Rear Wheel Alignment

[nnng_oozie]

Just got some new tyres!!! (Firehawk Wide Ovals for $119 baby!)

I also just did a wheel alignment at Bridgestone. This has happened before, apparently Fiestas are non-adjustable at the rear. So i'll have to take it to Ford to work on.

The last time this happened the guy at Ford had "no idea" about the non-adjustable rears, so he didn't charge me cos it was still under warranty.

My question is did you guys have to do the same thing? and if you had to pay, how much was it at ford?

Cheers

[Ives]

I asked the same thing when I got new wheels and tyres, a couple of people here said for me to ask places like Pedders for camber kit. I havent got around it yet :P

Firehawk Wide Oval? dont you mean Firestone? and what size are your wheels?

EDIT :- hey you're in Sydney, you should come to EuroFordClub cruises! next one is on the 8th December. Well not really a cruise, but dinner at Hogs Breath!
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=75419

[Scareybear]

Being a solid rear axle, theres no adjustment "built in". Only if the rear is out a fair way will you need to do something about it.

[Piotr]

The rear of the fiesta isn't adjustable. If you want adjustablity you need aftermarket.

[photn]

just a question. why would you want to adjust the rear. isnt it setup for the most benifical drive/wear and tear possible?

[Ives]

^^^ the alignment will go overtime. You'd want to re-align them with they're misaligned, right?

[photn]

Originally Posted by HyperKid

^^^ the alignment will go overtime. You'd want to re-align them with they're misaligned, right?

i always thought a SOLID rear meant that there is no need to re-align your rear end.

[Ives]

yeah i thought so too, but everyone's been saying that they can get misaligned overtime and apparently that's when the camber kit steps in.

[nnng_oozie]

Nah a solid bar will still yield some movement, my fez is more than 2 yrs old now. Max allowable toe is +2mm
Right now:
Rear Left = +2mm
Rear Right = +3.7mm

So the car pulls to the left when the steering wheel is centered, even tho the front is now aligned correctly. In any case, i spoke with the guy at ford and it "should" be covered by warranty. I justed booked a rear alignment for next wednesday at Power Ford (Castle Hill).

Yes, the tyres are Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals, thats the full name. I've still got the standard wheels, so the tyre profile is still 195/50R15.

Cheers

[Ives]

Sweet, sounds like you've got a good deal.

Power Ford ay? do u live local? I live literally 1 min drive from Power Ford.

[nnng_oozie]

Hey man, yeah i live locally. Near Oakhill College, I'm like a minute from Oakhill Shops.

You know Unique Autosports? Its right opposite to the holden dealer, I used to work there, hence the discount at Bridgestone.

Peace.

[Ives]

Cool!

I just sent u a PM.

Tell us how u go with the rear alignment.

[mitch_lx]

The Wide ovals are supposed to be a great tyre.

Let us know how they compare to what you had on the car before ! plus good luck with the alignment, i dont think theres much they can do with the rear, but ford may surprise the nation by knowing something we dont.

[nnng_oozie]

well i jus dropped the car in this morning, fingers crossed i hope nothing is too serious, but then again if it is it should all be covered by warranty.

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

well i jus dropped the car in this morning, fingers crossed i hope nothing is too serious, but then again if it is it should all be covered by warranty.

Hi

yeah would be great to know... my Zetec has been pulling left since I picked it up last year and 4 wheels alignments later (2 at Ford, 1 at Beaurepaires, 1 at Matthews) its still doing it.

I complained about it at each service and got the standard reply - 'wheel alignment is ok and engineer says everything is alright'.

Any news / advice would be very handy.

[nnng_oozie]

Have you had your rear alignment checked out? What are your latest values? Fiestas have a solid rear axle meaning it shouldn't really be out of alignment until over a long period of time.

Which is why my fiesta is a mystery, 6 months ago i had the left rear out and now the right rear is out...

[Ives]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

Which is why my fiesta is a mystery, 6 months ago i had the left rear out and now the right rear is out...

Too much watching D1

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

Have you had your rear alignment checked out? What are your latest values? Fiestas have a solid rear axle meaning it shouldn't really be out of alignment until over a long period of time.

