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Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:08 pm
by Ducklakeview
Changing the wheels shouldn't affect things as long as the offset is not wildly different.

Mike

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:47 pm
by ben g
kis wrote:
Ducklakeview wrote:
ben g wrote: How do hubcentric wheel spacers affect the wheel alignment?
They increase the length of the suspension, therefore the load. That's why the car sits ever so slightly lower with them on. It's not a lot, but it does change the geometry.

Mike
Does anyone know how they would effect the geometry? More negative camber? Toe?

What about if you changed wheels? 17's to 18's (and vice versa) any changes?

Cheers, Kis.
As far as I'm aware, they don't alter any geometry. Never heard anyone having an alignment after fitting wheel spacers.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 1:18 pm
by STUBOY2UK
The guys who aligned mine said spacers make no difference. I thought it was strange because mathematically it obviously has to make a difference, but maybe just not enough to alter the alignment?!

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 1:21 pm
by Ducklakeview
ben g wrote:
kis wrote:
Ducklakeview wrote:
They increase the length of the suspension, therefore the load. That's why the car sits ever so slightly lower with them on. It's not a lot, but it does change the geometry.

Mike
Does anyone know how they would effect the geometry? More negative camber? Toe?

What about if you changed wheels? 17's to 18's (and vice versa) any changes?

Cheers, Kis.
As far as I'm aware, they don't alter any geometry. Never heard anyone having an alignment after fitting wheel spacers.
Physics says otherwise Ben. You are increasing the effective length of suspension components, so it will have an effect, however marginal.

Mike

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 1:44 pm
by hopz121
Don't take this the wrong way but if he didn't know how to change the front camber knowing there was a camber pin installed then it seems he doesn't really know 100% what he is doing!

Also settings are down to personal preference when I had my Z4 I found factory settings to be twitchy on straight roads and the car didn't fill me with confidence on fast corners either it also used to kill the inside of the rear tyres pretty quickly, I went for something close to M settings in the end and found it transformed the car.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 1:52 pm
by Steve84N
Spacers shouldn't affect camber or toe. They do affect how the suspension works as the wheel is working off a longer arc with more leverage and make the car fractionally lower as the wheels are pointing upwards with negative camber.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 4:16 pm
by Ducklakeview
Funnily enough, just had the manager on the phone. Aparently after I left, the mechanic who did it raised a support ticket with hunter regarding the "incorrect" front camber adjustment instructions on the system. (I did see the screen where it said to loosen the strut top mount nuts to adjust) They have come back to him today telling him about the camber pins, so it looks like the error was hunter's..

Going back in Thursday for tweaking.

Mike

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:24 pm
by kis
Thanks for the updates and comments.
STUBOY2UK wrote:The guys who aligned mine said spacers make no difference. I thought it was strange because mathematically it obviously has to make a difference, but maybe just not enough to alter the alignment?!
I was along the same lines that if you're changing something: wheels, spacers, then it would effect the geometry. I just didn't know to what extent. Now I know it's negligible.

That sorts that out. hopz121 you said you used M settings? What exactly are they? (or anyone else for that matter) Thanks! :)

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:29 pm
by Steve84N
Camber pins are common knowledge in the enthusiast community so you'd think a professional would know. Trouble is they are literally following a machine and don't have the capacity to advise like the chap I use does. All he does is alignments and will ask for your input / feedback to decide how to set the car up.

M settings are what the M cars are set to. Should be on the computer but basically it's a lot less rear camber and less toe in I think.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:41 pm
by kis
Cheers Steve84N. Just trying to get everything I need together for when I go get it re-aligned (so I can check it's being done properly). Had it done a few months back but under the standard set up. :headbang:
Just need to source a place slightly more local then Bristol! Anyone recommend somewhere near Gatwick? :)

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:57 pm
by JINGLE
I'm currently ordering some new rear trailing arm bushes and possibly a few other bits, I'm going to get a hunter alignment done as I'm sure after all the work my car has had done and changed it will be miles out.

Would I be better off going for Z4M settings?
I have a 2008 2.0 with M Sports suspension from factory but has since been replaced with Bilstein B4 and H&R lowering springs so sits a lot lower than factory height?

Thanks

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 4:24 pm
by hopz121
kis wrote:Cheers Steve84N. Just trying to get everything I need together for when I go get it re-aligned (so I can check it's being done properly). Had it done a few months back but under the standard set up. :headbang:
Just need to source a place slightly more local then Bristol! Anyone recommend somewhere near Gatwick? :)
Hounslow Tyres are good a bit of a trek from Gatwick but I go there from Guildford. Excellent value for money too.

Lee at FCM in Bristol is the dogs though I used him on my Z4 and it drove fantastic once we tweeked the settings.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:53 pm
by Rich8
kis wrote:Cheers Steve84N. Just trying to get everything I need together for when I go get it re-aligned (so I can check it's being done properly). Had it done a few months back but under the standard set up. :headbang:
Just need to source a place slightly more local then Bristol! Anyone recommend somewhere near Gatwick? :)
I've heard others on here say station view garage in Dorking have a hunter machine, and more importantly know how to use it.
Can't give u a personal recommendation as not used them, but plan to get my alignment done there soon.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:08 pm
by Steve84N
I use Lee at FCM as well. I've been more times than I care to remember in the last few months what with 2 cars, trying out settings and changing suspension parts.

Hunter alignment time...

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 9:39 pm
by kis
Rich8 wrote: I've heard others on here say station view garage in Dorking have a hunter machine, and more importantly know how to use it.
Can't give u a personal recommendation as not used them, but plan to get my alignment done there soon.
Thanks Rich8 let me know how you get on? Not too far from me, and would be worth the trip if they know what they're doing.