4 Wheel Alignment? Or just tracking?

[RossIBIZATDI]

Hi All,

If any of you have read I've recently fitted coilovers on my car and had some Toyo's put on. Whilst I had this they did the tracking for me but it's still slightly off. I spoke to a guy at Volkservice and he said that I should get the 4 wheel alignment done which costs over £100!! He asked if I'd kurbed the wheels at any point and I said that I had bashed them into a kurb whilst going round a corner about 6 months ago. So he said that he's get the 4 wheel alignment done as the tyres will scrub if I've bent the wishbone. Is there no way for me to check if anything is bent before forking out £100??

I rang my local Volkswagen dealer and they charge £170!!

Before I had my suspension on and my original tracking messed with it felt fine. But, it couldn't have been coz my budget tyres inside tread wore out after 4.5K miles.

Any thoughts???

 

[kriso]

I got quoted £50 for a 4 wheel alignment from a garage when I got my tyred fitted, Probably a good idea to shop around before getting it done.

 

[RossIBIZATDI]

Yeah probs lol. Another thing, my left tyre seems to be deflating..... I got the brand new Toyo's fitted on Tuesday and it was at about 32 PSI, I've just checked and it's now at 22 after being at 25 on Thursday! That is the wheel I smacked into the kurb but when I was getting the Toyo's fitted the guy said that there was nothing wrong with the wheel... My previous tyres did this too but at a much slower rates.. Anyone?

 

[st10587]

Yeah probs lol. Another thing, my left tyre seems to be deflating..... I got the brand new Toyo's fitted on Tuesday and it was at about 32 PSI, I've just checked and it's now at 22 after being at 25 on Thursday! That is the wheel I smacked into the kurb but when I was getting the Toyo's fitted the guy said that there was nothing wrong with the wheel... My previous tyres did this too but at a much slower rates.. Anyone?

could be a hair line crack in the rim or a dodgy valve. best way to check is take the wheel off then run water round the beed of the tyre then round the valve then round the in side of the rim and look for bubbles of air

 

[Torquemonster]

Hi All,

If any of you have read I've recently fitted coilovers on my car and had some Toyo's put on. Whilst I had this they did the tracking for me but it's still slightly off. I spoke to a guy at Volkservice and he said that I should get the 4 wheel alignment done which costs over £100!! He asked if I'd kurbed the wheels at any point and I said that I had bashed them into a kurb whilst going round a corner about 6 months ago. So he said that he's get the 4 wheel alignment done as the tyres will scrub if I've bent the wishbone. Is there no way for me to check if anything is bent before forking out £100??

I rang my local Volkswagen dealer and they charge £170!!

Before I had my suspension on and my original tracking messed with it felt fine. But, it couldn't have been coz my budget tyres inside tread wore out after 4.5K miles.

Any thoughts???

Any reputable dealer will be able to do your 4 wheel alignment.For a lot cheaper than £170.Don't go to Seat either,they charge about £135.
I had mine done for £75.
Just make sure they use properly calibrated equipment.
You could have a look at www.AlignMyCar.co.uk for your nearest garage with the best equipment.

 

[RossIBIZATDI]

Any reputable dealer will be able to do your 4 wheel alignment.For a lot cheaper than £170.Don't go to Seat either,they charge about £135.
I had mine done for £75.
Just make sure they use properly calibrated equipment.
You could have a look at www.AlignMyCar.co.uk for your nearest garage with the best equipment.

That's quality, thanks mate! Their is a centre literally the road next to where I work in St Annes I'll give them a bell tomorrow.

I'll do the tyre thing as well to see where the leak is.

Many Thanks!

 

[Altech]

The only way to adjust camber and castor on the front of an Ibiza is to shift certain suspension parts around by using their bolt slack. This is a specialised service which will cost a fair amount of money to get done. I had this done on my old Ibiza and it cost me £115.

