Wheel alignment not right.

thebloyn

thebloyn

thebloyn

Associate
Joined
21 Oct 2002
Posts
142
Location
Nottingham
I have an 04 Fabia VRS, the wheel alignment was bothering me so I took it to the place I usually use and trust and got it sorted, only it was still off, took it back again they rechecked and it was still off.

By off, if you straighten/centre the wheel the car drives to the right, slightly, you need the wheel at 11 o clock to go straight.
If you let go of the wheel when centered, the wheel will want to pull to the left past 11 o clock which drags the car to the left. Even on a road with no camber. (on a road with camber its all over the place)

I've had my alloys refurbed and new toyo proxies all round, and new console bushes as they were due anyway and I took it to a different alignment place and it seemed cured for a few days but now its out of whack again.

Any ideas, I was just going to put up with it but it is very annoying.
 
Take it back to the place that did the wheel alignment, it sounds like they've done the job HORRIBLY.
 
Find somewhere that offers full alignment checks on "Hunter" equipment.
I had my Octy vRS done at such a place about a year ago.
Took them just over an hour to do everything - but when I got the car back I knew the geometry was 100% correct.
 
do you have a photo of the car, taken from about 30ft away, so we can tell you if it's right.
 
Ive used 2 places in Nottingham, Ive used them before for past cars, including my old skodas and e46, and yes it was a hunter machine, and they are trustworthy. It been aligned 3 times now.
 
The OP probably only got the tracking done. Which is cheap because it assumes all other settings are correct apart from the steering arms... but it's not a proper job.

A proper geo will cost £100 upwards really.
 
I learned the same lesson when having cheap £19 tracking done on my Focus at my local tyre place, before I had the tyres done you had to position the steering wheel at 11 o'clock to get straight. But after the tracking when the tyres were done, I now have to position the steering wheel just about 1 o'clock to drive straight. There was another thread on here a while ago covering this & the more expensive but effective tracking available.

Liam
 
OK - keep on taking your cars to those "alignment centres" that don't use the Hunter equipment.
I'm sure they are doing a perfectly good job in the half an hour on their excellent equipment that professionals using Hunters equipment take over an hour to do.

I tell you what - just go to Quikfit - they'll do it for you, nice and straight!

I'm sorry but the Hunters equipment is very much regarded as the best out there.
They have full up to date information on the wheel geometry - many vehicles having this data updated since the release.

I'm pretty amazed that numerous people here believe the complete hype about "Shell V-Power" yet fail to believe that a particular brand of wheel alignment hardware is better than the rest.
 
I took a lowered Civic to a place recomended to me on the internet with "hunter" equipment and they tried to sell me £500 worth of camber arms which would rectify my problem (different problem to you I might add) the equipment might be good, doesnt mean they know how to use it and/or more simple equipment can be used to better effect by someone who knows what they are doing

Went to get a second opinion at a local garage and they sorted the problem for £30 with a simple laser alignment system

Find a reputable garage that deal with laser alignment, theres even mobile guys that come to you that deal with this stuff day in day out
 
I'd take it somewhere that has a computer based alignment system, preferably one of the 3D systems by Hunter or John Bean.

This takes all the human error out of the alignment, the system gives you a full read out of before and after settings. You're in Nottingham, which is lucky as you have one of the best on your doorstep -> http://www.alignment-services.co.uk/

They have a very high reputation, but you will be looking at £100 + to get it setup though, due to the cost of equipment and time taken.
 
There is nothing wrong with the laser alignment stuff - the problem is the operator and the method in which they use it.

Proper alignment rigs reduce the scope for user error and bad techniques.
 
What you really need is someone like Chris Franklin at Centre mavity to do it for you. 4hours+ and perfection the only solution. Yes it cost £159 but 4 years on the car still feels like its on rails.
 
As long as its four wheel alignment and the user know who to use the gear correctly then there will be no probs. No offence but some people working in these tyres places are quickly shown how to do things.
We got a good bit of kit in work but its a pain in the but to use and takes a fair while.
 
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