I had my car re-alligned today 'cos my steering wheel was a tad off-center. The steering wheel is now fine but it rurns out that they cannot allign my rear-wheels properly anymore?! Any idea why that would be the case? They were asking if I hit anything but not to my knowledge ... I don't even recall any major potholes. Anyway, I had the car alligned about 7 weeks ago and this is what the specs were reading this time (at the same place, same person) ... left,right with the 'set to' figures are in braket:
- Front camber = -0.81, -1.57 (-1,-1)
- Front caster = 6.58, 6.24 (6.27,6,32)
- Front toe = .8mm, 1.6mm (-0.2,-0.1)
- Rear camber = 0.13, -1.92 (-1.55, -1.54)
- Rear toe = -6mm, 3.2mm (2.9, 3.2)

So it does 'look' like it got a major whack from the left hand side. Still, the front returned to specs easily but the back seems to be stuffed and this is my current allignment:
- Front camber = -.1.14, -1.15 (-1.0)
- Front caster = 6.48, 6.36 (6.45)
- Front toe = 0.2mm, -0.1mm (0,0)
- Rear camber = 0.11, -1.49 (-1.5,-1.5)
- Rear toe = 2.0mm, 2.1mm (3,3)

As you can see, my rear-left can't get any negative camber anymore and this in turn means that I can't get anymore toe-in there. If anything, I have slightly positive camber on the rear-left now. Any idea why/how this could be the case and how to go about fixing something like this?

ps. I had the wheel-bearings as well as the driveshart rubber-boot replaced in my rear-left 2 weeks ago. Could have they stuffed up something?

 

You would remember if you wacked anything hard enough to damage the left rear!!!

The only thing that has changed is the wheel bearings/boot etc - so I would be getting all that very carefully checked. (correct parts, correct fitment etc - by the way, who did the work on the wheel bearings for you??)

Mark

 

You're certainly not having any problem with "alignment" of those "l"s David, they're definitely parallel but if it is your wheels you're worried about I'd definitely say it was due to the work on the axles.

 

Sometimes it can take a lot of force to remove old wheel bearings. Often they use a pneumatic press and a lot of banging with large hammers. If not done with care it would be easy to bend something. I'd take the car to someone else to check the numbers and if they're right start looking for broken bits.

 

All the work (but the alignment) was done by Honda service department. Looks like I'll have to take it back and see what they can do. Any idea what it would take to fix something like that?

 

If you've got bent suspension bits they'd have to be replaced. It's pretty speculative though. Maybe see what Honda has to say? Let us know how you go.