W204 wheel alignment woes at Kw**fit

[OneForTheRoad]

several people have been kind enough to tell me that, but that's not what we're talking about here is it? Never mind the fact that after getting them fitted it didn't pull, that started after alignment! and never mind the fact various garages and mechanics have told me it's not a big deal.

Nevermind eh.

 

[hebdenwill]

Nevermind eh.

I appreciate your contribution and assume you weren't trying to derail the convo, but I've actually had this tyre combo on in snow recently, and it drove beautifully. Couldn't make it slide unless I really tried (on a safe, quiet business estate where I work) and even then that was at worse angle + speed than I'd expected. In addition to this I've done about 1.5k miles on this setup, some of it in heavy rain on the motorway, and apart from pulling left I couldn't have faulted it once.

Still, it didn't cling anywhere near as well in the snow as the Renault Trafic I used to drive in Morzine with winter tyres all round...up to Avoriaz in thick snow with no chains, squeaky bum time indeed!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

I appreciate your contribution and assume you weren't trying to derail the convo, but I've actually had this tyre combo on in snow recently, and it drove beautifully. Couldn't make it slide unless I really tried (on a safe, quiet business estate where I work) and even then that was at worse angle + speed than I'd expected. In addition to this I've done about 1.5k miles on this setup, some of it in heavy rain on the motorway, and apart from pulling left I couldn't have faulted it once.

Still, it didn't cling anywhere near as well in the snow as the Renault Trafic I used to drive in Morzine with winter tyres all round...up to Avoriaz in thick snow with no chains, squeaky bum time indeed!

All I can say is you are the author of your own misfortune by using Kwik fit. I once went to tyre spot with hunter equipment and tbh the operator was simply moving things to get from red to green. When I mentioned camber bolts , he didn't have a fkn clue what I was on about. From now on I'd pay over the odds and use a mb dealer for any suspension/ alignment work.

Id also inform your insurance that your running on mixed tyres . It's a modification from standard .

 

[hebdenwill]

All I can say is you are the author of your own misfortune by using Kwik fit. I once went to tyre spot with hunter equipment and tbh the operator was simply moving things to get from red to green. When I mentioned camber bolts , he didn't have a fkn clue what I was on about. From now on I'd pay over the odds and use a mb dealer for any suspension/ alignment work.

Id also inform your insurance that your running on mixed tyres . It's a modification from standard .

yeah, fair point, I won't be using them again. I was hoping the pros would get it back to how it was first time, but I'll give them another chance and update the thread if I get some good news.

Re mixed tyres and insurance I'll take the risk, not that I see it as such. Many threads online discussing this point

 

[Smiley]

What brand are the tyres?
I bought an MB years ago and that pulled to the left to an annoying degree. I had the alignment done twice; no joy. After I replaced the cheap (but hardly worn) tyres that the car came with for some Michelins it was fixed - drove perfectly straight. .

 

[hebdenwill]

What brand are the tyres?
I bought an MB years ago and that pulled to the left to an annoying degree. I had the alignment done twice; no joy. After I replaced the cheap (but hardly worn) tyres that the car came with for some Michelins it was fixed - drove perfectly straight. .

The fronts are called RoadX, but I did have the Falken all seasons on there at first as the fronts needed replacing second. However the pull didn't start after replacing the tyres, it reared its head after alignment. It drove fine with old worn bridgestones as well

 

[zipdip]

Well I have never used Kwik fit ,but in defence of this type outfit,I used Formula 1 for a tracking issue they have Hunter equipment and did a great job.

 

[BlackC55]

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linked is a very poorly filmed video showing how much it pulls without steering input.

That drift is not too bad. It could just be the camber of the road but its difficult to tell. Have you had all your suspension checked front and rear for wear and play? What make tyres do you have? The make and tread pattern play a part in how the car feels and the drifting. Get it checked by someone that knows these cars well.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Bit of a gamble fitting decent tyres for you now if the edges are running off . Roadx are cheap Chinese ditch finders . Not ideal on a car with issues tbh.

 

[StMarks]

oh yeah don't get me wrong, I've read all the way through that - the fella from WIM states repeatedly that excessive left pull with camber can be sorted. It must be fixable, as (as I've kept repeating) my car did not used to do it until I had KwikFit do the alignment. I don't have the slotted bolts either, so while I'm willing to splash out on them to fix the issue, I don't feel that it should be necessary!

several people have been kind enough to tell me that, but that's not what we're talking about here is it? Never mind the fact that after getting them fitted it didn't pull, that started after alignment! and never mind the fact various garages and mechanics have told me it's not a big deal....

Reading your thread, it strikes me that there may be a plausible explanation.:
As has been mentioned numerous time, the "left pull" is a known characteristics of these vehicles handling. However many owners find it disconcerting, and take steps to prevent it (as also explained above).

Could it be that a previous owner of your car had the alignment altered, in order to prevent this "left pull", and then when yo took it to Kwik Fit to set the alignment up "correctly" they did precisely that.?
By returning the settings to the "specified correct ones" they thereby reinstalled that left pull characteristic.?

Just a thought, hth.

 

[BlackC55]

Reading your thread, it strikes me that there may be a plausible explanation.:
As has been mentioned numerous time, the "left pull" is a known characteristics of these vehicles handling. However many owners find it disconcerting, and take steps to prevent it (as also explained above).

Could it be that a previous owner of your car had the alignment altered, in order to prevent this "left pull", and then when yo took it to Kwik Fit to set the alignment up "correctly" they did precisely that.?
By returning the settings to the "specified correct ones" they thereby reinstalled that left pull characteristic.?

Just a thought, hth.

I like this idea.

 

[hebdenwill]

That drift is not too bad. It could just be the camber of the road but its difficult to tell. Have you had all your suspension checked front and rear for wear and play? What make tyres do you have? The make and tread pattern play a part in how the car feels and the drifting. Get it checked by someone that knows these cars well.

I'm sure it's not as bad as some, but I have to disagree - it's bad for me, it requires constant steering effort, and it didn't happen before. It's massively detracting from the pleasure of owning the car and it needn't be. Funnily enough it seems to be worse at low speeds, moving along in traffic at idle you can see the steering wheel turning itself left. FYI on that section of road the camber is fairly light.

Suspension all same as before I had the first alignment done (also just had an MOT), KwikFit checked it and couldn't find any substantial wear - which I expected them to as it would have 'got them off the hook'. Tyres are standard tread RoadX, the pull didn't start after fitting them anyway so I'm very confident it isn't tyre related.

And as for taking it to someone that knows these cars well, I have indeed taken it to someone recommended on this forum.

Reading your thread, it strikes me that there may be a plausible explanation.:
As has been mentioned numerous time, the "left pull" is a known characteristics of these vehicles handling. However many owners find it disconcerting, and take steps to prevent it (as also explained above).

Could it be that a previous owner of your car had the alignment altered, in order to prevent this "left pull", and then when yo took it to Kwik Fit to set the alignment up "correctly" they did precisely that.?
By returning the settings to the "specified correct ones" they thereby reinstalled that left pull characteristic.?

Just a thought, hth.

and yep StMarks, I think you may well be onto something. I've been thinking that may have happened at some point in the past, hopefully I can get someone to emulate it! I'll report back if I get somewhere

as an extra point, I switched front left wheel to right and vice versa tonight (thank god for that handy jack pad under the engine, excellent design) to test if one of the tyres was causing the pull. it made zero difference as I suspected. But good to rule it out.

As ever thanks to everyone trying to help out, I do appreciate it