Rear Wheel Allignment

[scousegalaxy]

rear wheel allignment is way out causing severe wear to the inside edges of my rear tyres. Bought car second hand in Oct 2010, its a 2002 1.9 zetec.

Have had the car to garage who can't find anything obvious - doesn't appear to have been in accident - they say bearings are ok and possibly car has been "kerbed" so they suggest getting a new rear axle. Second hand axles have no guarantees of being perfect either - just wondered if anyone else had encountered similar problem?? Or any ideas on how to rememdy the problem??

[daddyfixit]

its quite common, other posts on here mention it and my own mk2 tdi also wears the rear tyres same as yours. i have put mine on a 4 wheel aligner several times, every time the back end is in spec, so i just adjust front alignment. it seems to be a galaxy oddity ???

[Mirez]

Nope shouldn't be there and isn't that common - its just bad camber (did they really not mention this???). Alignment won't help with camber issues either as that is a side to side measurement.

 

A crude check if you have a decent vertical spirit level is to park on a level surface and then put it against the rear wheel - it should be level but I would suspect yours will bubble out instead indicating negative camber and suggesting the rear springs and/or shocks need replacing.

[Az2102]

I've had my 04 gal 1.9tdi ghia tracked but been told something is out on the back with no indication as to what. Where do I start?

 

It's already had - amongst other things - front and rear shockers, front drive shafts, front top strut mount bushes and bearings, front arb drop links, lower ball joints, track rod ends, front wishbone bushes.

 

 

 

Help?

[BrianH]

I've had my 04 gal 1.9tdi ghia tracked but been told something is out on the back with no indication as to what. Where do I start?

 

It's already had - amongst other things - front and rear shockers, front drive shafts, front top strut mount bushes and bearings, front arb drop links, lower ball joints, track rod ends, front wishbone bushes.

 

 

 

Help?

What are you trying to fix - tyre wear or bad handling?

 

4 wheel alignment may help, though unless theres a reason the back is out (replacement of parts a possibility, or damage to bits, otherwise they don't tend to move)

[Az2102]

The front shockers had collapsed and the bushes were shot as were the top mounts and 1 track rod end and both drop links. So these were changed, then 4 wheel tracking was done. The car now pulls to the left when driving on the motorway but the steering wheel has to be held at 1 o clock. It is livable around town but I'm married to a Cockney so have to do a 500+ mile round trip at least once a month to the outlaws so it will be very annoying.

 

I took it back to the same garage who tracked it for me who have re checked it and everything is bang on straight when they use the two wheel tracking system but when they put the 4 wheel alignment on, the rears are out by different amounts. I can't remeber the exact figure but I haven't got the back of the car up yet so was wondering where to start before I start slowly slitting my wrists

Edited December 31, 2016 by Az2102

[BrianH]

The front shockers had collapsed and the bushes were shot as were the top mounts and 1 track rod end and both drop links. So these were changed, then 4 wheel tracking was done. The car now pulls to the left when driving on the motorway but the steering wheel has to be held at 1 o clock. It is livable around town but I'm married to a Cockney so have to do a 500+ mile round trip at least once a month to the outlaws so it will be very annoying.

 

I took it back to the same garage who tracked it for me who have re checked it and everything is bang on straight when they use the two wheel tracking system but when they put the 4 wheel alignment on, the rears are out by different amounts. I can't remeber the exact figure but I haven't got the back of the car up yet so was wondering where to start before I start slowly slitting my wrists

That sounds very like the issues i had on the Mondeo after replacing a bent rear wishbone (discovered after buying it). not sure how the galaxy adjusts, on the Mondeo it was a case of new bushes on the rear, and some replacement bolts (the ones on the top of the wishbones have a cam on the top of them to allow adjustment).

 

I fixed it with a mate by making the adjustments able to be moved (by replacing the bolts in my case) and replacing the bushes, then getting it setup on a 4 wheel alignment. Think i had to go with a full set of new tyres at the same time, these were mainly worn out at the time anyway but it improved it dramatically (it would pull to the left when you went over any of the paint on the road prior to this)

[Az2102]

I will have a look at the bushes. Cheers

[BrianH]

Can't see an adjustment on the parts diagram - though you say front mounts were shot, theres two of what looks the same on the rear, any idea what state these are in. Number 3 on the attached.

