I need to get my tracking done due to a nasty accident with the kerb but I am amazed to find most places are charging £30 or so. Is there anyway this can be done DIY by a sort of trial and error method?
I thought it only took 5-10 minutes so £30 seems very very steep.
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There's more to it than you might think Rattle. If it's done properly the camber of the wheels is measured as well as the toe, which is quite difficult on a DIY basis. If you have clouted a kerb hard and the steering feels different, you may have bent more than the radius arm (including the wheel).
It's worth bearing in mind too that all the high-tech equipment in the world won't enable a mentally challenged chimp to do the tracking on a car. You need to look at and listen to the individual as well as staring wide-eyed at the equipment.
Edited by Lud on 07/12/2009 at 17:59
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The gauges are expensive so that is the cost here in leeds it's £25.00.
There is gauges you can buy yourself but id rather know a lazer equipment is spot on than 2x pieces of wood and a bit of string tyres are expensive enough.!
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Can you feel any effect as a result of your kerb incident ? Pulling left or right for EG? It may not have harmed it at all. I think some places will check it for free, it's only if you decide to have it adjusted when they charge you.
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No, thats about the right price from my experience. It's definitely not a job that can be guessed or carried out without proper tracking equipment. Dont forget that decent tracking gear wont have been cheap for them to buy and they need to recover the cost of it. How hard did you hit the kerb and is it now pulling to one side ?
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My local indie does it for £18 and does it well. Any more and you have been mugged.
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Dont forget that decent tracking gear wont have been cheap for them to buy and they need to recover the cost of it.
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At the place I go to - one of the guys manning the laser tracking bay said it was IIRC £800 for the training course.
I am happy to pay £30 for a four wheel tracking check and adjust.
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If the steering wheel is still centred the chances are the tracking is still ok
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If the steering wheel is still centred the chances are the tracking is still ok
No not always had a car from new wheel in centre tyres worn out on inner edges think it left the factory that way but difficult to prove.
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Cost of having steering tracked and peace of mind.... £30
Cost of replacement tyre due to tracking being out...... probably more than £30
Cost of bandwidth to HJ website caused by Rattle worrying about it...... priceless!
Sorry Rattle, only joking; if it was a fairly major kerbing then it's £30 well spent because they'll be able to look at your tyre and rim in more detail as well.
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You see Rattle, we do love you really ;-)
I would say that if the steering isn't pulling to one side (drive at 30mph on a flat, not heavily cambered road and let go of the steering wheel briefly) then your tracking won't have been affected.
I agree with the above posters who said that tracking checks are generally free, it's the adjustment that costs. I'm sure someone will be along in a minute with the correct toe-in figure for the Corsa so you can stand next to the tyre bay guy and make sure he's not feeding you a line when he checks it for you. IMO if it gives you peace of mind then it's worth getting it checked.
Dave.
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It was actually a short while ago it happened but been busy but with my dad in hospital I am now driving a lot more (25 miles a day instead of 5-10) so I am noticing it more. The steering wheel is about 1.5cm to right when driving straight it I went on a very wide but empty road and took my hands of the wheel the road has no real camber and you can feel it pulling a bit.
Put it this way it feels fine in the city but I would not want to go on the motorway with it like this so I will get it done.
I have no idea where to take it because my experience with fast fit centres although they do have some good staff a lot of them are type of 17 year olds that would put my head down the toilet! and who's customer service experience extends to "yeah mate what do you want".
My dad took his car some where when he needed a tyre a year ago and asked for tracking they told him it didn't need doing so I will take it there, think it was Event but will double check.
Hayley man although yes I make a lot of posts, I like to think the replies help other people too who might just be lurking.
Edited by Rattle on 07/12/2009 at 20:27
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When I bought a pair of new front tyres a couple of months ago I said, when asked, that I would have the tracking adjusted a bit later after things had "settled down" after the tyres had been fitted. However, I've had a free tracking check when I've bought tyres from this place before, so I said that I'd have a tracking check and, if necessary, have the adjustment done later.
Imagine my surprise when I was told "Oh, we don't give free tracking checks anymore, a check now costs £6.00, which is cancelled if you have the adjustment carried out at the same time!" The wanted £30.00 for adjustment, which is the same figure I had paid on a previous visit. This is, by the way, only two wheel tracking, not four. I think four costs £50.00!
I told them not to bother on both counts. The new tyres are wearing perfectly evenly and square, so clearly no tracking adjustment was required.
I'm pleased that I kept my money in my pocket. These people are very greedy; you buy a pair of tyres from them for £260 and they won't even give you a free tracking check!
I think I'll vote with my feet next time I'm in the market for tyres.
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If you kerbed it, I would've thought it's more important to check the tyres for damage!
