2008 L322 Vogue wheel alignment

[austeve01]

G'day folks

Just wondering if anyone knows of any special requirements when getting a wheel alignment for the above vehicle? With our D3 we did have to get the techos to lock the vehicle into wheel alignment mode. Is there a similar requirement for the Vogue? Perhaps there are other issues too.

The tyres are showing signs of wear on the edges but otherwise pretty even across the rest of the tread.

Any help appreciated

Cheers
Steve

[rar110]

G'day Steve
I understood the D3 and L332 to be similar in terms of wheel alignment.

However I haven't done one on mine yet.

[austeve01]

G'day Steve
I understood the D3 and L332 to be similar in terms of wheel alignment.

However I haven't done one on mine yet.

Thanks Pete

Looks like I'll have to ensure that the tyre place I use has the appropriate diagnostic tool to lock it into wheel alignment mode.

(Sorry to hear about your ZF transmission .. hope your repair bill isn't to exxie)

Cheers
Steve

[donrover0]

I'm pretty sure that if you simply lock the suspension at standard height, any wheel aligner can check your alignment, without diagnostics.
If he jacks up a wheel to make adjustments, the suspension will probably react a little but should be all good when back on ground.

[rar110]

I'm pretty sure that if you simply lock the suspension at standard height, any wheel aligner can check your alignment, without diagnostics. If he jacks up a wheel to make adjustments, the suspension will probably react a little but should be all good when back on ground.

Just pull the compressor fuse when you drop it off?

[Graeme]

If removing a fuse then make it the 20A suspension system fuse after you have exitted the vehicle with the engine still running for some 10 seconds to allow the height to adjust to your weight having been removed before removing the fuse.

There is no switch to lock at normal height.

Is the tyre wear due to worn suspension bushes?

[donrover0]

Not sure about the 2008 models, but earlier 2002-2005 , you can lock std height by pressing the height selector rotary switch.

[austeve01]

If removing a fuse then make it the 20A suspension system fuse after you have exitted the vehicle with the engine still running for some 10 seconds to allow the height to adjust to your weight having been removed before removing the fuse.

There is no switch to lock at normal height.

Is the tyre wear due to worn suspension bushes?

Re the bushes ..
It had a major service recently and no mention was made of worn bushes or the need to replace them in the near future ... it's only done a couple of thousand kms since so I don't think that would be an issue yet :(

[austeve01]

Not sure about the 2008 models, but earlier 2002-2005 , you can lock std height by pressing the height selector rotary switch.

As far as I'm aware I don't think you can lock this one at std height ..(from what I've read in the glove box manual). From what I can work out it can only be locked at access height.

[Graeme]

The locking of earlier models at normal height is to prevent auto lowering at 100 kph, not to disable auto levelling. The same goes for the locking of the later MY07+ TR versions at access height to allow a slightly faster speed at access heights for underground car-parks, not to disable auto levelling at access height.

[chaybra]

If it is done on a proper hoist, the car should drive on and no need to be jacked or changed in any way to alter the wheel alignments. all can be accessed from the under side of the car.
There are not to many things that can be changed with this suspension anyway. I had to buy adjustable camber bolts for mine.

[harlie]

for post 2005 L322 and D3/4 you must set it to "tight tolerance mode". It is in the EAS settings. This ensures that the standard height is maintained exactly. VW toureg/Audi Q7 & merc ML are the same; they just have a different name for it.

For the L322 2002-2005 there is no tight tolerance mode for EAS available and the following procedure was provided by the dealer when I acquired mine.
1 Drive onto the alignment hoist/ramp as normal.
2 exit the vehicle while leaving the engine running
3 close all doors
4 fit sensors to wheels (during this time the car will level out without the weight of driver)
5 open drivers' door, reach in, turn engine off and remove key (do not sit in the seat or stand on side steps). Do not close door.
6 Leave drivers' door open during alignment procedure (this is to ensure that the EAS does not move during the procedure) We put a rag in the door to keep it open far enough to have the interior light on.

