Who are some of the experts in Syncro alignment in the west?
I'm in SLC, UT but can travel west.
p-mail if you'd like :o)
Thanks,
John C...

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 7:45 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

> Interesting thread.
>  You can do a better alignment job on your own than the average alignment
> shop usually does, but you have to learn how.  Any tool is only as good as
> the craftsman who uses it.  Most shops have thousands and thousands of
> dollars invested in their racks and optics and computers, etc etc.  But if
> the  $12/hr tech who is using all that expensive equipment makes one little
> mistake or lets one thing 'slide' during the procedure, the results will
> suck....And they often do just that.
>    I had to prove to my local alignment shop tech that he was full of s**t
> when he insisted that aligning my Porsche 928 according to the procedure in
> the factory manual was not necessary.  He aligned it HIS way, using all the
> specs from the alignment shop computer and gave me a pretty little piece of
> paper with the alignment specs  the machine 'read' all  printed out...all
> 'pro looking' and he said "See, it's perfect!"  I knew different because he
> had lifted the car and then neglected to 'settle the suspension', as the
> factory manual dictates, before he did the alignment. Plus a few other
> short-cuts that are specifically 'verbooten' by the German engineers who
> wrote the factory manual on how to align the vehicle.  So, I said "Fine,
> Newt, but I bet you a case of imports that if I go drive around the block
> and we put it back on the rack and check against this fancy sheet, it'll be
> waay off..."  He took the bet and lost, big time!  I'd have had corded
> front
> tires in about 500 miles if I'd driven that car like he aligned it the
> first
> time.  He learned something and I won a case of Heinies..
>  Don Hanson
>
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Thanks very much for the help people.
> >
> > The explanations were really helpful. I now, at least, understand toe
> > in much better. And I'm better armed to ask the right questions.
> >
> > FWIW, adjusting caster on passenger side, pulling rod toward front (2
> > turns,  +/- 1/2 turn or nut to "original" position) made no
> > difference.
> >
> > Hopefully a "Vanagon" shop close by, is open tomorrow.
> >
> > I'm sure I could learn to make these adjustments "shade tree" correct,
> > but right now, I just want it done. Right. (especially considering
> > repair to radius arm hole) Besides, to get my Westy on level surface
> > in my carport really limits the work space. Not my cup-o-tea!
> >
> > Neil.
> >
> > --
> > Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
> >
> > http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
> >
> >
> >
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
> >
>

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