ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Geometry set up in the North..



photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
Hi all, I've just had a fair bit of suspension refresh work carried out on my 182 Trophy, however, I'm finding the way it's been set up on the front end really not to my taste, I'd go as far to say I preferred it before the work. I think it's a geometry issue, mainly the front toe setting, which to me feels like it's been set to toe in, which from previous experience I really dislike. I expected the specialist who did the work to set it up at least parallel, but it feels off to me, it also irks me greatly that the steering wheel is now also off by a few degrees on the straight ahead. A good few years ago I used to have a 182 Cup which I had set up with a smudge of toe-out on the front which I liked the feel of.

I think I need to get the Trophy re-checked over / set up and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? I'm based in Yorkshire, but am also happy to travel to the NW or even Mids of the right place/folk to get it right..
 

Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
Had this on a few of my road cars. Back and forth to tyre places like Kwik-fit, Tyre-Spot, ATS-Euromaster et al. Same as you, never felt quite right and the steering wheel slightly out of line. Same old excuses.

In the end a friend said have you taken it to a body repair centre. The thought never crossed my mind but thinking about it, they're doing alignment everyday. So I took it to a place near York (JCT i think) and it came out perfect. Steering wheel straight as a die and was a different car.

I've come to the conclusion that tyre centres don't do enough alignment jobs to justify paying somebody to actually know what they're doing.

Rob Boston Racing did my trackcar - he's in Lincoln and Track Torque Racing in York.
 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t
ClioSport Club Member
Where abouts in Yorkshire are you? Chong at ATEC-ALIGN is the best I've found. He is based in Huddersfield. About £60 for camber and toe adjustment last time I went which is pretty reasonable.

If you dont have camber bolts I'd buy some before going and get him to install them.
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
I went back in March time, they were really busy on the MX5 side but still doing Geo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had a look at their website and it said they weren't currently taking on any other public work. Thanks for the recommendation in any case.
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
Where abouts in Yorkshire are you? Chong at ATEC-ALIGN is the best I've found. He is based in Huddersfield. About £60 for camber and toe adjustment last time I went which is pretty reasonable.

If you dont have camber bolts I'd buy some before going and get him to install them.
I'm about 40mins from Huddersfield so this could be good. I checked out the website, and it appears they literally just do alignment works which I took to be a good sign. Now I just need to decide whether to keep to a completely standard set up or put in some extra camber & toe out which is what I'm tempted to do. It would be great to at least get the steering wheel running straight at the very least! 👍
 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t
ClioSport Club Member
I'm about 40mins from Huddersfield so this could be good. I checked out the website, and it appears they literally just do alignment works which I took to be a good sign. Now I just need to decide whether to keep to a completely standard set up or put in some extra camber & toe out which is what I'm tempted to do. It would be great to at least get the steering wheel running straight at the very least! 👍
Chong is fantastic and will sort you out with anything you need. Just give him a call and talk about your requirements! Worth the drive at only 40mins.

Hes the only guy I've been to who managed to get the wheel perfectly straight. Even allows you to check it before its final.
l
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
Had this on a few of my road cars. Back and forth to tyre places like Kwik-fit, Tyre-Spot, ATS-Euromaster et al. Same as you, never felt quite right and the steering wheel slightly out of line. Same old excuses.

In the end a friend said have you taken it to a body repair centre. The thought never crossed my mind but thinking about it, they're doing alignment everyday. So I took it to a place near York (JCT i think) and it came out perfect. Steering wheel straight as a die and was a different car.

I've come to the conclusion that tyre centres don't do enough alignment jobs to justify paying somebody to actually know what they're doing.

Rob Boston Racing did my trackcar - he's in Lincoln and Track Torque Racing in York.
Thanks for the reply Jon. I know what you're saying about those sorts of places and was thus avoiding going to one and looking for a more specialist service. In fact I'm a bit miffed that the Renault specialist who did the suspension work set it up with the wheel off centre, it grates on me every time I get in the car now, which is spoiling it a bit for me, I'm also surprised said specialist didn't pick up on it himself, seems an odd oversight. And it's obviously not right from the way it's gone nervous on the front end. I just hope that with a couple of simple tweaks it can be back to the more planted feel the front used to have and with a straight wheel at least!
 

Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
Thanks for the reply Jon. I know what you're saying about those sorts of places and was thus avoiding going to one and looking for a more specialist service. In fact I'm a bit miffed that the Renault specialist who did the suspension work set it up with the wheel off centre, it grates on me every time I get in the car now, which is spoiling it a bit for me, I'm also surprised said specialist didn't pick up on it himself, seems an odd oversight. And it's obviously not right from the way it's gone nervous on the front end. I just hope that with a couple of simple tweaks it can be back to the more planted feel the front used to have and with a straight wheel at least!
I think specialist is an over used term these days. As i said try some body repair centres. Our bodyshop has a guy who's been there 20 years and all he does all day is make them go in a straight line. There was a guy called Craig who did mine at Track Torque racing in York, not sure if he's still there but his work was second to none. He ran a beetle in the fun cup endurance championship. Smart guy, total petrol head and passionate about his work. You just need to find one of those people and you're sorted.
 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t
ClioSport Club Member
I think specialist is an over used term these days. As i said try some body repair centres. Our bodyshop has a guy who's been there 20 years and all he does all day is make them go in a straight line. There was a guy called Craig who did mine at Track Torque racing in York, not sure if he's still there but his work was second to none. He ran a beetle in the fun cup endurance championship. Smart guy, total petrol head and passionate about his work. You just need to find one of those people and you're sorted.
Heard good things about track torque in tockwith but you need deep pockets
 

Short Norman

ClioSport Club Member
  997 C4S
I've used centre gravity for my 911, but they are a fair bit further south (near Coventry) however they are highly recommended.
 

Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
Heard good things about track torque in tockwith but you need deep pockets
I paid £175 for full suspension set up including corner balancing. He also picked up on a few other things which i'd overloooked and fixed for free. Ran the car for two seasons (around 12 trackdays) and it was gold. Took it to Rob Boston Racing enroute the Cadwell and he charged me £250 for essentially the same set up and he said whoever set the car up knew what they were doing. Thought it was really good value tbh.

For my road car, which went to three different tyre centres before JCT sorted it, i think i paid more than that in total and the job still never got done properly.
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
I've used centre gravity for my 911, but they are a fair bit further south (near Coventry) however they are highly recommended.
I've also heard good things about Centre Gravity but sadly think it's just too far for me to travel.
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
I paid £175 for full suspension set up including corner balancing. He also picked up on a few other things which i'd overloooked and fixed for free. Ran the car for two seasons (around 12 trackdays) and it was gold. Took it to Rob Boston Racing enroute the Cadwell and he charged me £250 for essentially the same set up and he said whoever set the car up knew what they were doing. Thought it was really good value tbh.

For my road car, which went to three different tyre centres before JCT sorted it, i think i paid more than that in total and the job still never got done properly.
Had a look at the Track Torque website and it looks an impressive set-up they have there, it's just over an hour away, so not too bad distance-wise from me too, and it looks like there'd potentially be a route home on some decent driving roads too.
 
You don't need a specialist to set toe, just use the below link and get it booked in with the nearest garage. From memory the MK2 comes with a smidge of toe out from factory -0.06' rings a bell, so even Kwik-fit can do this for you. If you want a custom setting find a garage from the link below willing to do this for you, most places will accommodate a bit more of an aggressive set-up. I used to have my old 182 toeing out - 0.18' each side but wouldn't recommend this for a road car.

Align My Car | Specialist Hunter Wheel Alignment Centres
 
  Clio 182 full fat
Hi all, I've just had a fair bit of suspension refresh work carried out on my 182 Trophy, however, I'm finding the way it's been set up on the front end really not to my taste, I'd go as far to say I preferred it before the work. I think it's a geometry issue, mainly the front toe setting, which to me feels like it's been set to toe in, which from previous experience I really dislike. I expected the specialist who did the work to set it up at least parallel, but it feels off to me, it also irks me greatly that the steering wheel is now also off by a few degrees on the straight ahead. A good few years ago I used to have a 182 Cup which I had set up with a smudge of toe-out on the front which I liked the feel of.

I think I need to get the Trophy re-checked over / set up and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? I'm based in Yorkshire, but am also happy to travel to the NW or even Mids of the right place/folk to get it right..
Silverline wheels in warwick they have a state of the art lazer alignment and can ajust yours to the spec you want and I think it's about £35 they are on Nelson lane they do all the set ups for Silverstone .
 

photo_ed

ClioSport Club Member
  200 Cup, 182 Trophy
Where abouts in Yorkshire are you? Chong at ATEC-ALIGN is the best I've found. He is based in Huddersfield. About £60 for camber and toe adjustment last time I went which is pretty reasonable.

If you dont have camber bolts I'd buy some before going and get him to install them.
Just wanted to say cheers for this recommendation, went to see Chong today. Great guy and he got the issues sorted. Brilliant!
 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t
ClioSport Club Member
Just wanted to say cheers for this recommendation, went to see Chong today. Great guy and he got the issues sorted. Brilliant!
200.gif
 


Top