BHPian Schnellby recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Another major step was getting the tires aligned. This sounds like something that should have been done long ago, but the car recently had its suspension changed, and its steering box fixed. Now that I was confident in those repairs, it was time to ensure the steering was right. A good friend of mine, who is the go-to person for any car queries for me, discovered a shop through a relative of his. He takes his Skoda Yeti there religiously. So, taking his word for it, we headed to ‘Clasik Alignment Center’ in HSR Layout. My friend brought his Gypsy along for company. Being a Saturday, the place was packed with a long line of cars. Since we showed up early, the Gypsy went in first for wheel balancing and alignment. It didn’t take long, and the 118NE was next. Once the car was hauled in to check the camber and caster, the readings were shocking: the right wheel had a massive positive camber, while the left wheel had an equal degree of negative camber. While the technician was confident he could fix it, the growing queue meant my car had to be pushed to the end of the day, as it required more time than usual.Wheel balancing and Rotating Close inspection works: The guys were really keen on understanding any and every variable in fixing the alignment The shock of seeing this level of camber difference on the left and right wheel! The Gypsy getting its work done. We now had a day to kill, so we took the Gypsy for a spin. Its bold looks give you a sense of adventure from the get-go. With the rear tarpaulin removed and two bench seats in the back, it was a windy, exhilarating ride. The car also had its share of quirky stickers. The engine was beyond just lively; it was super smooth and didn’t miss a beat. It would pounce the moment you touched the throttle, leaving you to fight with the steering while it thundered along the road. It sends adrenaline straight down your spine. No wonder it’s an all-time favorite for car enthusiasts. As my friend lived nearby, we also squeezed his VW Jetta into the line. The MK5 Jetta features independent rear suspension and was in for a much-needed fix for the rear toe and caster, which significantly refined the handling and feedback.It was almost 9:30 PM when we finally got the 118NE back on the rack. Fixing the camber took a good 40 minutes of adjusting multiple points under the wheel, including a test drive. It took two more rounds of manual adjustments to get it right. The final step was resetting the steering wheel to the center. Because of the splines (millings), we couldn’t get it perfectly straight, but it was off by such a small degree that it’s hardly noticeable. Finally, the car was good to go. Adding Shims where required (Shims are thin metal plates used in alignment to fill gaps, correct slight misalignments, and adjust angles by being placed between suspension components) Setting the steering straight Final checks to ensure values are perfect Fine tuning the timing Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
