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Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:07 pm
by steveo35
Noob question time
Would it make any difference to the outcome if when having the geometry checked/adjusted if the car was in dynamic mode ir normal mode?

Just had my geometry done and everything on the print out is now in the green (three wheels were in the red previous) However the steering is now very sensitive i.e I hardly have to touch the wheel and its steering the car to the point ive got to be bery carefull. Also when going round even a slight bend at speed there is a lot of resitance in the steering (i e the steering feels very heavy) Driven quite a few Ftypes and none of them have felt quite like mine does at the moment. Suspension now feels really solid also and the wheel when its straight is engaging the steering (when stright the car ends up on the other side of the road)

The car was in dynamic mode when they did the alterations. Would this make any difference?

Does it just sound like they have not adjusted it correct.

They seem insistant its correct as the print out shows everything in the green

Many thanks
Steve :?:

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:14 pm
by Deleted User 1715
I think the adaptive dynamics just makes changes to damper rates and no difference to steering geometry. Steering weight is artificially stiffened also. So it shouldn’t matter which mode it was in and it definitely sounds like something is not correct, certainly castoring seems much stronger in your post.

If they say everything is ok I would get it checked somewhere else and then claim the costs back when it’s properly set up!

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:20 pm
by Dan_Veluwe
@steveo35.
I think it depends on wich model you have. Some cars have adabtable dynamic settings from the dashboard. So I think that in those models they do not change any settings at all, other then revs at which to change gear and throttle response. Nothing changes there with stering and dampers, I assume [ not sure] .

See youtube tutorial :

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:36 pm
by steveo35
Hi yes i have the full config dynamic systen and i normall have everything set to dynamic mode. I was just curious if it made a difference when they check the geomety if these setting are enabled or dissabled.

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:52 pm
by Dan_Veluwe
@steveo35.
Yes, I think so ! You can check if you start the car again. So put it in dynamic mode and adjust settings of whatever. Then switch the engine off and double lock with remote. Let it go to 'sleep mode' [ ca. 30 min ], then go back to the car, don't start it, but go into the dynamic settings and verify if it went back to standard settings, or stayed in the dynamic mode. If its still in dynamic, check if the adaptation you made is still there, or if it returned to factory settings.

I think, for basic alignment, the 'dynamic' must be OFF when they check and align..

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:33 pm
by PhilB
steveo35 wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:36 pm Hi yes i have the full config dynamic systen and i normall have everything set to dynamic mode. I was just curious if it made a difference when they check the geomety if these setting are enabled or dissabled.
As was previously posted, the dynamic mode has no effect on the actual suspension geometry.
It merely stiffens the shocks.
There have been several instances over on the XE forums of people having the geometry done at different places from dealers to independents and there appear to be a few different settings depending who you talk to.

It sounds like yours isn't right as it shouldn't be behaving as you describe.

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 6:28 pm
by scm
Dan_Veluwe wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:52 pm Let it go to 'sleep mode' [ ca. 30 min ], then go back to the car, don't start it, but go into the dynamic settings and verify if it went back to standard settings, or stayed in the dynamic mode. If its still in dynamic, check if the adaptation you made is still there, or if it returned to factory settings.
According to my manual, dynamic mode stays set for up to 6 hours when the car is shutdown.

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 7:34 pm
by mickjaguar
I had my alignment done on a Hunter 4 wheel at a local bodyshop, when replacing the tyres with new Michelins. Mainly because the inside edge of the front Pirelli's had worn excessively. My car had a couple of degrees of front toe out, which might have contributed to the uneven wear. Now with slight toe in, the steering is now a bit less sensitive on bumpy roads, but that might be the Michelin's, as 'the man' reckoned the adjustments were so slight I'd probably not notice anything.

Alignment settings from another website

Alignment Settings.jpg


Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:19 pm
by steveo35
Attached is the before and after on mine if anyone can make any sense of it?? It is a hunter machine they have which is why i chose them.

Re: Geometry

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:04 pm
by Dan_Veluwe
@steveo35.
Is your car an AWD ? Then it makes sense : when tracting they pull forward and toe-out turns to toe-in what you like to have up
front for directional stability. How much this should be, I don't know. Front is more less toe-out by one degree, seems logical to me.

But this is just the impression I get : I'm not a pro in these set-ups !