 

Other thoughts - are the springs correctly located - does the car sit level? (don't think you have had springs done, but they may have been disturbed when shocks were done?) Though would have thought the garage would have noticed something like that anyway.

 

From memory when i did have my Galaxy in at the same place for the alignment the back was fine (surprising in itself given some of the stuff thats been in the back of it) and just the front needed adjustment. I don't recall seeing any adjustment points though from when i've been under it.

 

Also have you had a look at the rear arb bits - numbers 11 and 12 on here (not links in this case, but bushes)

 

Having a further look number 4 bush is listed as eccentric - meaning it must be adjustable as to position, i would guess this is where you can set alignment from.

Edited January 1, 2017 by BrianH

[BrianH]

Additional to above as i now can't edit it - It may be worth looking at the bushes listed on eurocarparts to start with, as if they are listed as available theres a good chance those are the common ones to fail, looking at my reg shows the one labelled as 8 is available, as well as what i'd suspect is the number 4 bush shown (theres 4 of those - i'd suspect the other one is at the other point on that arm where bolt 26 goes through, with the same on the other side.

[sparky Paul]

Yes, the eccentric bushes give you the adjustment by rotating their position when pressed in. Normally you would carefully replace the bushes in the exact same orientation, as the geometry is fixed when the car is assembled.

 

If it is a rear tracking geometry issue, I would examine all of these very carefully. Give the bushes a wetting so you can see the physical condition, and apply some pressure with a crowbar to check for movement, splits, wear, etc.. Otherwise, you may be looking at a bent suspension arm, probably as a result of kerb damage.

 

If you are seeing camber wear on the insides of the tyres, as said previously this is not an uncommon Galaxy issue. It seems to affect certain tyres more than others, and can be as a result of tired rear springs, or simply because of the semi-trailing arm design - just running the car constantly with a heavy load in the rear.

 

If the tread is 'scalloping' on the insides, i.e. wearing the insides but not evenly around the circumference of the tyre, check the condition of the rear shock absorbers by removing the lower bolt and compressing them, they should feel smooth and even throughout their full extent.

 

That said, tired coilsprings or faulty shockers should not affect static geometry measurements. The rather cryptic analysis by the garage doing the tracking would make me think that the rear tracking was out, but more info would have been helpful. It should have been possible for them to tell you which side was out, and at least roughly, by how much.

Edited January 2, 2017 by sparky Paul

[traff]

ive had my galaxy since 2003 ...this is a very common problem ....was advised by my tyre fitter to increase presure .....i now run on 44 psi as opposed to 38 psi recomended......this has solved my tyre wear problems......my tyres now last 2/3 years        hope that helps 

[derekod]

I have just replaced all 4 tyres on mine and the right rear had excessive negative camber tyre wear down to the chords, but they were cheapy tyres on the back for over two years,  I do have a little up and down movement in the number 3 bushings but they shouldn't really cause negartve camber wear.

 

I did not even get a year out of the front, premium tyres, 

But I do have to replace the upper shock mounts.

 

Is bushing 4 just to adjust toe?

[BrianH]

I have just replaced all 4 tyres on mine and the right rear had excessive negative camber tyre wear down to the chords, but they were cheapy tyres on the back for over two years,  I do have a little up and down movement in the number 3 bushings but they shouldn't really cause negartve camber wear.

 

I did not even get a year out of the front, premium tyres, 

But I do have to replace the upper shock mounts.

 

Is bushing 4 just to adjust toe?

 

No idea on the toe setting, On the tyres side of things i've found some makes better than others - Maxxis lasted ages on mine with motorway milage, the current pair of cheaper ones i've got on the front aren't doing anywhere near as well (both shoulders wearing despite correct pressures). Same problem i had with others that were fitted that were incorrect load rating they just didn't last.

 

The toyos currently on the back have been fine, though being on the back they get less wear anyway.