- You are currently viewing DISCO4.COM as a guest - Register to take part or Log In
roastbeef
Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: South West France
Posts: 49
  
|
| 4 years of uneven tyre wear. |
|
I really need some help, I am just about to put on my 5th set of tyres and have covered 98000 KMS since new, thats 20,000 KMS per set ! Each time I change the tyres I have the tracking checked and each time it is out quite a lot, especially the rear left. I doubt that the garage here in France know how to set up the suspension correctly for checking the tracking and our Landrover dealer does not have the equipment to check it so justs takes it to the nearest tyre depot.
How can I put the suspension in fixed mode ? and is there a fix for the tracking to stop it going out of alignment ?
I would be really grateful for some advice 
|
 8th Dec 2009 6:44 pm |
|
|
DN
D3 Decade
Member Since: 24 Jun 2006
Location: W.London.
Posts: 2296
 
|
Welcome to the site BTW.....Have you had any suspension bushes or ball joints replaced yet roastbeef? If not, get those checked out and replaced if necessary,before spending out on alignment. If French dealers do not have the equipment, would a trip to Blighty be out of the question? Might be worth considering, but you need to pick your dealer carefully, even here. 
|
| 8th Dec 2009 7:05 pm |
|
|
outofyorkshire
Member Since: 27 Apr 2009
Location: Emigrated to Notts
Posts: 1021
  
|
I had my D3 aligned in Nottigham by a company using Hunter Hawk Eye equipment. I know the local LR dealer use them too. Details here....http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/alignmentsystems/index.htm
Thy have various dealers across europe ......http://www.hunter.com/pub/internat/countries.cfm.....so maybe a bit of research needed to find somewhere with the right kit to help you  Cheers Ian
___________________________________________
MY13 FL2 HSE lux - just gone
MY10 D4 XS
MY07 D3 SE
Massey Ferguson 400 FIS AGTV - Arctic Cat by any other name...
Citroen C3 Picasso for SWMBO so we can remember what fuel economy is!!
Member of the Narpy torch club
|
| 8th Dec 2009 7:20 pm |
|
|
big fella
Member Since: 08 Mar 2009
Location: north east
Posts: 24
|
I have just encountered the same experience, 20k (miles) and o/s rear tyre run off, n/s rear low to. New tyres fitted and round to my local dealer for steering geometry. After an hour or so I was asked "has your vehicle been involved in an accident, as I have not known a vehicle of its age and miles to be out on all but two of the required measurements". The vehicle to my knowledge had not been involved in an accident or used off road, was purchased as a approved used vehicle some 8 months ago, and I am responsible for 7k miles. I contacted the dealer whom I had purchased it from and they requested that I took it straight to them for investigation. Both dealers have told me that the setting of the steering geometry is quite complex and that it does require specialist equipment. It was also added that on occasion the suspension components require loosening and allowing to settle before further geometry setting which would allow them to fall inside the tolerances. Don't know how much is true but numerous L.R. approved service centres have told me that the measurements require approved L.R. equipment due to the air suspension.
My vehicle is still with the garage from whom I purchased the vehicle (24hrs) and I am awaiting their update, I was lucky enough to get the 'boss man' when I contacted them and funnily enough did not get the normal brush off, however I wait in anticipation for the results.
Hope my experience assists, but I think bottom line you need a visit to the dealers.
Regards
Big fella If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, it's because you're a bad gardener.
learn from the mistakes of others, you may not live long enough to make them all yourself.
|
| 8th Dec 2009 7:26 pm |
|
|
roastbeef
Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: South West France
Posts: 49
|
Thanks for the replies, no I have not had any suspension joints changed or checked, so this may be a good starting point. I do tow a heavy trailer occasionally, so there may well be some wear there.
I suppose if these joints are worn then each time the alignment is set up, it just compensates for the movement in the joints.
Last time I had tracking checked the rear left hand wheel was visibly out, I mean you could actually see that the wheel was leaning in at the top.
Quite happy to change the joints myself, has anyone had any experience of this ?
I am considering buying some wheel alignment kit myself, just so I can spend a bit of time on finding out what really is going on. But I would need to set the suspension up correctly before tackling this.
Trips to blighty are quite expensive so I would like to find a solution here if possible.
Cheers
Phil
|
| 9th Dec 2009 2:15 pm |
|
|
curtypot
Member Since: 20 Nov 2009
Location: DARLINGTON
Posts: 20
 
|
try to find a local truck wheel alignment company wich use josam equipment this is what i use and have done my d3 spot on.
Designed entirely around heavy commercial vehicle applications, the laser measuring equipment Truckaligner uses has been accepted on an industry wide basis, and is used by many European truck manufacturers for quality control. The equipment has two crucially important features setting it apart from other systems.
ELIMINATES WHEEL RIM RUN OUT. The wheel alignment must be referenced to the centre line of the axle stub, NOT the outside of the wheel rim. Errors in the wheel rim and tyre mounting must be compensated for. Many alignment systems originally designed for cars and often used on commercial vehicles do not have this capability.
REFERENCES CENTRELINE OF CHASSIS. Self-centring gauges are mounted from the chassis to enable readings to be taken from the centre line of the vehicle and not, as is the case with many other systems, from the rear axle which is often found to be misaligned to start with.
EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION. Routine maintenance and calibration of the laser wheel alignment equipment is also critical for accurate and reliable measurement.
|
| 9th Dec 2009 10:08 pm |
|
|
DN
D3 Decade
Member Since: 24 Jun 2006
Location: W.London.
Posts: 2296
|
Phil,in case you are not aware, I'll put you in the picture as regards changing suspension bushes if they are worn, this can be a tiresome job, even with the proper LR tooling. Often the bolts are also seized and require cutting to get the whole front or rear wishbone out, and the least painful route usually results in renewing the wishbones complete with bushes already installed, rather than pulling the old bushes out and pressing in new ones in the correct orientation. The front ball joints (if you find play in these) should not pose so many problems though, just thought I'd warn you, that's all, then you can decide if you want the hassle or not. Then of course, you'll need the alignment doing.
|
| 9th Dec 2009 10:38 pm |
|
|
BazLR3
Member Since: 13 Dec 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 178
 
|
Do I risk any damage for taking the LR3 to an alignment shop? Would they be able to tell me whether they can perform the service or not just by looking at it. The place I know regularly handles Porsche Cayannes and what not, so I assume they know what the heck that they are doing?
Cheers.
|
| 14th Dec 2009 6:50 am |
|
|
roastbeef
Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: South West France
Posts: 49
|
OK I think I have fathomed out what is going on. As I mentioned before, I do tow a heavy trailer with a mini-digger, that's 3.5 tonnes all up. The road to my house has a sharp left hand uphill corner, and as I tug the trailer around it puts a great deal of strain on the rear suspension joints and keeps knocking out the tracking.
Question - has anyone changed their joints for polybushes ? are they stronger?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
|
| 14th Dec 2009 1:22 pm |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
DISCO4.COM Copyright © 2004-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
|
|
