How much should tracking cost?

GlasgowTitan

GlasgowTitan

GlasgowTitan

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Joined
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Glasgow
If I wanted to stop my car from pulling the left when the steering wheel is centred, thats the tracking thats off right? So how much should this cost, I asked a guy in a local garage and he said £22.50. Is that a lot or about right?
 
The price seems about right, a couple of my local places charge £25. I need to get mine done too because I've just put some new track rod ends on it!
 
Ok so I went and paid my £22. No difference! The car still pulls to the left and I have to constantly keep the wheel off centered to the right to go in a staight line!

I did ask for the right thing right? Tracking doesn't only sort out the toe-in and camber stuff, it should also centre everything up?
 
Well I went into a National garage and asked for the tracking to get fixed. Paid my £22, on the reciept it says Wheel Alignment. However driving home the problem is just as bad as it was before.
 
Probably your wheel camber is off. Thats usually a bit more pricey to have done, i think £50 or more. Should solve it unless you have some damage somewhere. You can't go and claim your money back for it.
 
Basically I've paid £22 for nothing here, as far as I can tell nowt has been done, apart from the dude switching off my radio and putting the driver's window down. Surely it would have been common sense to put the steering wheel centred before starting? I'm going back to get it done right. :mad:

edit:
Just read the wee leaflet I got with the reciept. It says "we will check and re-adjust (if necessary) free of charge within 30 days."
 
Last edited:
GlasgowTitan said:
Basically I've paid £22 for nothing here, as far as I can tell nowt has been done, apart from the dude switching off my radio and putting the driver's window down. Surely it would have been common sense to put the steering wheel centred before starting? I'm going back to get it done right. :mad:
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It is common sense, the "dude" probably lacks this.
 
What does the car do when going along? If you let go of the wheel does it go wonky but the car go straight? or is the wheel straight and then the car pulls and turns the wheel?
 
milgo said:
What does the car do when going along? If you let go of the wheel does it go wonky but the car go straight? or is the wheel straight and then the car pulls and turns the wheel?
Click to expand...

If I just let it go the wheel will naturally return to the centered position, but in doing so I crash into trees/people/lamposts or whatever else may be on on my left hand side.
 
£20 or so seems to be about right for tracking these days.

Remember when it comes to camber, it is not adjustable on all cars - lots of people pay for the camber to be "adjusted" when it's physically impossible.

Laser tracking guages seem to be a lot better than the old dial ones but they are still used incorrectly by many garages. Always ask to check the car first, most garages worth dealing with will tell you to bring it back straight away to be re-adjusted if the tracking is still off.
 
£20 seemed cheap to me. I have paid a discount rate of £28 where my friend works, it is usually £35. Having watched their work, I realised it is quite complex work with 2 men and they doubled checked the laser devices on wheels, stings etc making sure everything is connected and set up correctly.

Anyway, for advice on tracking...check out fordmondeo.org forum - Geometry means nothing!

It is for Mondeo but the same can be applied to any cars as well.
 
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