Hi, my car's handling isn't as good as it used to be - especially due to a crash; anyway is it really worth the trek (4 hours) to see Tony or should my local ATS Euromaster be sufficient?
How much is the service and how long would it take? Thanks!

It takes up to 90 minutes, and costs around £100 plus VAT, but you would need to check with Tony
on the correct price. It will be far far better than a simple 4 wheel laser tracking check by a long way,
as the settings ATS wil have are wrong if you want to avoid premature Tyre Wear.
It also won't help however if bits are bent.

Hope this helps you.

Contact Tony@ WIM, he may have someone in your part of the country that can help you out.

[quote name='japthree' post='524474' date='Mar 26 2008, 07:28 AM']Hi, my car's handling isn't as good as it used to be - especially due to a crash; anyway is it really worth the trek (4 hours) to see Tony or should my local ATS Euromaster be sufficient?
How much is the service and how long would it take? Thanks![/quote]

since u r in preston, drury lane at oldham and tdi north at warrington are the closest I know of that have been recommended by tony @ wim

[url="http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/knowledge/index.php?page=index_v2&id=1&c=5"]http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/knowledge...mp;id=1&c=5[/url]

IS200: Tracking settings
Author: Colin Barber

FRONT
Caster Min = 5 deg 16', Max = 6 deg 16'
Camber Min = -0 deg 51', Max = 0 deg 9'
Toe Min = -0 deg 6', Max = 0 deg 18'
SAI = 9 deg 16'

REAR
Camber Min = -0 deg 53', Max = 0 deg 7'
Toe Min = 0 deg, Max = 0 deg 24'

My tyres need to be changed anyway so can't I take the above info as a printout and ask ATS Euromaster / my local garage to do the tracking according to the info? Would they agree? Would it be just the same as Tony doing it? If not, why not please?

id say take a day out to visit tony like im doing this saturday or as rory said theres a place close to you thats recommended by tony as he really knows his stuff otherwise everyone would just print the correct settings off and co to their local ats ect

Agree with Arron.

Apart from anything else YOU DON'T WANT TRACKING OR 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, YOU NEED A FULL GEOMETRY DONE. Ok I will stop shouting now, I think that you will find the settings are the Lexus ones and are not a full list of all that's needed.

Take the advice above and take the car to Tony.

Just booked my car in with Tony for next Thursday to have Coilovers fitted and Full Geometry to be done, i live in Southampton so its a bit of a trek for me (about 2 hours each way depending on traffic).

However i have been looking into getting this done for some time now and everywhere i look i have people telling me to go to Tony, needless to say thats where im taking it. I can't wait to get it done!

Jason

[quote name='Rory' post='524524' date='Mar 26 2008, 12:30 PM'][quote name='japthree' post='524474' date='Mar 26 2008, 07:28 AM']Hi, my car's handling isn't as good as it used to be - especially due to a crash; anyway is it really worth the trek (4 hours) to see Tony or should my local ATS Euromaster be sufficient?
How much is the service and how long would it take? Thanks![/quote]

since u r in preston, drury lane at oldham and tdi north at warrington are the closest I know of that have been recommended by tony @ wim
[/quote]

Would anyone prefer one over the other - TDI North (Warrington) or Drury Lane (Oldham)? Prices differ?

Noticed LOC mentioned on the Drury Lane site.
[url="http://www.drurylaneservices.com/geometry.htm"]http://www.drurylaneservices.com/geometry.htm[/url]

Drury Lane.....

I've been to Drury lane and its a very professional setup.

Stav

I had the same thought as you but when i visited Tony sorted the Tracking But my nightmare
was getting the steering wheel straight.
it was fun as where Tony was based at the place in watford
i had to travel back to the M1 to find a straight road
but he did manage to sort my nightmare of a steering wheel not straight

Well recomended
Now i have my IS220d i will visit again as i dont want my tyres wearing
uneven.

Matt

Been to see Tony at WIM and very happy with the set up, sorted out tracking (with straight steering wheel) and camber, then had my FREE fine tune (just to make sure it was all good after a few months)...will be visiting again for a geo service.

[quote name='japthree' post='524474' date='Mar 26 2008, 08:28 AM']Hi, my car's handling isn't as good as it used to be - especially due to a crash; anyway is it really worth the trek (4 hours) to see Tony or should my local ATS Euromaster be sufficient?
How much is the service and how long would it take? Thanks![/quote]


I went to WIM on tuesday for a geometry set up, its well worth it. It would be well worth the 4 hours, i live in the midlands & had the same 4 hour round trip.
The difference is unbelievable, i would highlt recommend it.
With WIM you can stay with your car & watch whats being done & have it explained, you dont get this with ATS.
It cost me £100 for the geometry set up & it took about 1 hour.
Hope this helps

[quote name='wheels-inmotion.co.uk' post='547710' date='May 28 2008, 10:10 PM']Drury Lane.....[/quote]

Would that mean that Drury Lane would give identical results to going to see Tony if Tony recommends them and uses those magic settings? In theory, yes....?

If the work done is the [b]same[/b] then the rational choice is the nearer one.

I hesitate to speak on Tony's behalf re: Drury Lane, but I believe he no longer recommends them.

