Steering alignment - Shop Manual

[Dwight]

I have a new CD shop manual ordered from eBay for my RT-S. I am suffering from the same handling problems as Scotty and PalmBeachRyder. I was wondering if any of you that already have the CD shop manual could post what steps are involved in doing a front end alignment. I'm really thinking this may be part of the handling problems we are having. I won't have my cd for a while and I will be taking the RT in soon for CB installation and would like to have the dealer check the alignment if they can. I may want to tweak the alignment to see if I can correct some of the problem.

Thanks
Dwight

 

[NancysToy]

I have a new CD shop manual ordered from eBay for my RT-S. I am suffering from the same handling problems as Scotty and PalmBeachRyder. I was wondering if any of you that already have the CD shop manual could post what steps are involved in doing a front end alignment. I'm really thinking this may be part of the handling problems we are having. I won't have my cd for a while and I will be taking the RT in soon for CB installation and would like to have the dealer check the alignment if they can. I may want to tweak the alignment to see if I can correct some of the problem.

Thanks
Dwight

The only alignment parameter that can be checked or adjusted is the toe-in. It requires a length of aluminum angle, several strap aluminum brackets, some vice grips, tape measure, and a magnetic laser level. It also requires connection to BUDS for sensor recalibration if any adjustments are made. This is not a do-it-yourself job, I'm afraid. You do not want to induce steering issues because you tweaked your toe-in.

 

[Questions]

One of my friends who was riding behind me for a while noticed an abnormal amount of up and down movement on the rear of the RT. While I'm not a do-it-yourselfer or claim to have any superior mechanical skills, it might make sense that the movement of the rear shock is adversely affecting the feel of the front at higher speeds.

Yes, I've tried increasing the PSI in the rear shock and that didn't seem to provide a solution.

I truly want to like the RT, but I need to get it setup where it can be a comfortable ride at highway speeds. Hopefully, the Dealer will figure out what's causing these issues now that it's back in the shop.

 

[Dwight]

Scotty, that kind of shoots that down. However I think toe in is the problem. I've always run a little toe out, very much toe in resulted in the same problems we are having with the RT. Do the sensors work off of the tie rods? I haven't been under mine to see how everything is hooked up. Maybe there is a way I could use a small spacer to increase the toe out without upsetting the sensors? I'd like to try something like this before investing in the Elka shocks and Evolutione's sway bar. Thats about as far as I'm going with this, if the shocks and swaybar, plus whatever the dealer can do doesn't fix it, then its back to the HD.

Dwight

 

[NancysToy]

Scotty, that kind of shoots that down. However I think toe in is the problem. I've always run a little toe out, very much toe in resulted in the same problems we are having with the RT. Do the sensors work off of the tie rods? I haven't been under mine to see how everything is hooked up. Maybe there is a way I could use a small spacer to increase the toe out without upsetting the sensors? I'd like to try something like this before investing in the Elka shocks and Evolutione's sway bar. Thats about as far as I'm going with this, if the shocks and swaybar, plus whatever the dealer can do doesn't fix it, then its back to the HD.

Dwight

I was actually contemplating whether there was enough toe-in. I don't know how it works for dirt vehicles, but insufficient toe-in usually makes a vehicle subject to a lot of following of road defects, and some bump steer. Hard to say which direction things need to go without experimenting a bit (like on our old race cars), but a toe-in problem could even be created by a loose tie-rod end or similar condition, and the effects of toe-in that was already at the limits of normal could be exaggerated by minor suspension free-play.

The steering sensors are not connected to the tie rod. The shop manual is insistent on recalibrating sensors whenever certain steering or suspension components are adjusted or replaced, however. That specifically includes the tie rod. With the steering troubles the RS Spyders have had, some of which have been connected to minor sensor miscalibration, I would not be willing to adjust the toe-in without a steering angle sensor and torque sensor reset.

 

[Babymoose]

I have a new CD shop manual ordered from eBay for my RT-S. I am suffering from the same handling problems as Scotty and PalmBeachRyder. I was wondering if any of you that already have the CD shop manual could post what steps are involved in doing a front end alignment. I'm really thinking this may be part of the handling problems we are having. I won't have my cd for a while and I will be taking the RT in soon for CB installation and would like to have the dealer check the alignment if they can. I may want to tweak the alignment to see if I can correct some of the problem.

Thanks
Dwight

Didn't they offer to let you download the file free after you bought it? They did for me. I didn't have the RT yet so I didn't download the file, just waited a week or so for the CD to show up.

 

[Dwight]

Nope. Nothing was said about it and I didn't think to ask. I usually buy the printed edition cause it's easier to use in the shop. I'll probably still buy the printed one to use in the shop and study the CD.

Scotty, something I just thought about. Maybe we should check to see if there is any side to side movement in the rear wheel. That could also cause the hunting.

Dwight

 

[NancysToy]

Scotty, something I just thought about. Maybe we should check to see if there is any side to side movement in the rear wheel. That could also cause the hunting.

Dwight

Yeah, I am going to have the dealer check for play front and back, wheel bearing loosenes, etc. I'm to lazy and too angry at having to do it in the first place, to do it myself.

 

[bcspyder]

Nope. Nothing was said about it and I didn't think to ask. I usually buy the printed edition cause it's easier to use in the shop. I'll probably still buy the printed one to use in the shop and study the CD.

Scotty, something I just thought about. Maybe we should check to see if there is any side to side movement in the rear wheel. That could also cause the hunting.

Dwight

I can't remember who I got my CD from but check the e-mail confirming your order. There may be a link in there that will let you download a copy to tide you over until you receive the hard copy of the disk. There was in mine.