InvisibleMan

simply what is tracking/balancing/alignment. The symptoms of each and expected price i will have to pay. Im sure the wheels are getting worn on the left and it also pulls to the left slightly but cant totally tell yet as they are new tyres.

InvisibleMan

no one? The problem is its a lease car & they wont pay it, even though i think it needs doing but they dont because it costs a lot. Well if they calculated the cost of new tyres ive needed im sure its less than checking the alignment...

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I'm gonna have a go at this, so if I get it wrong don't flame me, I've tried

Tracking costs about £20 and is when a laser thingy is used to make sure your wheels are straight, this would cause the tyres to get worn quickly on one side.

Balancing is when the tyre is put on the wheel, small weights are added if required to the wheel to make sure it is equally weighted, this is done at time of fittiing tyres. When you see them spinning it in the machine!


alignment is the steering wheel's tendency to return to dead center after a corner. Again about £30

highlander68k

http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

jods

From above website.
Quote
Set back is when one front wheel is set further back than the other wheel. With alignment equipment that measures toe by using only the front instruments, any setback will cause an uncentered steering wheel. Any good 4-wheel aligner will reference the rear wheels when setting toe in order to eliminate this problem.

Some good alignment equipment will measure set back and give you a reading in inches or millimeters. A set back of less than 1/4 inch is considered normal tolerance by some manufacturers. More than that and there is a good chance that something is bent.

End Quote

Question : I have just had all 4 wheels renewed, now when turning right there is a rubbing sound. Could it be that a wheel has been "Set Back" ??

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Simply, tracking is the amount of 'toe-in' or 'toe-out' the front wheels have. looking at the front of the car if the wheels slightly point towards each other then its toe-in, if they point away from each other its 'toe-out' but there is no way the correct toe-in can be 'seen', it needs to be measured. This can affect tyre wear but usually the wear would be the same for both sides (say both inner edges wearing quicker)

Balance is the rotational balance of the wheels and tyres. This is done when new tyres are fitted, hence thos little weights on your wheel rims. An out of balance wheel will not wear differently, but you would feel vibration through the steering wheel at certain speeds.

Alignment or geometry is to do with the wheels, taking into account camber, castor, etc. If you had a full alignment done it would take into account the tracking. Poor geometry will see uneven tyre wear too.

Also, car pulling to the left can be down to tramlining, the car just following the natural camber of the road. tyre wear on the left side could just be down to too many enthusiastically taken roundabouts.

A full geometry check should cost around £100 - £130, which should sort out the tyre wear, and also transform the handling of the car, if its out at the mo.

Shark Man

Most scoobs have incorrect alignment straight from the factory

odds on it will be out.

InvisibleMan

i'll read the above in a sec, thanks. im going to the garage shortly to get their view so basically its only tracking i can get them to check quickly. But £30 for 4-wheel alignment? Subaru dealers charge £120?..

InvisibleMan

thats great thanks, just didnt want to sound like a complete dumb-*** when i go there

me? you saying something about my cornering ive tried to take the camber into consideration when ive been trying to feel what its doing.

FLAT ERIC

iTrader: (1)

Price varies by how high tech the garage is.Computer/laser gear ain't cheap - bit of string & a ruler is.Subaru dealers are always dear.

The ESC took over Elite in Rainham for a Sunday & this was the work that was carried out on the day all at discount prices ...

46 Cars Had 4 Wheel laser alignment / Cambers adjusted.

12 Cars had new tyres fitted all round.

8 Cars had Eibach springs fitted all round.













As you can see by the stuff bolted to my black WRX it was not the string & ruler method.

And the computer screens show what needs adjusting & by how much.Green is ok - red needs tweaking.

CLICK for Wheel alignment stuff

Mark

InvisibleMan

now i know thanks

apart from subaru who else can do it around the south bucks area, im trying to search the net for one in slough that could do it but cant find the name...

FLAT ERIC

iTrader: (1)

I don't personally know the area so don't know if these are recommended by locals or not, but this came up from my search for near Slough :-



Maidenhead Tyres and Exhausts

59 Grenfell Road
Maidenhead
Berks
SL6 1ES
Tel: (01628) 621737

Laser 4 Wheel Alignment

We offer laser 4 wheel alignment at out Maidenhead Branch.
We have invested in advanced computer and laser equipment to check the alignment of your vehicle and correct any problems. We can also provide you with a computer printout to show the individual measurements for your vehicle.

http://www.maidenheadtyres.co.uk/index.html

Mark