Trackings out?

[Jordy12397]

My tracking is slightly out on my car when I straighten the wheel it pulls slightly to the left, when coming to buy new tyres will it need tracking again? I’ve just been to Kwik Fit and they quoted 60 quid now I really don’t want to go there can anyone recommend a place to go and when buying new tyres will it need it again

[996TT02]

Tracking (wheel alignment) nothing to do with tyres, but certain types of misalignment will destroy tyres very rapidly indeed. Get to the bottom of the pulling issue - may not be a tracking (toe setting) issue per se indeed likely not, possibly either damage to a suspension component (bent) or worn bushings. If you pay for wheel alignment when something else is "broken" you are wasting your money. That done, get the new tyres fitted and an alignment done. (or vice versa makes no difference)

[Jordy12397]

996TT02 said:

Tracking (wheel alignment) nothing to do with tyres, but certain types of misalignment will destroy tyres very rapidly indeed. Get to the bottom of the pulling issue - may not be a tracking (toe setting) issue per se indeed likely not, possibly either damage to a suspension component (bent) or worn bushings. If you pay for wheel alignment when something else is "broken" you are wasting your money. That done, get the new tyres fitted and an alignment done. (or vice versa makes no difference)

I had a 66 plate corsa and had 2 new tyres on the front and after that it was pulling to the left, I picked up my Audi A4 65 plate and that’s doing the same, the tread on all tyres are good, where should I go to get it checked

[eybic]

Does it do it all the time? Are you testing it on the same road as the Corsa? Make sure the road is perfectly straight/ level otherwise you'll get skewed results.

[Dodsy]

4 wheel geometry check on a hunter machine is what you need , my local tyre place give you a free check and print out , they only charge if you then adk them to fix any issues highlighted and then the charge £60 .

Tracking will take any garage a fewminutes at most so £60 is very steep , it should be about £20!

[Jordy12397]

eybic said:

Does it do it all the time? Are you testing it on the same road as the Corsa? Make sure the road is perfectly straight/ level otherwise you'll get skewed results.

When on a motorway the steering wheel is slighty to the right, then when I straighten it up the car pulls the left same with the corsa on any straight road you can tell

[Jordy12397]

Dodsy said:

4 wheel geometry check on a hunter machine is what you need , my local tyre place give you a free check and print out , they only charge if you then adk them to fix any issues highlighted and then the charge £60 .

Tracking will take any garage a fewminutes at most so £60 is very steep , it should be about £20!

If this is the case when coming to replace the tyres will it need doing again?

[eybic]

No, it only needs to be adjusted if a knock/ pot hole etc. takes it out of adjustment again. It's not a periodic thing, only when it needs doing.

[Jordy12397]

eybic said:

No, it only needs to be adjusted if a knock/ pot hole etc. takes it out of adjustment again. It's not a periodic thing, only when it needs doing.

Anywhere other than Kwik Fit? there customer service is the worse and should be shut down I went to 3 kwik fits a phew weeks ago in my corsa 2 depots refused to do my puncture as it was nearly home time and the last one who kindly offered to do it 5 minutes before closing damaged my alloy

[t400ble]

Where in the world do you live?

[eybic]

Any tyre place can do tracking but what you need is 4 wheel alignment, this is a little bit more specialised than just tracking. Not sure if they're in your area but people like protyre, national, halfords autocare etc. etc. Google 4 wheel alignment in your area and see what come us.

[t400ble]

Jordy12397 said:

My tracking is slightly out on my car when I straighten the wheel it pulls slightly to the left, when coming to buy new tyres will it need tracking again? I’ve just been to Kwik Fit and they quoted 60 quid now I really don’t want to go there can anyone recommend a place to go and when buying new tyres will it need it again

After they damaged your wheel?

[Jordy12397]

I’ve just been to Kwik Fit and this is the print out they sorted all the tyre pressure out and they said everything’s okay it’s still very slighty out anyone know what it could be?

[Mignon]

eybic said:

Any tyre place can do tracking but what you need is 4 wheel alignment, this is a little bit more specialised than just tracking. Not sure if they're in your area but people like protyre, national, halfords autocare etc. etc. Google 4 wheel alignment in your area and see what come us.

4 wheel alignment is absolutely pointless for most cars with non adjustable rear wheels. It achieves nothing that a good old fashioned Dunlop tracking guage can do.

[227bhp]

Mignon said:

eybic said:

Any tyre place can do tracking but what you need is 4 wheel alignment, this is a little bit more specialised than just tracking. Not sure if they're in your area but people like protyre, national, halfords autocare etc. etc. Google 4 wheel alignment in your area and see what come us.

4 wheel alignment is absolutely pointless for most cars with non adjustable rear wheels. It achieves nothing that a good old fashioned Dunlop tracking guage can do.

What's more if it's pulling to one side it isn't the tracking that's out. The rears are non adjustable and if the front toe is out it self centres anyhow and still runs in a straight line.

[E-bmw]

In real terms I think the OP means his wheel isn't centred.

[Jordy12397]

E-bmw said:

In real terms I think the OP means his wheel isn't centred.

How would I get this sorted?

[Mignon]

Jordy12397 said:

How would I get this sorted?

It's pretty f**king basic. You adjust both track rod ends until the wheels are parallel (or whatever toein/out) AND the steering wheel is at 12 o'clock.

[stevieturbo]

Mignon said:

4 wheel alignment is absolutely pointless for most cars with non adjustable rear wheels. It achieves nothing that a good old fashioned Dunlop tracking guage can do.

Not really.

Whilst most cars may not be able to adjust anything ( and this assumes the operator is competent enough to make any adjustments )....a full 4 wheel alignment can show if the vehicle or parts are bent fking stupid.

Simply doing tracking on the front will not tell you that

However, it seems strange the need for the OP to ask what the sheet means.....when he paid someone for that sheet who should be able to provide those answers lol. Even more so as they also had a visual on the car to see if there were any other issues whilst doing the job

[GreenV8S]

stevieturbo said:

However, it seems strange the need for the OP to ask what the sheet means.....when he paid someone for that sheet who should be able to provide those answers lol.

I wouldn't count on a tyre fitter understanding suspension geometry and how it relates to handling. Even if they do understand, there's no incentive for them to explain anything, and it's in their interest for the punter to be left in the dark. There seems to be a universal rule that the alignment check is free and will always indicate some fault, real or invented, which justifies an alignment adjustment. And of course the adjustment is never free.