-2022 9:17am

Thanks for the replies, lads. I'll probably drop back to the Red Cow guys on the basis of that. One other thing, which occurred to me in the meantime: I might be in for a bad shock at the next NCT, because I was rear-ended a few months ago that resulted in the boot floor becoming distorted, so that might have had an effect on the suspension at the rear too. I'll know later this year. By the way, I let the person who rear-ended me off lightly, which maybe I shouldn't have done. Longer story that, though.

jmreire · 22-01-2022 10:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516163#Comment_118516163

The rear axle is sitting pretty far away from the rear bumper, and it would take a very bad impact to affect it, but the only way to find out for sure is to get it measured. If it was properly repaired, the NCT will not be a problem if you are thinking about the floor. And if it has been NCT'd since the accident, and no mention about it, you are safe enough regarding that part. The wheel alignment is a different kettle of fish though.

PaoloGotti · 22-01-2022 7:58pm

You’d be surprised how easily the rear suspension can get damaged from a rear ending. My missus was tipped and the rear bumper was barely hanging off it’s mounts. Yet you could see with the naked eye that the rear left wheel was kinked toed in a few degrees. Complete rear suspension had to be replaced on that corner to get it right, including the alloy wheel!

jmreire · 22-01-2022 8:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518596#Comment_118518596

Yes, that's very true, With modern bumper technology, they can take a fair impact and bounce back into shape, leaving the real damage hidden underneath. I've repaired a fair few ( and I'd guess you have too?) and I would not take anything for granted when it comes to front or rear bumpers on modern cars ( even going back 20 years )

PaoloGotti · 22-01-2022 8:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518679#Comment_118518679

Exactly. They are plastic with high elasticity properties. The cast alloy suspension control arms/wish bones - not so much. Honestly I take the over-cautious approach to suspension parts - if in doubt, swap it out. It’s not that expensive for most cars, and a whole corner can be changed out in about an hour handy. (With an air impact!)

jmreire · 22-01-2022 8:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518719#Comment_118518719

I agree, steering and brakes are not items to take chances on, and neither are their associated parts.

Rear Wheel Alignment: No Can Do?

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