Which is why my fiesta is a mystery, 6 months ago i had the left rear out and now the right rear is out...

Thanks - what's the best way to check it out? At a dealership?

[nnng_oozie]

Originally Posted by Als_Zetec

Thanks - what's the best way to check it out? At a dealership?

Go to a tyre centre, if you have recently done a 4-wheel alignment than the data sheet they give should tell you the values (toe, camber, caster, etc) before and after. Do you have it?

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

Go to a tyre centre, if you have recently done a 4-wheel alignment than the data sheet they give should tell you the values (toe, camber, caster, etc) before and after. Do you have it?

Thanks, I'll get an alignment done and check out the values.

Assuming the values are out, what do you suggest from there?

[nnng_oozie]

Well if its only your front thats out then you should have no problems. They'll just re-align it to specs.

But if your rear is out........ then i'm afraid you're in my position now, lol.

When was the last time you did an alignment? Was it for all 4 wheels? What are your values?

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

Well if its only your front thats out then you should have no problems. They'll just re-align it to specs.

But if your rear is out........ then i'm afraid you're in my position now, lol.

When was the last time you did an alignment? Was it for all 4 wheels? What are your values?

Last alignment was a couple of weeks ago - don't recall getting any read outs / values.

Fronts have been re-aligned several times and each time the same result... pulls to the left. Never have been much of a capitalist myself py:

[nnng_oozie]

Well everyone, i just got my car back and here's the news:

There is no visible dammage to the bar/axle/hubs/whatever ie, i don't drive like a jackass.

So they've given the car back to me as they have no idea what to do next. They're gonna speak with a technical team at HQ to see whats the deal, make some calls and figure out what to do to fix my car. At this dealer at least, they have never had a fiesta with this kinda problem.

So yeah there's the news, the first time this happen if some of u remember was around june this year (rear left). Now for the second time in a period of 6 months my rear alignment is out again (rear right).

Peace y'all

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by nnng_oozie

Well everyone, i just got my car back and here's the news:

There is no visible dammage to the bar/axle/hubs/whatever ie, i don't drive like a jackass.

So they've given the car back to me as they have no idea what to do next. They're gonna speak with a technical team at HQ to see whats the deal, make some calls and figure out what to do to fix my car. At this dealer at least, they have never had a fiesta with this kinda problem.

So yeah there's the news, the first time this happen if some of u remember was around june this year (rear left). Now for the second time in a period of 6 months my rear alignment is out again (rear right).

Peace y'all

Cool... sorry that the problem isn't fixed yet. Appreciate all your help and feedback on the issue.

Keep us posted won't you.

c4n

[Piotr]

Wasn't the problem solved last time because they found what needed to be adjusted. If it was solved before it should be able to be solved again.

[EDXR65SPEED]

In Geelong, its impossible to get a good alignment. Our dealer does them and properly. (not just a 'toe-n-go').

Fiesta rear ends are not adjustable.
Any spec you want to show on the print out can be fabriacted.

[photn]

Originally Posted by EDXR65SPEED

In Geelong, its impossible to get a good alignment. Our dealer does them and properly. (not just a 'toe-n-go').

Fiesta rear ends are not adjustable.
Any spec you want to show on the print out can be fabriacted.

lol thats the problem. the fact they arent adjustable, yet he is having an alignment problem. smell sumthing fishy with the back?

[Scareybear]

Other than something being bent, the only thing that can really go wrong is if theres wear/movement in the bushes which should only really noticable after a lot of Kms.

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by Scareybear

Other than something being bent, the only thing that can really go wrong is if theres wear/movement in the bushes which should only really noticable after a lot of Kms.

Fair point - understood and agreed. Take my sit for example - the car has not tracked dead straight since day 1 (Aug 05). Wheels alignments (from Ford and others) and assurances from Ford that the tyres are fine, the alignment is ok etc etc and I'm still correcting right.

Any thoughts?

[nnng_oozie]

Man power ford are really giving me the shits!!!

I gave them a whole week for a call back and they never did. So i had to call them, in which they left me on hold for too long and i hung up. They finally called me later andnow i gotta bring the car in on wednesday.

Thats all i know, got no idea what HQ has said i jus have to bring the car in on wednesday.

What a drag.