View Poll Results: What's the status of your Mirage's rear axle?

Voters
42. You may not vote on this poll
  • Rear axle replaced under warranty; new axle within specs

    8 19.05%
  • Rear axle replaced under warranty; alignment is still off

    4 9.52%
  • Waiting for warranty replacement axle

    9 21.43%
  • Axle temporarily or permanently aligned with DIY fix

    4 9.52%
  • Rear alignment inspected & deemed within specs by dealer

    19 45.24%
Multiple Choice Poll.
Page 63 of 110 FirstFirst ... 1353616263646573 ... LastLast
Results 621 to 630 of 1099

Thread: Rear Wheel Misaligned? (UPDATE: some rear axles out of spec; warranty replacement)

  1. #621
    Я R01k's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    US
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    544
    Thanks
    161
    Thanked 87 Times in 64 Posts
    Can you post a picture?


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 37.6 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.3 L/100 km ... 45.2 mpg (Imp)


  2. #622
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    583
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    88
    Thanked 226 Times in 164 Posts
    Here's 3.

    regards
    mech
    Attached Images Attached Images    

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage de 1.2 manual: 55.7 mpg (US) ... 23.7 km/L ... 4.2 L/100 km ... 66.9 mpg (Imp)


  3. The Following User Says Thank You to deleted user For This Useful Post:

    R01k (12-21-2015)

  4. #623
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    583
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    88
    Thanked 226 Times in 164 Posts
    Only half of the picture visible here after cropping the carp out of it, oh well.

    Left side reading 1.4 degrees negative. My rear toe is 0 after reinstalling my tension rods and a stronger turnbuckle (closed eyes)

    edit found slider at bottom of post.

    regards
    mech

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage de 1.2 manual: 55.7 mpg (US) ... 23.7 km/L ... 4.2 L/100 km ... 66.9 mpg (Imp)


  5. #624
    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    West Virginia
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    634
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 215 Times in 114 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by R01k View Post
    My tire pressure is 34-35 PSI in all 4 tires, I check that often. I'd say that when going straight the steering wheel is about 10 degrees to the right. I'll take the car to another shop this weekend.

    I'd bet that the they are plainly lying to me at the dealership.
    Not trying to offend you, but how much do you weigh? I've seen plenty of cases of larger drivers making a perfect alignment pull to one side. My steering wheel is always off-center when I have a passenger. If you're on the bigger side, have them set the alignment with you in the car.

    With how light these cars are, weight distribution makes a huge difference, and with the soft suspension, it's even more apparent. You do have some cross toe in the rear and toe-out in the front, which should have been readjusted to 0, but it wouldn't cause the wheel to be that far off-center.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


  6. The Following User Says Thank You to Cani Lupine For This Useful Post:

    cyclopathic (12-21-2015)

  7. #625
    Я R01k's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    US
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    544
    Thanks
    161
    Thanked 87 Times in 64 Posts
    I'm 165 pounds. I have experienced what you say while having my mother or grandma in the car, who are not too lightweight, to say the least )

    I'll be posting the new alignment prints as soon as I have a chance.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 37.6 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.3 L/100 km ... 45.2 mpg (Imp)


  8. #626
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    583
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    88
    Thanked 226 Times in 164 Posts
    My belief, without any input from the manufacturer, is the weld that locks the stub axle to the trailing arm A weld starts at one spot, then travels around the axle to the same spot where it is "merged". The cooling of the weld material and the two matching parts is "most likely, in my professional opinion" the reason for the variations.

    Mitsubishi probably feels it is not that big a deal. OK, lets call that short sighted, but I would think that even with that apparent lack of concern, they don't think that could get them in a legal situation based on the opinion that the miss alignments would not be connected to any accident. After all it's just a few members here.

    One court case, one conviction for negligence, opens up a Pandora's box of legal action and settlements and Mitsubishi the total corporate conglomerate has deep pockets.

    My alternative scenario is they have paid particular attention to the assembly and welding processes that go into the axle itself and developed refined processes that control the dimension to a much greater level of precision.

    Knowing the axles leave the factory perfectly centered in the allowable tolerances, then replacing those axles that do not, places them in a much superior legal standing. Replacing tires that were eaten up by FAULTY ASSEMBLY PROCESSES needs to happen quickly and continue until the axles are gone and even beyond that.

    regards
    mech

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage de 1.2 manual: 55.7 mpg (US) ... 23.7 km/L ... 4.2 L/100 km ... 66.9 mpg (Imp)


  9. #627
    Car Guru
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Waco, Texas
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    638
    Thanks
    156
    Thanked 182 Times in 122 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by old mechanic View Post
    My belief, without any input from the manufacturer, is the weld that locks the stub axle to the trailing arm A weld starts at one spot, then travels around the axle to the same spot where it is "merged". The cooling of the weld material and the two matching parts is "most likely, in my professional opinion" the reason for the variations.

    Mitsubishi probably feels it is not that big a deal. OK, lets call that short sighted, but I would think that even with that apparent lack of concern, they don't think that could get them in a legal situation based on the opinion that the miss alignments would not be connected to any accident. After all it's just a few members here.

