i need to get my cars front geometry checked, and i was wondering what the best equipment is for the job.
some garages seem to have a very old and crude system with strings (which seems to be really very poor), and i'm sure there's a better system out there.
what i need to know is what equipment i ask about when enquiring about prices for a geometry check, etc.
the newer systems use light?
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Sam
The tech experts will explain all I'm sure. If it's any help I paid £28 to have mine checked and adjusted on a laser set up at Central Tyres in Banbury. Presume all their branches do something similar. Job seems OK and was done on a lift.
Just Tyres charged my wife £20 a year ago on another car and didn't even put the car on a lift, apparently. Don't know their system.
David
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Had the Passat done on a lazer system at National Tyres only 10 or 15 quid as I recall. Seemed to make a difference to the wear. A garage I use sometimes for the bigger jobs has a fully computerised setup that prints out a large report. It seems to be the only one in the area and even the main agents send their cars there for checking after accident damage repairs.
David Woolard will know for sure.
Bill
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Yep, go to a decent tyre place (not Just Tyres then!), pay between £15 and £25 for a laser set up.
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Sam,
Some branches of ATS have an excellent tracking machine known as either Supertracker or Mastertracker.
This is a sophisticated piece of equipment and also ensures that your steering wheel is correctly aligned which is not always the case with many of them who can't be bothered to adjust both track rod ends.
Alvin
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Shold have said Central Tyres adjusted my steering wheel alignment but Just Tyres didn't on the other one.
One more point--who wouldn't return phone calls when a pair of new Continentals (non-kerbed) developed sidewall bulges after a few months on a 106? A: Just Tyres.
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If you are near, I'd suggest Micheldever Tyres (again!!)
01962 774437
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According to the guys at Micheldever Tyres which has proper laser tracking gear with pits, all the following Pro Tyre branches has similar, if not identical alignment kit:-
Bristol, tel: 0117 954 0123; Enfield, tel: 020 8367 8555; Exeter, tel: 01392 412610; Fareham, tel: 01329 220743; Gloucester, tel: 01452 505588; Plymouth, tel: 01752 228118; Slough, tel: 01753 571171; and Westbury, tel: 01373 825800.
Micheldever's own number at Micheldever Station is: 01962 774437.
websites: www.protyre.co.uk ; www.micheldever.co.uk
HJ
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quite a long time ago before MD tyres had the current laser kit , I took a 190 merc for 2 new tyres & alignment, afterwards the steering wheel was out of true even though the tracking was set with it clamped straight ahead
I whipped it back in & they recomended to have a full front/rear check which showed that it was was making the car crab & to compensate you had to steer lefthanded.
(it later turned out that the boss's wife had run over "something " on the road & brought it into the farm workshop where the lorry fitter removed a builders shovel that had gone up & around the drive shaft, jamming against the suspension rods & the floor pan!)
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