Tracking and Alignment

[ethanfitz]

Hi everybody,

Does any one have the correct tracking and alignment information for the Racing Puma?

I want to get mine sorted as it used to be on bigger than standard wheels, but if i take it to a garage i don't want them to set it up as a standard puma as (correct me if i am wrong) i believe that is not right?

anyone able to give me some info to show the garages?

thank in advance

[speedline]

Total 2 MM toe IN (1mm each side)

[El dude]

Find a place that has the 'Hunter Alignment' rig...it's VERY accurate (in the right hands lol)...

you need to set it to around 10 minutes of a degree toe in each side (the controller won't have a clue what to do with mm measurement) on the front...

the rear..more like 13minutes each side.... if it's uneven, you'll need to move the beam over or use stainless shim tape inbetween the beam and spacer to correct the setting... make sure the rear is right as they'll adjust the front up with the back...

Getting it wrong TOTALLY spoils the car!.. don't let anyone tell you it drives great with positive toe..lol it doesn't ...it's shit

if you find the Hunter equipment, it has a setting already loaded on there for the Racing variant of puma..

[ethanfitz]

Thanks for the replies chaps

I will get on the hunt to find one of those hunter alignment rigs then ... (hopefully near me in suffolk ha)

I plan to pay you a visit at some point next year Mr EL Dude, to give 062 a brake spruce up if possible

But that the future... for now.. on with the hunt.

thanks again

[ethanfitz]

I found out while looking for the hunter alignment systems that 500 kwikfit branches were having them installed... but the one local to me didnt have theirs in yet...

Well now i need my alignment doing again (once i get some new tyres) and the question is do i trust Kwikfit to do it right? Now i haven't used them before but i know some people have problems with them, plus they have only had the Hunter system in for 1yr, but surely they would have had training on it.... And if they have the racing puma values already on there (which i will check with them first) surely it should be ok and more accurate than a normal alingmet service? or should i stick with my local garage that i trust more but will only do the standard alignment service...

has anybody had their alignment done in a kwickfit using the hunter system?

[speedline]

I haven't but equally I was not aware that they have the Hunter systems. Would I use them, I think that would be down to whether my local branch had OK staff or whether I read bad reviews.
Also there is Puma and then there is Racing Puma, first test question would be do they have Racing Puma.. and check them by asking could they confirm the toe settings...

[ethanfitz]

good idea about confirming the toe settings... will check for some reviews on the branch and give them a ring...

[ethanfitz]

Right rang them up... They do have the FRP on the system ... The guy went over and looked as he had no idea what I was on about until he found it.... I asked about the toe settings and he sad something about 10mins a side and it equals something like 0.025 a side almost nothing/flat .... Does this sound correct ? I really should have written it down right after haha

[El dude]

He's just guessing there...

10 mins of a degree toe in each side will roughly give you the 1mm toes each side setting..

The tricky bit is getting the back right if the beam is out of alignment...ideally the rear needs to have equally matched settings within a few minutes

Chris

[El dude]

If they've found the FRP setting on the equipment, you shouldn't go too far wrong...

If they have bought the equipment you would hope one or two of the operators have also had the Hunter training..

[ethanfitz]

Thanks for that Chris, think i will give it a go next week once i have ordered some new tyres will update on if it all goes smoothly...

[lisafrp]

http://www.adamsandpage.co.uk/ have a Hunter kit (they sponsor one of our race series)

[ethanfitz]

Unfortunately that one is 2hrs away from me if any one knows/has used anyone with a Hunter kit near thetford (IP24) then i would love to know before i go Kwikfit...

[Paul0008]

Have a look on this site.
http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/
There's a search for Hunter 'users'.
Paul

[ethanfitz]

Yep don't that before... i dont think it shows them all anymore as around me (thetford) there is none for 50 miles apparently!

I have found out recently that a place called gladwings in Thetford have had a hunter system in for 10 years! so i will be giving them a ring today to make sure they have the settings... if they do happy days i will go there if not i will keep looking or take a chance on kwikfit... my pan is to get it done Friday or saturday...
Gladwings is apparently now part of the national repair group so i am hoping they still have time for "normal" business haha

[speedline]

Did you get it done, any update please?

[ethanfitz]

I do have an update Yes!

Got some new tyres (from camskill) and got them fitted at my local garage... they have done a normal alignment before (where i gave them the info on this thread) so i got them to do that again while i searched for another place with the hunter set up...

a week or so after having new tyres (used as daily at the moment) i still couldn't find a near (ish) place with the hunter set up, (Gladwings didnt have the Racing Puma on their rig ) so i decided to bite the bullet and ask Kwikfit to check it....

They do a free check, so i asked for that to start, making sure i mentioned to the guy "Racing Puma or racing variant of puma" several times... Well it was out despite only having it done at my local place a week before...

thankfully only the fronts were out so i asked them to set it to what the machine says (£45 for the fronts!!!)

The result..... Defiantly feels more planted at pretty much any speed and, it might just be me but if feels like the body rolls less when cornering... defiantly an improvement and more fun to push! .... Before i got Kwikfit to set it to the hunter setting i was thinking i had made a bad tyre choice... now i dont at all, feels great!!!

I will say i wasn't to keen on the guy at the front desk, but that my have been a judgement partly encouraged by what people say about Kwikfit online in general... despite the guy stalling the car and missing the ramp (misjudged the turn circle) it was all ok from them... big windows to keep an eye on them while they work to....

Conclusion:
I wont be getting a standard alignment done again and i will always look for the hunter system from now on... Also I wouldn't mind going back to kwikfit to get my alignment done there again in the future... they offer a months warranty on it too so will get it checked again in a few weeks... if its out its a free adjustment!

Here is the print out of the Alignment:

[speedline]

Reads like a good experience.
I can't comment on the success of your print out but thank you for sharing.

[El dude]

no wonder it feels better...

you had positive toe on one side and neg on the other...

Awesome!