    One court case, one conviction for negligence, opens up a Pandora's box of legal action and settlements and Mitsubishi the total corporate conglomerate has deep pockets.

    My alternative scenario is they have paid particular attention to the assembly and welding processes that go into the axle itself and developed refined processes that control the dimension to a much greater level of precision.

    Knowing the axles leave the factory perfectly centered in the allowable tolerances, then replacing those axles that do not, places them in a much superior legal standing. Replacing tires that were eaten up by FAULTY ASSEMBLY PROCESSES needs to happen quickly and continue until the axles are gone and even beyond that.

    regards
    mech

    On dry pavement a bad alignment won't do much at all at causing an accident. However, if one were to be driving along and start to hit ice, a bad alignment can cause a car to start to move around, and there would be nothing you could do about it. Especially here in the south where all the roads are not salted when things ice up.


    I hope and pray that Mitsubishi does decide to do something with the tires that we have replaced due to them being eaten up. I need to get out there and take a picture of my right rear tire to show how much it has worn in just a couple of months since the last picture was taken.
    Certified holder of useless car knowledge.

  10. #628
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Mitsu
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    1,359
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    256
    Thanked 315 Times in 246 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by old mechanic View Post
    Here's 3.

    regards
    mech
    We have this one for checking toe (if you remember them from old times):

    but they are not really accurate. A piece of plywood, measurement tape and Sharpie works better.

    With respect to camber I am using SG tool, but it is notoriously inaccurate.
    http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Aid-61800-Strut-Alignment/dp/B0002SRECC

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


  11. #629
    Software Engineer
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    North Carolina
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    102
    Thanks
    16
    Thanked 57 Times in 32 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by old mechanic View Post
    Only half of the picture visible here after cropping the carp out of it, oh well.

    Left side reading 1.4 degrees negative. My rear toe is 0 after reinstalling my tension rods and a stronger turnbuckle (closed eyes)

    edit found slider at bottom of post.

    regards
    mech
    For those wondering what's the easiest way to do this yourself:

    Get 2 3.0 US FOOT sections of 1/4inch diameter galvanized steel cable with a Working Load Limit of 1600 pounds or more.
    Get 12 1/4inch clamps
    Get one heavy duty 1/4 inch turnbuckle with both closed eye holes rated for 1800 lbs (varies, some will be rated lower)

    Total cost at Lowes: $20
    Total cost at Home Depot: $16

    Then string each of your 3 foot sections through the hole that runs top-to-bottom in the rear axle just behind where the rear axle stub is welded; behind and forward slightly of the lower spring perches. This is a much stronger area, and will place the load in a downward - inward position, reducing camber and toe-in. This also gives the steel cable a much larger and stronger area of surface to contact, to prevent bending, and bending the steel cable beyond it's recommended angles.

    Then clamp. Remember, proper steel cable clamping is 3 clamps per dead-end. Always put the live-end (the part of the cable holding tension) in the bottom of the clamps, then loop the dead ends over-top of that position. Then clamp shut with about 35-lb.ft of torque. Too much may actually damage the cable.

    You will need to start with your turnbuckle completely out, as the cable will take up slack until you start reaching about 150 Lbs of tension.

    For a toe-in of 0.40 it took ~380 lbs of tension to correct to 0.17 and ~470 lbs of tension to bring it to 0.05

    You need a robust system as during typical driving, you will place loads upwards of 700 lbs on your steel cable around sharp turns, and large bumps, as the twist-beam axle will attempt to "twist" or deform, and your cables will attempt to prevent that from happening.

    Ironically, handling is actually greatly improved with this cable system, as it stiffens up the rear axle quite a bit.

    Cables can be deadly, always practice proper rigging techniques.
    Properly inspect your cables before every drive.
    I am not responsible for anything that occurs directly and/or indirectly as a result of this technique described above. You assume all risks. Be safe.

    I have a picture showing what I did, I'll add more as I get time to.
    Name:  20151221_121820.jpg
Views: 1522
Size:  89.4 KB

    -B
    Last edited by BRagland; 12-21-2015 at 04:41 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 51.7 mpg (US) ... 22.0 km/L ... 4.6 L/100 km ... 62.0 mpg (Imp)


  12. The Following User Says Thank You to BRagland For This Useful Post:

    poorman1 (03-09-2016)

  13. #630
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    583
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    88
    Thanked 226 Times in 164 Posts
    I rigged this up today today to check the toe in without any help. You can do it with a tape measure but it's a pain. It folds up for storage. This allows me to demonstrate the alignment specs to an observer. On my car the gauge measurement is 58.75 inches front and 57.5 inches rear. I chopped the heads off the two screws and when you have it at 0 (or very close to it), the screw shafts fit into the outer of the 3 main grooves on each tire, front and rear.

    My rears are at 0,right front is slighty toed out, as was shown on the last alignment printout. I'll adjust that by making the right tie rod about .025 inch longer since it's a rear steer design.

    Post pics in a few.

    regards
    mech


    Attached Images Attached Images    
    Last edited by deleted user; 12-21-2015 at 06:21 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage de 1.2 manual: 55.7 mpg (US) ... 23.7 km/L ... 4.2 L/100 km ... 66.9 mpg (Imp)


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •