197 alignment issues

[Lownds197]

Hi a few months back I decided to get my 197 on a hunter alignment machine as I had refreshed most of the front end of the car both lower ball joints, new wishbones, replacement steering rack with new inner tie rods and track rod ends, as you can see below the alignment showed up some interesting camber readings. I’ve been told by various garages and other alignment places not to worry and leave it alone, I tried to drive it as it is for a few months but to be quite honest it’s awful and pulls all over the place, I did notice when I was cleaning out the drain holes under the scuttle that my top mounts look to be uneven on either side drivers side looks to be leaning in more could this be wear my problems are coming from ? I’ve attached some images of the top mounts below hopefully you can see what I’m talking about .

 

[Jim333]

Did you get to the bottom of this? Iv just had my car setup and have the same problem

 

[Lownds197]

Never had it back on a hunter alignment machine so can’t be sure but i moved the top mounts about as they weren’t sitting right as you can see in my original images and it drives fine now and doesn’t look visually like there’s more camber one side than the other, if you’ve had work done i’d check your top mounts or if the subfames been off it could be that hasn’t been put back on right .

 

[Jim333]

Ok thanks mate al check both

 

[Doogle]

Worth checking the state of the topmounts. They are virtually two bits of rubber, top and bottom and sandwiched together with a metal tube inside. As they degrade the top and bottom become detached causing knocking and weird steering issues.

Likewise, there is a small amount of play in the topmounts as above and could just be that.

 

[Jim333]

Think I'm going to replace them anyway mate

 

[ander_V]

How did you solve this?

 

[Lownds197]

It never got solved last time it went in for an alignment camber was still off by roughly the same amount as it was originally only thing that changed was i had an horrendous knock every time i was changing gear took it quite a few place including a well known garage in the clio world who kept fobbing me off saying nothing was wrong, last place i took it was motion motorsport in Stoke who fixed the knock turns out the wishbone bolt had been lose for quite some time and had elongated the bolt hole to the subframe so wether that had something to do with my dodgy camber I don’t know ? .

 

[turkie172]

just seen your last post while is was writing this but I will put this up anyway so don't get upset about the basics as good garages probably checked most of these.

The top mounts are handed make sure you have not mixed up LH and RH also the same mounts are used on Modus and I saw a video from KYB the guys that make the factory shocks that two rubber squares on the mounts run down the inside of the shock which suggests either the difference between left and right or a sub reference of inside and outside facing of each side. All the suspension mounts have so much adjustment (slots) as well as the lower arms it would be better if you went to an alignment place take the scuttle and shock top covers off so very little time is required for readjustment keep the costs down due to less labor. As for steering issues if you have replaced the rack as new check since the 8 yes 8 wrong made Renault racks I was given from Feb to Aug 2020 which were wrongly made the rack was not centered check how many turns from straight ahead to left full lock and right full lock and make sure they are even amounts, then check the top hats are not missing on the track rod ends as they normally come out of the hub assembly with the old track rods unnoticed and thrown away and the new ones fitted without and can not be bought officially from Renault as a spare part.

 

[Lownds197]

I always suspected top mounts i never fitted them myself so maybe the garage did it the wrong way round ?, had a new rack but thats been fine and the camber issue was before that was fitted.

 

[RSRowe]

Impossible to fit the wrong way on an early style top mount too.
I'm almost certain that the enlarged hole you mentioned will be the reason for the duff camber on one side.

 

[PITA]

Pure Motorsport sell subframe washers for oval holes. You drill them out oversize and the washer makes the hole round again.

Washers

 

[RSRowe]

I love how Pure have a solution for everything