Right then - another saga continues. After the new HICAS bush / arm, off we go to get the alignment checked and set. Printout says left front is out on camber, caster and SAI(KPI). Right front is only out on Caster which they say is not important until after Camber is solved.

 

I ran them through the solutions suggested here: adjustment plates, new springs, etc. They said that because the readings are asymmetric - i.e. different left / right - it looks more like the front strut is bent and should replace.

 

Readings are here http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/ubbforum/Forum6/HTML/000871.html

 

Any suggestions?

TIA - Gio

 

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Gio, is there any other sign (bodywork wise) that the front left corner has had a repair done on it? Tyre wear is difficult as 300s wear tyres anyway, but uneven wear left to right tyres? The camber plates solution worked for my problem but not sure that fixing a camber problem with the plates with a caster issue hanging in the background is a good long term solution, you may have to replace the leg afterwards anyway to resolve that fully. 2p worth IMHO.

Gio - there is a slight possibility that the suspension lower cross brace is not mounted corectly This could cause the problems you mention....

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

Thanks, JN, Thanks Andy,

 

swopped some e-mails with Mike Feeney and he "casts doubt"

 

Further, today had a good checkover by Jeff TT after discussing all forum and MJP advice. Nothing looks out of place. (we didn't have the kit to do full alignment, this was just examination by eye / touch). Bushes are fine, play is OK etc etc - nothing obvious to see.

 

There is no obvious evidence of any major damage - the right front wing has been replaced and looks all pukka as do all other panels. Early Japanese documentation does say it has been repaired and it looks as if this has been done correctly.

 

This was confirmed by RAC before purchase and raised with Nissan at first service.

 

Certainly, the handling has been fine and the steering also - Jeff took it for a test drive.

 

So we are a tad baffled - even after everone's good advice, there is no obvious line of attack on this problem. And it isn't a problem while driving anyway - I just want the "right" figures!

 

Because of the lack of any obvious faulty part, we are starting to suspect the results of the original test. I have certainly seen other alignment places in which the machine hasn't been properly calibrated and is giving wrong readouts.

 

Time to sleep on it but I am tempted to give PaulC a bell as he is the only forum person I know who runs a dealership workshop with laser alignment gear.

 

But since it doesn't look serious, it's just gone down the old priority list a touch.

 

Sorry to witter on - but thought you would like to see that we did take the advice seriously and had a good root about based on this info.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

What a nice forum this is - Gio

Might be a but far from you but I used Jeff Fowkes in Ibstock for a full steering geometry check and he had the full set of geometry figures and seemed very knowledgable.

 

Jeff Fowkes Wheels, Station Road, Ibstock

Leicester, LE67 6JJ. Tel: 01530-263111

Hi Gio,

 

One of the main problems is saggy springs.

The near side generally get more of a bashing as it always in the ditch.

 

I would look at spring changes, especilly at the front, but for best performance change all 4.

 

Leigh

 

 

Hi Leigh,

 

so the fact that one side is out and the other isn't could be down to the spring on that wheel being more saggy than the others?

 

Is there any way of checking this without ordering and fitting 4 new springs?

 

(then doing another check and finding out it wasn't them after all!)

 

This is why I'm thinking about starting from scratch. IE either a body alignment check to confirm that all is well there, then move on to wheel alignment. Or at least double checking the wheel alignment through those guys you recommended before.

 

It would be a shame to hurtle off replacing this, adding plates, adjusting that and getting new etc etc without being fairly certain of having found the problem.

 

Oh, that's a point, does the manual have tolerances for spring length and how to measure?

 

Thanks - Gio