Recommended tracking centre (Birmingham)

[SSBB]

I had the tracking done on my car four times in about three months by different tyre centres (previous threads)
Merc wanted well over £100.
Members recommended BMTR in Birmingham at £90 but before I got there a guy who overheard my conversation recommended Tyres R Us, Brookvale trading estate, Moor lane, Erdington, Birmingham.

I had the car done last Saturday and its now perfect. So much so it feels like a different car. A full diagnostic colour coded computer printout is provided...and the cost.....£20 including the vat, I kid you not, £20
Had the wheels balanced as well at £5 each (three of them were out of balance)

Highly recommended.

 

[Zubenubi999]

Thanks to SSBB. I'd tried National, ATS & Kwik Fit but all to no avail "it's a specialist job that only Mercedes can do". I also checked with Birmingham Mercedes who said it was 2 hours to diagnose and then 1 hour to fix. So roughly £270!!!
Spoke to Tyres R Us in Brum who said they had the correct gear and do Mercs (properly) all day long.

 

[Adam230K]

Wish i knew a good tracking centre like that nearer heathrow... I'm having tracking problems even after kwik stole 40 quid from me..

 

[Rory]

A full diagnostic colour coded computer printout is provided...and the cost.....£20 including the vat, I kid you not, £20

Blimey! Was this just tracking, or a full laser alignment job? How long did it take?

 

[punjabi]

^^
Kwik-Fit! Blimey! I even make a concerted effort to avoid driving near them let alone let them near my cars!

 

[rajinder_1]

i think its silverline are based in warwick also do the full works but theya re pricey i think about £20 for each wheel adjusted approx....

but they have the subaru contract and do ethe full allighnment for the 4x4 subuarus, i have used them in the past and think the c class neds to be done again
If the place in brum do the 4 wheel alignment then thats a bargin but i very much doubt it for £20

Raj

 

[Zubenubi999]

I took my car in yesterday to Tyres R Us.They did the tracking in about 20 minutes and gave me a full colour coded prinout showing the alignment before and after. I'm guessing they used a laser system but did tell me that their's was a v.expnsive bit of kit. I asked for the wheels to be balanced as well but they said it would be better to do this once the tyres had bedded themselves back down (or somthing like that).
Price has gone up to a staggering £25 and has been money very well spent. It has cured my vibration and noise @ 60mph+. They said that was due to the wheels toeing out?
So, it is worth the trip to get them to do it. They don't try and rip you off (hence not wanting my money for the balancing - how many tyre dealers would do that). In addition the fitters themselves were very knowledgable and friendly (never seen that before, just 1 grunt for yes and 2 for no).
I'm very lucky in only living 15 miles away but would recommed the trip. No the garage is nothing special. It's actually under the M6 in a small industrial unit.

 

[vijilants]

Sounds like a real bargain and a good job done !!!! Shame they arn't open on Sundays or else could have done it on the way to the meet at Mercland

Wish there were places like that in South London

 

[Number_Cruncher]

While it doesn't have flashing lights or lasers, I can highly recomend a device called a trakrite. It enables a quick check to be made of the tracking without requiring much effort or skill. Excellent value for money IMO. (I have no connection, other than being happy with mine)

 

[Inkyskin]

This info is great I asked my local tyre place to look at mine, and they declined - they said they could never get it right on mercs! I guess they don't have sensitive enough equipment or something.

 

[sidmon]

I know Tyres R us well but are they able to complete proper 4 wheel alignment (i.e. the type previously mentioned at BMTR and Chemix). So if they needed to replace bolts to adjust they are able to do it.....remember the old equipment to do four wheel alignment is not really applicable to any modernish Merc. From what I've read the equipment required takes a picture of the suspension setup then works out how far out to manufacturers specification it is, then the operator adjusts accordingly. By the way I'm so interested as I was about to book mine in at Chemix in halesowen for Friday due to unever reat tyre wear but Tyres R Us are much nearer to me!

 

[c240yaz]

What is so specialised a job in doing the front wheel alignment on an MB compared to any other car ?

 

[Ian B Walker]

What is so specialised a job in doing the front wheel alignment on an MB compared to any other car ?

Its not just toe in and toe out its castor angles too. That requires the front or rear of the car to be weighted.

 

[c240yaz]

I always thought that standard front wheel alignment only needed the track rod end threads adjusted to align the toe in / out ?

Rears is a basic true forward positioning ?

 

[sym]

Tyre Sales .. Hall Green .. corner of Stratford Road and School Road - very friendly chap called Simon

£25

4 wheel laser alignment .. make sure they leave the engine running while they do the adjustment though ... doesn't work otherwise ! 2nd attempt with engine running left it perfectly aligned, and has been spot on for the past 3 months, despite me driving up a kerb the other night and practically destroying a wheel !

I'm sure their equipment is not as advanced as what MB use, but it seemed to do the job just fine !


S.

 

[c240yaz]

Tyre Sales .. Hall Green .. corner of Stratford Road and School Road - very friendly chap called Simon

£25

4 wheel laser alignment .. make sure they leave the engine running while they do the adjustment though ... doesn't work otherwise ! 2nd attempt with engine running left it perfectly aligned, and has been spot on for the past 3 months, despite me driving up a kerb the other night and practically destroying a wheel !

I'm sure their equipment is not as advanced as what MB use, but it seemed to do the job just fine !


S.

How on earth can having the engine running, make a difference to getting your wheel alignment done. You got me.

 

[sym]

How on earth can having the engine running, make a difference to getting your wheel alignment done. You got me.

No idea ... they couldn't suss it out either ... but put it down to something in the steering box ... could be complete nonsense and they just messed it up the first time around, of course !

 

[c240yaz]

No idea ... they couldn't suss it out either ... but put it down to something in the steering box ... could be complete nonsense and they just messed it up the first time around, of course !

Steeing box has nothing to do with adjusting the track rod ends.

This is a manual job which requires no engine or steering box involvement. I have done this operation many times, on many vehicles, on ramps. If the engine was running, I woud see this to an annoying factor.

 

[wheels-inmotion]

Having the engine running purges the power-steering, taking play out of the measurement.

This is only necessary it the company don't have a "spreader rod", (a sprung loaded) rod that pushes the wheels apart.

 

[sidmon]

Got my alignment done today at Tyres R Us. It's not a particularly state of the art machine (just a laser type one, not the modern photograph ones). Only cost £15 and the car no longer meanders to the one side. They found it toeing out on the side I changed the balljoint on but couldn't find anything wrong with the rears though and thats where I've had an uneven tyre wear issue. So if you guys were hoping for all singing all dancing state of the art alignment technology you'll be sadly disappointed, however if all you want is a cheap and quick alignment due to a front alignment/wandering issue then they're perfect.