Tracking after changing tyres?

[Welderpaul]

Mrs has got her car in for MOT. It’s failed on a few bits (first MOT) but the price quoted has made us question what really does need doing.
Suprise suprise some stuff can be done later.. and cheaper.
One I don’t know is they are saying the tracking needs doing because they are changing 2 tyres - does this sound right?

 

[Woody.v8]

Was the tyres that came off unevenly worn? If not no.

 

[DaveB]

No

But they might be saying you need to change the tyres because the tracking is out and has caused they to wear on one shoulder.

 

[Ruffian]

What vehicle is it?
Usually its more incorrect pressures than tracking.

 

[normspanners]

Tracking should only needs doing if a suspension joint bottom arm etc or track rod end needed changing really, it doesnt magically re adjust itself unless hit or some such trauma a lot of the time garages dont really know and blame uneven wear to the tracking but it easily could be the way a car is driven tyre pressures or the characteristics of the cars geometry, that causes uneven wear.

 

[normspanners]

But they might be saying you need to change the tyres because the tracking is out and has caused they to wear on one shoulder.

one shoulder wear is not usually tracking.

 

[normspanners]

Also some of the quick fits check the tracking, but dont adjust and still charge, coz its easy money.

 

[Robotstar5]

Also some of the quick fits check the tracking, but dont adjust and still charge, coz its easy money.

The tyre place I use will check the tracking and only charge if it needs adjusting Plume Tyres for anyone in Brum.

 

[normspanners]

The tyre place I use will check the tracking and only charge if it needs adjusting Plume Tyres for anyone in Brum.

Thats fair enough but what annoys me is some places are instructed to push the tracking jobs to earn money for nothing, then again try doing a bmw type, the bmw mini is the same with a separate tapered collar on the track rod end, sometimes you have to cut them off they will NOT move, how can they do that for £20 ? They check if near enough that will do.
BUT many places dont do the tracking when replacing wishbones bottom arms or ball joints
when actually -- the tracking should be done !! that then cost you a pair of tyres and then tracking after.
The new style computerized supposed foolproof system is only as good as the man doing it
we had a mx5 done at the local quick fit because we were flat out get all the mazdas ready for display at goodwood festival and they needed a full suspension set up the first came back and I walked around it and said that can go back----- its miles out and that was me just looking by eye !
they took it back and checked and said ''oh sorry the apprentice put the wrong numbers in the computer'' !!! BAH we could have done better with a tape measure.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Only get the tracking done if the tyres are unevenly wearing & the car is not driving in a straight line very well. Usually if this is the case then something is bent or worn & needs replacing before tracking the vehicle.

Otherwise I wouldn't bother!

 

[optima21]

I once went for my exhaust changing at Kwikfit (as they sold me a lifetime warranty on it years ago). I'd just rotated my tyres and they told me that the tracking on the back of my car needed adjusting because of tyre wear..... my car has a solid beam axle on the back, tracking cannot be adjusted.

 

[normspanners]

tracking cannot be adjusted.

WELL it can -------with a big kerb and a wet slippy road usually,and not very accurately

 

[Ashley Burton]

WELL it can -------with a big kerb and a wet slippy road usually,and not very accurately

I think we all know where he's coming from though! As in the simple case that at Dipfit obviously the bloke was trying to make his bonus & didn't think o'yeah its a fixed rear beam & not independent suspension. They just pray on the stupid ones to say lets go ahead with getting it done!

 

[slimjim]

In the old days, I used to do my own, 2 bits of light box about 80-100cm long, couple of stand offs and a couple of brackets for a pull strap, strap around the tyre, pull tight so the box is held to the rim evenly, tape measure front and back of the front tyres, I always used to set it the same, but could get a little toe in, and would do it with the steering wheel straight, on flat ground of course.

 

[Revs1972]

Trouble is , you pay to get it done, then 50 yards down the road you hit the inevitable pothole and boom, it's gone again. Tyre pressures are the main problem for uneven worn tyres as mentioned above ( well in my experience anyway )

 

[wookie]

As in the simple case that at Dipfit obviously the bloke was trying to make his bonus & didn't think o'yeah its a fixed rear beam & not independent suspension.

So either he was incompetent because he didn't know you can't adjust solid beam suspension or he was a crook that was trying it on, either way it's a good reason to avoid those places.

I stopped at one and asked for them to check my brake fluid as they offered a "free brake fluid check", before they would do the check they were asking me why do you want your brake fluid checking ? and what you you think is wrong with it ? I replied if I knew what was wrong I wouldn't be asking you... (I actually did know what was wrong but wanted confirmation )