Tracking Adjustment

[robbytdi]

Hi,

Had four new tyres fitted to my Passat Tdi 130 last week and asked for four wheel alignment to be done.

The tyre fitting guys could not unsieze one of the track rod adjusters so couldn't make any adjustements. They gave it some shots of penetrating oil and told me to come back during the week.

Just picked up the car and they were still not able to do it and have advised me to go to a mechanic to get it sorted. They were unhappy about using excessive force to free the adjusters which I sort of understand.

Is there anything special about the Passat track rods/ends?

Anyone had any similar experience?

Any recommended solutions?

Any help/advice appreciated.

Thanks

Rob

[jp_paul]

There's only one way of freeing a seized track rod off and thats the application of heat.

I've had the same problems on my audis in the past. Once, i had to take the whole bar off by splitting the track rod end and the joint with the steering rack and get the whole thing in a vice. I dont have a burner so i always use a little butane camping stove for 10 mins and viola, problem solved. I also dont pay for tracking at a garage. I use sticks of wood attached to the both wheels using bungee cords and measure the distance at the front of the wheel and back and the difference between them is a good guide to the track angle. You can also look down the stick to see where it meets the rear wheel and match both sides although this is easier when you know that one side is adjusted correctly, as you do if they've adjusted one side successfully.

Where theres a will, theres always a way.

Jp

[robbytdi]

Thanks for the advice

Regards

Robby

[Sam]

A call to your local VW dealership should give you an idea of the cost of a true Passat alignment - I paid just under £100 all in after I lowered my Passat. I've been told it's a £30k bit of kit they use and generic tyre fitters don't usually have the equipment to do it properly.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

A call to your local VW dealership should give you an idea of the cost of a true Passat alignment - I paid just under £100 all in after I lowered my Passat. I've been told it's a £30k bit of kit they use and generic tyre fitters don't usually have the equipment to do it properly.

Don't forget, many of the muppets at the generic tyre fitters simply cannot understand, and don't actually know how to correctly adjust, the multi-link variable geometry front suspension found on Passats, A4s, A6s etc. This is also very true for a certain bunch of c**nt$ at an Audi main ******* in Huntingdonshire!!!

Rgds