Gransport Alignment Alternatives

Evo Cymru

Member
Messages
688
Afternoon all,

I am due to have the alignment checked on my 2006 GranSport next week I have been looking for the alignment for tracking but I do recall reading though that there were slightly different settings used by some specialists which reduced tire wear and gave a better handling feel? McGraths I think were one? Any advice anyone before I phone them on Monday?

Thanks in advance,

Olly
 
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Evo Cymru

Member
Messages
688
Cheers - will try them tomorrow. Incidentally, I can't seem to find any 'official' figures much anywhere - just a few versions with different figures?
 

TimR

Member
Messages
2,656
Ive come across threads on this forum that have spoken to some degree about alignment, and numbers...
I went armed with a set-up, gleaned from said discussion, when I had the car sorted at McGs. They are aware that the official numbers are designed to get you round a race track quickly (for a lummock) and will offer a more tyre/wallet friendly set-up...Should you so wish.
No complaints here. My fronts were bad on the inside edges before I had the car... >2K miles later they still only scored worthy of comment at MOT. ;)
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,546
At the end of the day all alignment is a compromise. The factory choses one. You may actually want something different. The GT is classic in this regard. For whatever reason the factory added toe out to make it turn in faster (which might well read better in reviews), but that wears the inner edges of the fronts. I like mine dead ahead. YMMV

C
 

Evo Cymru

Member
Messages
688
Cheers for the advice - will check with McGrath today and see if they will share their secrets!
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Take it to Emblem in Poole, they have a special developed GS/4200 setup that they developed which is much better than stock. It also does not wear the inner edges of the front tyres.

Its about £200 to have it done as you will need specialist shims to set it up.
 
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1,117
A geometry specialist can set your car up balancing the style of driving, the type of roads you drive on most often and the amount of tyre wear you are prepared to accept. I had the Turbo geometry set up in 2015 by these guys (they do only chassis and geometry work) and the cars handling to this day is absolutely sure-footed and superb with great turn-in and they have wound out the potential for over-steer (the back end comes round to the front) on fast high speed A and B roads driving:
http://www.centregravity.co.uk/

and here's what peope say about them:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=48&t=1178723

Chris and Pete are very thorough. Whilst they do a lot of Porsche they also do a lot of other marques - I have seen Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Lotus and other marques.
Highly recommended. They explain everything very well - the appliance of physics, the role of camber, toe, castor etc. The car will undergo a thorough examination of brakes, suspension and steering - its pointless doing alignment if you have play or out-of-tolerance wear in any component in the drive-train and these systems. I was there for 10hrs tweaking the "after" setting until it was just right - each tweak tested with me and Chris test driving the car and swapping half way on the drive - until I was happy. Now I have a Turbo which is not just a point-and-shoot missile in a straight line but sure-footed like on the proverbial rails around corners. Tyre wear is very good (as in minimal versus the handling characteristics). My car is NOT set up for the track - that eats tyres so has the shortest tyre life - and I don't track the car anyway.
 
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jamesc69

Junior Member
Messages
495
For any North West members, The Wheel Alignment and Ball Joint Centre, Bootle, Liverpool https://www.facebook.com/4wheelalignmentcentre
Well respected by the Liverpool Cars and Coffee crowd and NW Supercar drivers.
£35 or £75 depending on adjustment needed. (Won't include shims for 4200 or GS though). They transformd my GTS's handling.
 

Vampyrebat

Member
Messages
3,117
Thanks for that James...........Quite local for me! Still haven't managed to get myself to a Cars & Coffee yet!
 

jemgee

Member
Messages
379
For any North West members, The Wheel Alignment and Ball Joint Centre, Bootle, Liverpool https://www.facebook.com/4wheelalignmentcentre
Well respected by the Liverpool Cars and Coffee crowd and NW Supercar drivers.
£35 or £75 depending on adjustment needed. (Won't include shims for 4200 or GS though). They transformd my GTS's handling.
I have my QPV booked in to replace track rod ends and then full alignment. Any tips re settings for normal road use would be appreciated.
 

whereskeith

Member
Messages
821
This is the readings for the alignment before I had it adjusted. They said it was not good , can anyone actually read this and confirm? Prob would be helpful if you can understand Spanish
 

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Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
I’ll be honest, it doesn’t look like they have changed much. The front and rear toe has been adjusted and this has had a slight effect on the camber which is still higher than the recommended settings. But this is based on the assumptions as google translate has been defeated by Spanish terminology. Angle of the syrup :p
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
I would say they have made adjustments to the adjustable components but have not used shims to set this up properly.

Without the shims there is little you can do.
 
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jemgee

Member
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379
I have my QPV booked in to replace track rod ends and then full alignment. Any tips re settings for normal road use would be appreciated.

1 hour labour to replace track rod ends £45 and full 4 wheel alignment £65 plus VAT. Brilliant result ! Total recommendation
 

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
Am definitely interested in getting this done. Emblem would be ideal but wrong end of the country for me.
Any of the Northern ones mentioned here actually use the special shims? If not how do they do the job properly?
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
If you call or email Emblem they will give you the figures/settings, so at least you’ll have a good starting point.