I recently took my current Ibiza to an 'AlignMyCar' outlet and they only altered the tracking, (cost £45) mainly due to the other measurements being fine...i'm not sure if they would have tried to use the bolt slack method. Confirm this with them first before they start any work on your car.

Also the only way to alter the camber at the rear is to use camber shims

 

[RossIBIZATDI]

Ok I'll check what they're going to do first. Can anyone tell me how to actually adjust the tracking myself. When my steering wheel is straight ahead my left wheel is fine but my right one is pointing outward a bit so that's the dodgy wheel. I've got the car up on that side and am not sure exactly what I need to turn. There is a nut on a thread on the track rod, do I just turn that??

 

[Altech]

You have to loosen the nut and then twist the track rod with a spanner. That should alter the tracking.

 

[RossIBIZATDI]

Ahh right, when I turn that actual rod it seems to turn the rubber thing it goes into...... Any thoughts?? When the guy at the garage was doing it he wasn't even looking what he was doing so it can't be that hard lol.

 

[Altech]

Maybe try spraying a bit of WD-40 around there so the rod can spin in the boot. Or you might have to undo the clip that holds the boot in place? I'm sure that won't be necessary thou

 

[RossIBIZATDI]

Maybe try spraying a bit of WD-40 around there so the rod can spin in the boot. Or you might have to undo the clip that holds the boot in place? I'm sure that won't be necessary thou

Didn't need to put wd 40 on in the end. I turned it quite far round n it just turned fine inside the rubber boot. I took the car out n when I go round a corner my wheel doesn't seem to want to straighten up. Something feels wrong. Can't put my finger on it though. I'll see what that garage says tomorrow but in the mean time has anyone got any ideas on what could be wrong?

 

[bigdavesgusset]

"The only way to adjust camber and castor on the front of an Ibiza is to shift certain suspension parts around by using their bolt slack. This is a specialised service which will cost a fair amount of money to get done. I had this done on my old Ibiza and it cost me £115.

I recently took my current Ibiza to an 'AlignMyCar' outlet and they only altered the tracking, (cost £45) mainly due to the other measurements being fine...i'm not sure if they would have tried to use the bolt slack method. Confirm this with them first before they start any work on your car.

Also the only way to alter the camber at the rear is to use camber shims "

Was your £115 adjustment carried out in London?
If so, where?
I am about to have front tyres fitted at a dealer who offers 4 wheel alignment checking and adjustment for £65 and will ask if they employ the slack bolt method and whether they shim the rears. If not, I would rather pay the extra £40 to have it done properly.

 

[Aimez]

WTF how can people claim they are doing 4 wheel alinement when they are not?! Are you not a bit pissed off they charged you for something they have not done properly as you say? Worried about this now for when I do this next year!

 

[Altech]

Was your £115 adjustment carried out in London?
If so, where?
I am about to have front tyres fitted at a dealer who offers 4 wheel alignment checking and adjustment for £65 and will ask if they employ the slack bolt method and whether they shim the rears. If not, I would rather pay the extra £40 to have it done properly.

Yes the alignment was carried out at a place called 'Lodge Garage' in Kingsbury. They do contract work for a Merc garage which is oposite. I believe they used the bolt slack method but I can't be sure (I learnt about the bolt slack method after having the car aligned)

I believe getting the rears shimmed is a separate job

 

[RUM4MO]

Yes the alignment was carried out at a place called 'Lodge Garage' in Kingsbury. They do contract work for a Merc garage which is oposite. I believe they used the bolt slack method but I can't be sure (I learnt about the bolt slack method after having the car aligned)

I believe getting the rears shimmed is a separate job

Yes there is a bit of clearance at the outer end of the TCA and the consoles can be moved a bit as well. The crossmember is also "moveable" to centre the front to the fixed rear. The rear only needs aftermarket specialist tapered shims is the car is being used on track - or as a crude way to correct camber error caused by accident damage - ie bent beam! I'd always try to use an indep VAG specialist - although the main dealers will have or have access to a proper alignment rig, as long as they can use it correctly.