Official Wheel Alignment Specifications

Hello Hello,

I need to get my local garage to set the wheel alignment on my MK1 Golf but they have asked me to supply the relevant settings as they don't have them on their system.

They want a figure in "degrees and minutes".

I have searched through previous threads on here for the answer and have seen many statements that begin with "what I do is…." but thet's not really the answer I'm looking for.

Does anyone have the official degrees/minutes setting that I can give to my local garage so they get the tracking sorted?

All help appreciated!

Go to another alignment gaff m8 (never had any issues with a Mk1 not being on the system for default settings)

They are Merityre so fairly respectable… :dontknow:

They are also local to me so if anyone does have the specs I can give them then it would be appreciated…

jinsta said

Go to another alignment gaff m8 (never had any issues with a Mk1 not being on the system for default settings)

They probably used to have them, but 'dropped off' the back end of the system because the Mk1 is so old now. I've seen parts listings which start at Mk2 Golf too.

The specs are in the Haynes manual, I'm sure I've typed them out more than once on here too. Keep searching, if you don't find them then I'll type them in again or maybe someone else has a Haynes handy? BTW they got the +/- muddled up but its easy to sort out which one is right. Set up the front with toe out, not toe in.

Thanks Paul,

I do have a Haynes Manual and there is something there under "specifications" but it doesn't really resemble a degrees/minutes reading that the garage are asking for.

I don't have it to hand but it gives some reading in mm and then inches and follows it up with a quote of "or equivalent angles between 5' and 30'".

Basically it doesn't make much sense.

I'm sure you've typed this out before so sorry about this  

If I can get a toe-in or out and a reading in degrees and minutes I'll be happy as Larry.


Cheers for your patience…

You first need them to check/set the camber - the mk1 is unusual in that you can set the camber.

Camber - wheels straight ahead
Except 81kW models +20'  +/- 30', max diff between sides 1 degree
81kW models +20'  +/- 20', max diff between sides 30'

Castor (non adjustable)
1 degree 50'  +/- 30', max diff between sides 1 degree

Tracking
Toe-out 5' to 30' (0.5 to 3mm or 0.020 to 0.118")

So thats up to half a degree (30')  toe out on each side

Hope that helps

My car is a 1.1cc so, for the camber, mine is the first set you quoted right?


That has been a big help. Many thanks..


If they don't understand that then they're probably mad.



Cheers!

No worries.

Yes yours is the first set.

You might find that they do not have the equipment to check/set the camber though…

I've just resurrected this thread as I'm curious why there is a difference in steering geometry depending on the engine size. Does anyone know the reason for the diffence? Is it down to ride height or something else?  

I have a 1.5 Jetta but it's lowered on Koni adjustables and Eibach springs