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I have to say Rattle that I am shocked and surprised you haven't found, with Ted's help, an indy you can at least trust provisionally and who is properly equipped, or (just as good so long as they are) knows someone to do anything he can't do.
What have you been doing all this time? Concentrate, boy!
(Sorry Rattolo. It's an age thing. Just slipped out. Respect).
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>>I have no idea where to take it
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Try Google for makers of laser tracking kit.
They will then have a list of local users.
The place I go to has two dedicated bays for tracking only.
(www.felthamtyre.co.uk/alignment.html) I know it is out of your area
They use Hunter equipment.
www.hunter.com/PUB/product/ALIGNMENTSYSTEMS/index....m
www.pro-align.co.uk/products/wheelaligners/pswheel...m
Ask them for local sites.
www.alignmycar.co.uk/ has a search facility and maybe 5% off.
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If the steering wheel is still centred the chances are the tracking is still ok No not always had a car from new wheel in centre tyres worn out on inner edges think it left the factory that way but difficult to prove.
I stand by my original post, rattle knows the car pre and post accident, if the steering wheel remains in the same position its unlikely to have caused damage.
Your wasn't set up properly in the first place, you had no before / after comparison
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Just bare in mind that a visist to a consultant these days ( usually 10-20 mins) £500 !!!!!
Hi tech equipment? not normally. Years of training Yes. Too expensive YES YES YES so I don't think your tracking at £30 is any thing to be moaned at!
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My local independent tyre dealer charged me £17 to do the tracking. The fitter spent the best part of an hour getting it right - he had to take the wheel off every time to get the camber (or was it the caster?) right. Towards the end of the hour he was getting concerned that he might have to charge me another £17 for the next hour. Quite honestly I thought it would have been cheap at twice the price.
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If they spent that much time on it its well worth it, but I am just concerned they just rush these things. I would want to watch to ensure they are doing it. With mine though it is obviously out so they can't lie. Also I don't think there is any damage because the handeling feels the same and there is no unusual noises. I did get a rattle after the little accident but it turned out to be stuff which dislogded in the glove box.
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Rattle if your steering wheel is now 1.5cm out of line when you driving in a straight line since you wacked the kerb and it is now pulling one way then i really would advise you to get the car checked out asap, as you may have done more than just knocked the tracking out, you could have bent the track rod end for example, and as somebody has already said there could be damage to the tyre wall that you may not even be able to see.
Edited by andyp on 08/12/2009 at 16:33
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I drove over the kerb rather wack it, I misjudged it and was going a little quicker than i thought :( I've given the tyre a good check it I can't see any damage, I've not lost any air either how would anybody else inspect the tyre? Even good brand tyres are so cheap for my car it will probably cost more to inspect/repair than a new one would.
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I need to replace a ditch finder anyway, got the price down to £65.00 for a Contentental Eco contact and tracking for £65.00 all in. Sounds pretty good the downside its Kwikfit. My last experience of them was when they fitted my dads Exhaust for about £60 18 months ago. 18 months later its still working fine despite the initial impressions of what have I just walked into :).
PS what the hell is Nitrogen filled tyres?
Edited by Webmaster on 10/12/2009 at 01:02
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PS what the hell is Nitrogen filled tyres?
Supposed to reduce pressure loss over time compared with conventional compressed air.
In my experience, not worth the extra cost. The tyre fitter talked SWMBO into it when she had new boots put on the Scenic. Made no appreciable difference. But you do get nice green dust caps for the tyre valve. :-)
The AA don't see the benefits either.
www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/filling-tyres...l
Edited by DP on 08/12/2009 at 16:55
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Get your wallet ready for the buckled wheel, bent bottom arm, worn steering rack and get the tracking done, you might have to sell the computer to pay for it but still worth it.!!
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I would be surprised if that much damage was done, with the amount of pot holes round here it would mean 80% of cars need a new steering rack! If my car does need a new steering rack its pretty much scrap.
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I did a similar thing when i was trying to find a hotel in Birmingham, it was dark and raining and as i was looking for this hotel i didn't notice that the road narrowed and i drove over the kerb. There was no visible signs of damage to the tyre, but about 3 miles further down the road the sidewall blew out, fortunately i was only doing about 30 mph !
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Its a fairly new tyre but of unkown quality (Cooper) maybe then for the sake of £40 its best just to get two new Contententals? Its just more money all the time :( though this is my fault.
My mate drove his for 1000's of miles pulling violently to the left, mine is very subtle and only noticable and very long straight roads.
I only ever do 30mph city driving anyway if I did a lot of motorway driving I would have got this sorted quicker, but with everything else going on it got left.
Edited by Rattle on 08/12/2009 at 16:53
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