Given all the talk of feathering etc that we've seen I've been meaning to have my wheel alignment checked since I got the car. I finally went and had it done this morning and some of the settings were far from optimal.

All were within spec but at the extreme (usually wrong) end of the scale. There was also significant difference between the right and left sides. The rear wasn't too bad, most of the problems were at the front. Of particular interest was that there was basically 0 total toe at the front. Some may recall when I posted my initial impressions after picking the car up that there was a significant delay in turn in response, well that's almost gone. The car feels far more like I would expect now.

I've only got 4300km on it so far but I would suggest anyone who hasn't done so yet go get a wheel alignment asap.

 

Hi apsilon,

I was thinking of getting an alignment done. Do you sugguest any settings I should ask for?

Cheers
Bev

 

Hi Bev, good to see you're still here

At this stage I'm just using the Nissan optimal specs. As I become more familiar with the car I may start playing with it a bit more.

The only thing I did do slightly differently is a bit more negative camber at the front, -0deg 50' rather than the -0deg 35' Nissan nominal. Other than that went for the best value with the least difference left to right.

 

I assume that you got the optimal settings from your car manual?

This has been a large problem in the USA; hope it doesn't happen with the Oz versions

 

who did you do it with?

Can you post your 4 wheel before and after. Was the rear tyres out of alignment?

I've been thinking about this myself as the car seems to understeer more than i want. It could just be some incorrect toe.

 

nsw350z, settings are from the manual.

BTW it was way too early for me when I posted earlier. My rear toe was also way out. Basically I had what should have been the total toe setting on each side.

The car still understeers, that's just the way it's meant to be from the factory. Sways fix it from all reports.

Before After
Rear

Camber L -2d 32' -2d 12'
R -2d 01' -2d 14'

Total Toe 5.5mm 2.3mm

Front

Castor L 8d 26' 8d 26'
R 7d 47' 7d 47'

Camber L -0d 55' -0d 53'
R -0d 49' -0d 52'

KPI L 4d 52' -4d 52'
R 4d 53' -4d 53'

Total Toe 0.2mm 1.6mm

I wasn't going to say anything until I'd had a chance to test but the rear specs are a little different than the Nissan spec but that's deliberate.

Some people in Oz have already reported the feathering problem but so far I've been OK.

I had it done at Granville Pedders who I've used for years for quick alignements as they're nearby and know what they're doing. Heasmans is also very good but a lot further away for me.

 

aps,

Where about did you find those nissan optimal wheel alignment figures in the manual? I couldn't be able to find them in mine though! because I really want to do the wheel alignment as I can tell that my left rear wheel camber (negative) more than my right rear wheel... and I think my tyres start to get a bit of feathering effect.... (uneven wear)... or do you think I shall go back to nissan as they know what to do..

cheers and thanks for the help in advance!

richie

 

Workshop manual, not the owners manual.

You could go back to Nissan but as I understand it wheel alignment is something they check as part of pre delivery. So either they got it wrong or they simply didn't do it. Either option is equally possible IMO so do you trust them to do it again?.

 

Heasmans all the way. Never had problems.