Geometry "life"

[MattyB]

How long are you lot leaving before getting another geo check?

 

Had mine done about 5 months ago, then about 3 month later I got the track reset by Mike (it was way out, apparently) which improved things.

 

However it feels fuzzy again - something that was made more apparent on Ladders Welsh Adventure and I just wondered if 5-6 months was a reasonable time to expect it to 'last'...?

 

We do have some really crappy roads around here, so I suppose that cant help....

[GCCK]

If it feels "off" enought to warrant getting it checked and feels better when it gets back, then you have your answer.

 

However, several things can affect the feel of the car. Bushes (wishbone & anti rollbar), ball joints (wishbone & toe links), dampers, steering rack, track rod ends and rear toe-links all wear out on an Elise far sooner than they should.

 

Best bet is to get all these components checked properly and establish which one(s) have excessive play.

[Mark A]

Geometry can last a year or more or it can last 2 miles. I did a set up on a car a few years ago, drove it 30 miles (hit a pothole on way back, not hard), put it back on the equipment and it was way out!

 

You are unlikely to feel a sudden change just a wooliness over time. When it gets to the point where it doesn't feel right then get it done.

[Scott_Mac]

Unfortunately Matty never drives his car so may struggle there Mark

[MattyB]

Oi

 

Well I had a B-service done with Mike not long back, and when I got my track reset only a few month back, Mike investigated so I assume everything you mention is ok Graeme.

 

Its only £90 to get it sorted, so its not the cost....but the first pot-hole you hit after getting it done (usually the same day round these parts) hurts the most

 

Change of subject slightly - Scott, how do you rate your braided brake lines? Wendy quoted me £150 I think, just wondered what you thought on a cost vs effectiveness level?

[Dave S]

The other thing to remember is the quality of the equipment and the quality of the mechanic. You can do the "geo" with a piece of string and a tape measure.. scope or a laser but if the hi tech equipment is bent or damaged it does not work.

 

I have been to Kwik fit (not with the lotus) and had it checked (OK mister nothing wrong) driven off and gone found no difference gone to another and they said it was miles off. You can also get the same result with two mechanics.

 

Its all to do with the quality and care taken by the mechanic.. If he does it properly a piece of string is just as good.

 

Dave

[Dave S]

Sorry about the time... If you really push it to the limits on a track day and drive it as an everyday car then I would say before each track day, and try to miss the pot holes on the way...

 

Dave

[Scott_Mac]

Braided hoses are great Matty, more pedal feel - i kept locking brakes until i got used to the extra force that seemed to be there...

 

Though saying that, something was feeling a little "off" with the brakes recently... not sure i didn't boil my fluid at Mallory or something

[Dixie]

What does the Elise tend to be like when it's "properly" geo'd? I thought mine was out for ages but at mallory the instructor told me he felt it turned in better than most at the hairpin? (Maybe it was my enormous driving skill )

 

Mine tends to understeer a lot at low speeds, especially in this weather. Is that normal???? It’s very good at higher speeds, a bias towards oversteer but nothing to snappy.

[chorton_1]

The other thing to remember is the quality of the equipment and the quality of the mechanic.  You can do the "geo" with a piece of string and a tape measure.. scope or a laser but if the hi tech equipment is bent or damaged it does not work.

 

I have been to Kwik fit (not with the lotus) and had it checked (OK mister nothing wrong) driven off and gone found no difference gone to another and they said it was miles off. You can also get the same result with two mechanics.

 

Its all to do with the quality and care taken by the mechanic.. If he does it properly a piece of string is just as good.

 

Dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree with the sentiment of the above, but disagree about some of the detail. The Elise manual asks for 0.2mm toe out on the front with a tolerance of +0.2mm / -0mm. I don't think, no matter how careful you are, that you can string a wheel to within 0.2mm, particularly as to get that value you are making two measurements (one either end of the rim). I reckon the most optimistic person would say they can probably measure within 0.5mm, but if you are taking two measurements then you could be up to 1mm out i.e. 5 times the tolerance of 0.2mm.

 

Now a garage with poor equipment, yielded by someone who doesn't know what they are doing could be absolutely miles out and you wouldn't know.

 

However, good equipment with knowledgable technicians is pretty accurate and is therefore much better than stringing (in my opinion).

 

Therefore if I were to rate methods I would say:-

1) Laser alignment by people you trust

2) Stringing by people yourself, if you trust yourself (I wouldn't add anyone else in this, because if not doing it yourself most people would go to a professional and you'd hope they would use laser alignment)

3) Laser alignment by someone unheard of (and possibly watch them and/or string it afterwards as a sanity check)

 

0.2mm +0.2mm/-0mm is a damn small amount in my opinion. I bet the compliance in the bushes and movement of the links is a lot more than this in service.

 

Chorts

[Ladders]

So how far out do measurements have to be then before you can tell the diffrence?

 

I'm sure not many people could tell if there tracking etc was out by 0.2mm?

[GCCK]

Ladders

Isn't that like asking "How long's a piece of string?"

[Steve J]

 

 

So if Lotus give such small tollerances, why do they send cars from the factory set up completely wrong?

[MattyB]

Probably time - whereas with a "proper" geo, they might spend an hour getting it right, some poor spanner monkey at the end of the line probably gets 15 mins to get it as close as possible

[Ladders]

Ladders

Isn't that like asking "How long's a piece of string?" 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh, bye the way, while we're on the subject -

 

How long is a piece of string?