Several tyre shops I've spoken to said that if they don't do this the customer comes back - I had 2 shops several years ago that wouldn't even touch it because of "the air suspension problems". "must take it to the dealer" Both shops have since followed this simple set of steps and now offer the alignment for other owners with no comebacks.

For the record, the dealer just drives it around the corner to the closest tyre shop and they do the above - for the later models they set it to tight tolerance and then drive it around.

The height lock button only prevents off road or highway heighs being activated, the suspension will still move during the procedure.

[austeve01]

Thanks to you all for your input.

After further talks with the local tyre place and his discussion with another of his franchisee colleagues (who do alignments on Discoveries & late model RRs) he assured me he would be able to enter the alignment mode through the OBD using a diagnostic computer.

I took it down today & also asked for the wheels to be balanced. However he had extreme difficulty trying to remove the wheels. It appears they must have been overtightened the previous time the wheels were removed to the extent that one of them could not be removed at all. Apparently the locking nut just spins around in the socket ??

Needless to say just had the three wheels balanced and cancelled the alignment 'til I can get the offending wheel off & subsequently balanced. :(

[rar110]

I can't imagine a spline on a wheel stud being stripped. At least not a vehicle that young.

[austeve01]

I can't imagine a spline on a wheel stud being stripped. At least not a vehicle that young.

I'm certainly hoping that you are absolutely correct !

[rar110]

I'm certainly hoping that you are absolutely correct !

It's no biggy. At worst you'll need a new hub/spindle.

[Graeme]

Apparently the locking nut just spins around in the socket ?? If the locking nuts are like the D2 locking nuts then bashing on a normal socket of a size that needs to be bashed on usually allows the locking nut to be undone. Obviously a replacement nut needs to be on hand to use when the wrecked one is removed. D2 owners usually got rid of the locking nuts because of the problem of the key in the special nut being so soft.

[Cambo_oldjaguar]

Got a picture of the lock nut? If they are the same as the Jag ones I've had to get them off before, not fun but doable...

[rar110]

I assumed they found the locking nut socket in the wheel well, and it was some other reason the wheel couldn't be removed.

[austeve01]

I assumed they found the locking nut socket in the wheel well, and it was some other reason the wheel couldn't be removed.

Yep. :)

[Cambo_oldjaguar]

Do the lock nuts look like these?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/125.jpg

The POS original Jag Land Rover ones from the UK where the key spins freely around them because it's the worst design ever?

[rar110]

Do the lock nuts look like these? The POS original Jag Land Rover ones from the UK where the key spins freely around them because it's the worst design ever?
Yep

[Cambo_oldjaguar]

In that case get them off and throw them in the bin, worst lock nuts I ever saw.

So what usually happens with them, the nut is overtightened and the key isn't strong enough for the break torque, it stretches and spins over the back end of the nut.

This is how I got it sorted.

My key was totally stuffed so I got a replacement key from the UK, and had it modified by a machine/engineering shop in Seven Hills to make the teeth bigger so it would grip the nut:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/109.jpg

Only problem with this is that the dome of the locking nut is bigger than the slots at the back, so the dome would have to be machined. The guy did one for me on a mill as an example, but the remaining one on the car would have to be done with a dremel...

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/110.jpg

So I start attacking a newly refurbished BBS wheel with a dremel...
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/111.jpg

Eventually cut the slots into the nut, and with some serious nerves I put the key over the nut, got the breaker bar on it, and... it finally came off!!!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/112.jpg

The magic key...

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/113.jpg

Locknuts now in the bin and normal nuts on in their place...

This is a major problem in the UK where the nuts get rusty (see what mine are like, the car is a UK-import) and many people have faced the same problem.

Most try to grind away the whole dome, or split it with a chisel, problem is you end up damaging the wheel. No damage with this method, except for my wallet...

[p38arover]

The lock nuts on my 2004 are internally splined.

The tool looks like this:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=106921&stc=1&d=1458021428

I had better print Harlie's instructions as I have a wheel alignment booked locally tomorrow.

I know the mechanic will try to bamboozle me and tell me it's not necessary.