Why don't you come down to the LOC Knowledge Day @ WIM Sunday 13th July. Some other members
are coming from Manchester & Liverpool so maybe meet up and travel down in a Lexus Convoy

[quote name='wheels-inmotion.co.uk' post='547710' date='May 28 2008, 10:10 PM']Drury Lane.....[/quote]


[quote name='DJ Wozza' post='551631' date='Jun 8 2008, 11:27 PM']I hesitate to speak on Tony's behalf re: Drury Lane, but I believe he no longer recommends them.[/quote]

Whats happened in the last 2 weeks then?

Suppose I go to WIM and then later go too fast over a pothole or speed hump - might that not knock the settings off a bit and I'm back to square one?

[quote name='loggyboy' post='551649' date='Jun 9 2008, 07:03 AM'][quote name='wheels-inmotion.co.uk' post='547710' date='May 28 2008, 10:10 PM']Drury Lane.....[/quote]


[quote name='DJ Wozza' post='551631' date='Jun 8 2008, 11:27 PM']I hesitate to speak on Tony's behalf re: Drury Lane, but I believe he no longer recommends them.[/quote]

Whats happened in the last 2 weeks then?
[/quote]

Nothing....What Wozza means is that they (and some others) were on my website as "trusted centres"....For various reasons i dropped this on my new site.

I'm thinking of going to a local dealer (maybe Lexus Manchester or Liverpool) to get the service done and other bits and bobs including the........ tracking - for convenience and all in one place. Now I suppose you are all going to say I'm wasting my money [i]there[/i] - going to WIM is a little far right now - too busy these days!

The geometry and tracking/wheel alignment are two separate things I believe?

[quote name='japthree' post='552067' date='Jun 10 2008, 07:30 AM']Suppose I go to WIM and then later go too fast over a pothole or speed hump - might that not knock the settings off a bit and I'm back to square one?[/quote]

From my discussions with Tony, this effect is only realy a problem when your wheels are not straight, if they are straight, the majority of the forces are dissapaited by the suspension components.

Get yourself to WIM - you really are missing out on a great set up and some good info.

i at one point had considered getting the belfast to liverpool ferry and driving down as people over here are generally usless. might still try it if i feeling flush. tell the missus i takin her away for weeknd lol

fella don't waste your time & money, they will take plenty of care & time setting the car up......... to the original specs

Therein lies the fault, all that time and effort to set it up .............................wrong.
Enjoy bald inner edges on your front tyres sooner than expected

I had my car WIM'd by Tony soon after I got it. The change in handling was amazing, it was so much better. You won't regret it if you do make a special trip down to WIM, it's really worth it IMHO, they are a very professional outfit.

I'm planning to go to a dealer (due to limited time right now) rather than WIM. Now the tracking (wheel alignment) and geometry will both be 'wrong'.

However what should I ask my dealer (in terms of hardcopy/printouts) to have a record of all the settings/adjustments he's done? So that when I go to Tony in the very near future he can tell me how bad/wrong the adjustment was!

Tony can you reply or PM me please?

Would it be a health and safety issue to ask to stand and watch the work being done - I think the dealership make this an issue? Because reports back from people who have been WIM'ed say "Tony explained everything...." so I get the impression you are standing right next to him watching the adjustments in front of you?

I'm not sure what the difference is between tracking and geometry setup but I understand Lexus dealers do [u]both[/u] 'wrong'?

And it makes no difference if you car is 10 years old or 3 years old - getting WIM'ed - you WILL notice the difference? Might I dare to suggest it will drive better than the old 3-series (E46) - tighter wheel / more feedback from the steering for instance?

[quote name='japthree' post='584432' date='Sep 19 2008, 05:10 AM']I'm planning to go to a dealer (due to limited time right now) rather than WIM. Now the tracking (wheel alignment) and geometry will both be 'wrong'.

However what should I ask my dealer (in terms of hardcopy/printouts) to have a record of all the settings/adjustments he's done? So that when I go to Tony in the very near future he can tell me how bad/wrong the adjustment was![/quote]
Why don't you get the WIM settings from Tony and ask the dealer to use those settings ? They shouldn't have a problem because, as I understand it, they're still within the original factory limits. I think that the settings are also on the site here somewhere.

Unfortunately Lexus got the settings wrong on the IS200/300/sc, by invitation from LOC Admin i re-wrote the positions to stop the wear about five years ago. these positions are available in the clubs knowledge base.

The criminal angle is the castor but it's not adjustable (directly) so i devised a change in the camber that then violated the toe that when corrected adjusted the castor (indirectly)

Although the dealers recognise a problem with the tyre wear they admit they "cannot" deviate from the OEM settings Lexus originally wrote and Lexus will not offer a revision, probably due to the liability's.

We know of one member who pushed Lexus GB on the topic and seemingly he was paid off never to be seen again.

Geometry for the customer is hard enough to understand so i designed the centre so that the owner can be as involved in what's going on as they like, some enthusiasts are so into their car i even even give them the spanners and let them adjust the angles.... The insurance to allow this is extorsionate so it's unlikely a dealer would accommodate that sort of dead money.