Subaru Forester - wheel alignment

[Bustedmattress]

Our 2001 Forester has just lunched its rear tyres after a mere 13 months. Brand new Bridgstones - to manufacturers spec. The wear is all on the outside rim of both tyres. I hadn't noticed this happening until it was too late unfortunately.

The wheels clearly need aligning. Subaru say they don't do wheel alignment - happy to sell us the tyres though.

Kwik Fit said they alignment is way out but the adjustment at the rear axle is locked solid. They have managed to adjust a bit but not enough. They are loathed to haul any more for fear of breaking something.

Does anyone know what my next move should be? An indy garage who can apply some heat. Go back to Subaru and get one of my kidneys on Ebay ready for the bill?

As you can tell my mechanical skills are somewhere between nil and agricultural (although I did replace the dynamo on my Healey but that was a one off) and any advice will be appreciated.

[stevieturbo]

Lots of bits all seized up can make adjustment awkward.

Maybe state where on planet earth you are then someone could recommend somewhere to take it to ?

But if too much is seized you could be looking to replace quite a few parts in order to make anything adjustable again. And labour to remove said seized parts, can be a slow tedious process.

[Bustedmattress]

Ah, the answer I feared. I am in the fair county of Staffordshire. Close to the county town of Stafford but Stoke, Newcastle-u-Lyme, Longton et al are all good.

[Mignon]

You don't say how long you have had the car and whether it was ok previously. Wheels don't go out of alignment that much usually unless there's been a shunt so maybe there's damage involved and not just a matter of seized adjusters. What you can do very simply though is have a squint down the line of the rear tyres and see if they are pointing at the fronts or if there's noticeable toe in or out or indeed unusual camber. They should be about parallel.

[Bustedmattress]

My Dad's had the car from new. I took it over 3 years ago - so 2nd owner. It is mint and has always been serviced by Subaru. Low mileage and cosseted. It is a lovely car by the way - slow, ponderous actually, relaxing to drive, not pretty but and incredibly capable 4x4 that you can drive all day without knowing about it.

There is no question of any damage or shunt. The wheels are very probably out of line due to the horrific pot holes are Stafford/Staffordshire. My Maserati has just broken its second spring on them in two years. I also blew out two near side tyres last year on something which I never saw in the dark but boy did I hear it when I went over. They are an absolute disgrace (the potholes not the tyres)

Kwik Fit said that they couldn't adjust alignment because of rust on the underside. Hence my question. Do I go to a small garage where a chap with a bit of heat can give it a go or bite on it and go back to Subaru and their amazingly expensive prices.

[Mignon]

"A bit of heat" is most unlikely to be what the car needs. Adjusting mechanisms like this subject to salt and wet get rusted up over time and the only likely long term cure will be a strip down, clean up and grease everything before reassembly. It should not be complex and no need to pay extortionate labour prices. You might want to consider a mobile mechanic for something like this. There are plenty about and I'd suggest they take a bit more pride in their work than the monkeys you get at the average garage who are insulated from their cock ups by being employees not proprietors. A mobile mechanic who messes up too often doesn't tend to stay in business. They don't have garage overheads so the labour rates can be more attractive. If you can find one with a Dunlop tracking gauge he'll be able to do the whole thing and align the wheels too.

[stevieturbo]

Mignon said:

"A bit of heat" is most unlikely to be what the car needs. Adjusting mechanisms like this subject to salt and wet get rusted up over time and the only likely long term cure will be a strip down, clean up and grease everything before reassembly. It should not be complex and no need to pay extortionate labour prices. You might want to consider a mobile mechanic for something like this. There are plenty about and I'd suggest they take a bit more pride in their work than the monkeys you get at the average garage who are insulated from their cock ups by being employees not proprietors. A mobile mechanic who messes up too often doesn't tend to stay in business. They don't have garage overheads so the labour rates can be more attractive. If you can find one with a Dunlop tracking gauge he'll be able to do the whole thing and align the wheels too.

Having done this on many Subarus....if it is a bad case, it is not something a mobile guy without a ramp is going to do. And if very bad, new parts will be required, from bolts, bushes and potentially a replacement hub depending how badly the long bolt is seized in, and yes heat can well be required.

But without seeing how bad this one is, impossible to say. The likes of Kwik fit are usually retards and if there's a hint of rust they wont even bother.
And for all the aforementioned reasons probably...it can turn into a big job if it is bad, and they'd be well out of their depth.

You really need to find somewhere familiar with Subarus, and who has good access to the parts required whether new or used.

Subaru dealers ? I'd usually place them alongside Kwikfit.

[Bustedmattress]

Thank you both that is really helpful. I have it booked in with an independent who I have used for 20 years with a preference for the 'older stuff'. The proprietor and his brother do the work so will give it a good go. Will let you know how I go on.

Dave

[Mignon]

That sounds like a good choice. We'll be interested to see how you get on. Too many people in here don't give us the end of the story after we spend our time giving them advice.

[stevieturbo]

Bustedmattress said:

Thank you both that is really helpful. I have it booked in with an independent who I have used for 20 years with a preference for the 'older stuff'. The proprietor and his brother do the work so will give it a good go. Will let you know how I go on.

Dave

In cases where it is really bad, often it can be easier to source a complete rear hub including the lower arms already attached that are not seized, and just cut off the old ones and swap it complete.

It shifts cost from hours of labour and then sourcing bushes/bolts etc to just swapping parts.

Bolts are Subaru specific on the lower arms to allow adjustment etc and there is some camber adjustment via the strut to hub bolts too, and you can get offset cam bolts to allow more if needed.

Worst case scenario you can buy lower arms that allow more adjustment if toe is miles out, but as long as the car is straight, there should be enough adjustment with what Subaru give you.

[Bustedmattress]

An update

Stevieturbo called it right - it couldn't be unsiezed and they need to cut the rear arms and re attach new parts. Quoted a day's work - £545 inc VAT and parts. Whilst not filled with joy that seems reasonable to me and the work is going ahead tomorrow.

I considered waving the car off as it has cost a bit of late (new exhaust which is a Subaru only part and well over a grand and separately a wheel bearing)but decided to go with this and have work done. The car drives like the day it was new and does a great job for us. I figured whatever we replaced it with was going to carry a cost so better the devil you know.

Will let you know how it turns out.

Dave