After a spring change (new Springs) you need to consider doing the alignment
twice. Once to get things fairly straight and then another after the springs
settle. The Vanagon front suspension ahs angles that are directly influenced
by ride height including the toe angle. I don't know the labor rate but
somehow that price seems awful low. Somehow the equipment needs to paid for
and an alignment can't be done in a 1/2 hour or less. Especially if also
adjusting the rear. Since you changed the springs did you address the radius
rod mounts and lower control arm mounts?  You don't know how worn or mi
shaped these become until you replace them.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Vern in Bend
Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 11:12 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: NAPA usually has it...

Don, I was at the Bend Tire Factory store today getting some new Nokians,
and I asked if they could align a Vanagon. The manager laughed and said,
"Yeah, we've done a lot of them, it seems that Vanagon guys really like to
change their springs." So I had to confess, "I changed my springs."

Anyway, they quoted me $38. for a front alignment, which is much lower than
I expected and seems like not only a fairly cheap investment considering the
cost of the tires, but also too low to consider messing with it myself.

Regards, Vern

> so the RAO 8s are wearing the inside shoulders, more on the left
> wheel.  I decided to dismount the front tires and swap them around to
> use up the remaining tread, and to address the poor alignment while I
> had the wheels off.......needs some camber adjustment, at least.
>
>

>   Anybody have any sage advice on reducing the negative camber my front
> obviously has?   Any gotchas I might encounter or hidden complexities that
> won't be readily apparent or outlined in the Bently book?    I don't have
> an alignment rack or lasers but I can usually do most vehicles
> acceptably well without that fancy stuff...
>