Tracking Troubleshooting

[rayroper]

My calibra was way off on tracking after putting all new front suspension on. Its had New bottom arms, new ARB Bushes and links, new track rod ends, new topmount bushes etc.

So I went to get it tracked yesterday and it was way out on the lasers, something like -10 on the one side and +/-6 on the other side, the car was fine on straights but scrubbed bad on slow corners.

The guy set it to 0 on both sides then looked at the lasers on the back, the numbers added up to 9.2 so he halfed that and that makes 4.6. So he then set the lasers to 4.6 on each of the guages on the rear wheels. Which then made the front wheels -1.5/+1.5 = 0

The steering wheel was clamped straight and it looked OK. As soon as I took it off the ramps the steering wheel was off center, it was i'd say at 60 Degrees (like as if you were turning right) when I'm driving straight.

When I first got the car before the new components went on tracking was perfect, straight steering wheel etc, so I know its not a case of someones taken the wheel off and put it back on in the past.

I know the guys and I paid £25, The guy said its normal for this to happen cause it was so far out the first time and I'm now having to take it back Friday and pay £15 for it to be done again.

Did he do it right and has anyone elses steering been so far off when tracking before?

Just to note, the car pulls a little to the left now on the motorway too (which it never did before yesterday even with the tracking so far off) but it does not scrub when turning slow corners.

[lee303]

i wouldn’t be paying to have it done again, he hasn’t adjusted it right or the wheel would be in the centre, he’s adjusted it the lazy way rather than keeping the rack centred, if it was miles out to start, he should have centred the rack(turn lock to lock and find the middle) and locked the wheel there, not locked it in a straight ahead position

[rayroper]

i wouldn’t be paying to have it done again, he hasn’t adjusted it right or the wheel would be in the centre, he’s adjusted it the lazy way rather than keeping the rack centred, if it was miles out to start, he should have centred the rack(turn lock to lock and find the middle) and locked the wheel there, not locked it in a straight ahead position

Hi Lee,

Cheers for the reply. Him and the Co-owner (two mechanics there) insist its been done right and its just because "its settled when it came off the ramps and its because it was way out in the first place" They usually charge £45 for tracking but as Paul knows my family they did it for £25, but now want an extra £15 for the second attempt as its "not their fault"

They definately didnt center the rack. The wheel was at about 100 degrees when driving straight before the tracking and he just clamped it in the straight ahead position (90 degrees)

Now when I drive the car and put the wheel center I literally drive off the road to the left.

Any advice or instructions I can relay to these people when I go back friday Lee?? I don't want another arguement or have to go back again I just want it done on the lasers and I'll go elsewhere in future.

[Tathan]

Ask them to put it back how it was and refund the money as you're not happy with the quality of the work. When they say no, tell them either fix it or you'll report/nut them.

[rayroper]

I've not payed yet. I only had my card and he wants cash in hand so he can take it off the books. So wanted me to pay when I went back.

Shall I just not return? lol. Go somewhere else and pay them the money instead

[lee303]

yeah **** going back to pay for a bodge! go somewhere else and tell them what happened so far and get it done right

steering doesn’t ‘settle’ if the wheel was just centred where it was you’ll also find you can turn less lock in one direction as the rack will hit its limiter too soon because of the steering wheel position

[tiff_lee]

Shall I just not return? lol. Go somewhere else and pay them the money instead

Without a doubt.

[Tathan]

If you haven't already paid then tell them if you're wrong and the tracking is right, you'll pay!

[rayroper]

Well guys I took it to King David Tyres KDT Home Which is a huge building.

They have the "Hunter" tracking ramp which is good for lowered cars and good laser alignment.

My tracking was done by the other garage 2 days ago, when they put it on their guages it was showing -5/+5 and was out on the back gauges not -1.5/+1.5 which the other tracking guages showed two days ago.

It literally took the guy 15 minutes to track right. It then was 5.5 on each of the rear guages and +1.5/-1.5 on the front guages and when I took the car off the ramps the steering wheel was STRAIGHT!

Took it for a drive and the steering wheel was spot on and so was the tracking. So the guages in the other garage must need calibrating cause they were way off!

So in that case i'm not going back to pay as they set my tracking way off and insisted it was correct.

King David Tyres only charge £24 with a free check + retrack withing 30 days!

The other place wanted £40 in total to bodge it again.

[rc]

good news then, at least you got away without paying in the other garage too.

[Paul]

I pay ten quid round here (trade) and its free again if needing adjusting withing 30 days.

[lee303]

i think its more likely that the employees at the first garage need ‘calibrating' not their equipment...anyway, good result