wheel alignment

[SilverSaloon]

hi

took my car to MB for a four wheel alignment check.

i find the car tends to pull slightly to the left & the steering wheel is crooked (to the left, not dead straight) when u are going straight (ie motorway, flat road, no camber).

they said they took the car out on a test drive and said apart from the normal camber of the road, the car doesnt pull to the left.

should i bother getting the alignment check done anyway, just to be sure. the tyres are all OK... service manager reckons it may be because of the 17" wheels.

 

[sym]

Yes - definite alignment check.

There is a tendency to follow the camber of the road, yes, and you will be told that its a "feature" rather than a "fault", but with some careful tweaking they can improve severe cases of "cambering" as I now like to call it !

S.

 

[SilverSaloon]

ok i told them to do the alignment check anyway (hopefully they will do it properly and not think "it was ok when we took it out so i am not going to do it properly").

the garage i bought the car from is paying for this anyway & they have ordered new fuel senders so i'll have to go back there in a couple of weeks to get the fuel sender sorted.

 

[silverclk230]

I had a 4 wheel alignment done recently by Andy Gayle (99 clk) as I wanted it checked because I had just fitted 4 new wheels & tyres (17"). However mine didn`t pull before alignment was done. They adjusted both F & R (had to fit adjusting bolts at front) but its made huge improvement to feel of car (although I did have a ball joint & steering damper done at same time). I was presented with computer printout of settings before & after to show all is now within spec. Its got to be money well spent compared to premature replacement of tyres if camber is out.
Upgrading from 16" to 17" wheels = no differennce.
If steering wheel is "crooked" isn`t it just a case of removing it and moving it on its splines so it sits correctly when cars in a straight line?

 

[SilverSaloon]

I had a 4 wheel alignment done recently by Andy Gayle (99 clk) as I wanted it checked because I had just fitted 4 new wheels & tyres (17"). However mine didn`t pull before alignment was done. They adjusted both F & R (had to fit adjusting bolts at front) but its made huge improvement to feel of car (although I did have a ball joint & steering damper done at same time). I was presented with computer printout of settings before & after to show all is now within spec. Its got to be money well spent compared to premature replacement of tyres if camber is out.
Upgrading from 16" to 17" wheels = no differennce.
If steering wheel is "crooked" isn`t it just a case of removing it and moving it on its splines so it sits correctly when cars in a straight line?

driving home from the garage, the car does seem better. if the wheel is still crooked, its coming off in a few weeks to fit a new steering wheel so i'll make sure its straight then

 

[Tan]

BTW, how much do the dealers charge for the alignment? i guna have mine checked, last time MB quoted it was horrendous so was guna take to Elite Tyres in Essex. They did my mates boxster and did a fairly good job

 

[silverclk230]

At Andy Gayles its £63.75 + VAT

 

[R2D2]

STS in rainham £19! using laser setting.

 

[silverclk230]

They do all four wheels and adjust
camber
toe in/out
castor
ball point location
geometrical driving axis
track differential angle
setback
all of which had some adjustment done, as I have before & after computer printouts given to me after work done. All are now within spec.

 

[SilverSaloon]

STS in rainham £19! using laser setting.

they told me on the phone its standard charge of £80 for a 4 wheel alignment.

garage i bought the car from paid for it so i never saw an invoice. car seems a bit better but not much. i think the CLK just has a bit vague steering

 

[Ian B Walker]

Cough Mercedes Preston want £175 + VAT to do a camber check and adjustment. Looking for a cheaper alternative before having to replace tyres (225/50/16). Help appreciated.

 

[lookskyward1]

I took my last car, a Honda Aerodeck to Kwik Fit, they checked all alingments previously mentioned. They found no adjustment necessary so didn't charge me.

My son had his car checked there with ajustments made charge was about £30 and gave a warrranty for 30 days. Within that time my son took the car back to a different Kwik Fit outlet(just to be sure), didn't mention that they had already done it a few weeks earlier. They told him it was in spec. and again he wasn't charged.

I know Kwik Fit has a bit of a dodgey reputation but I cannot fault them with their service here.