Four Wheel Alignment

[Toms306]

So, not really sure where to put this, if it's in the wrong place I'm sure admin can move it.

Getting 4 tyres done on the Focus soon so want 4 wheel alignment done so they don't just scuff the edges off in a few months.

But nowhere seems to quote for it!  Places quote for front alignment but say they need to check it before quoting for rear - now I've never done rear alignment myself or even seen it done, but have supertracked fronts before, and can't see why the rear would be any more difficult? 

Also any recommendations for places that do it (chain store online booking is ideal) and how much I should expect to pay? 

I'm currently looking at 4 Dunlop Sport BlueRespone 205/55/16 V fully fitted for £237.50, plus MOT at £35 (£272.50) and was hoping to get tracked as well for under £300, that might be a bit cheeky though haha.   Where I'm getting that done quotes front alignment at £42, but rear is an unknown extra.

Cheers
Tom

[Dum-Dum]

Odd, find a local independant tyre place iwth the kit and they will usually do you a quote.

Most places will quote for checking alignment but not for correcting it

[Iceman299]

I had it done from a Honda dealer years ago, was around £60-£70. I'd just guess at what the garage charges for front only then x2

[1616six]

www.alignmycar.co.uk

Hunter alignment ftw

[306carter]

It's £29.99 at Kwik-Fit. I had the missus Astra done a few weeks ago.

[Piggy]

FW align is normally 25-30 and 4 wheel is 60-70

Thats what my local charges anyway!

[Iceman299]

It's £29.99 at Kwik-Fit. I had the missus Astra done a few weeks ago.

£30 for 4 wheel allignment?? That's bloody cheap

[Toms306]

I don't use kwikfit after a bad experience but I agree that sounds too cheap to be 4 wheel.


Looks like its gonna be a lot more than I was expecting then!

---

Just seen ATS do front and rear for £62. Only one that's quoted rear so far!

Get about £3 back with TopCashBack. Still a lot though, hmm.

[tigerstyle]

had it done on my mx5 last week. £50, feels great afterwards.
they used a full Hunter IR alignment rig.

[THE_Liam]

I know a place in Bradford that'll do it for £50, but that doesn't really help you...

[Tom]

Dont think you can adjust the rear on a focus can you? They call it 4 wheel alignment but i was unaware rear is adjustable on most cars? I know on the jap stuff you can adjust alot on the back but not sure about anything else... I have done alignment myself using a new system we had at college, some kind of magic camera on the back wheels then cards with circles on the front wheels and the system worked out all the angles on all 4 wheels, very clever stuff, but like i say not much you can adjust unless you have top mounts for camber and castor or camber bolts and the likes!

Just dont pay for 4 wheel alignment without knowing they will actually adjust the rear, the big companys will take your money and if it cant be done i very much doubt they will refund you the difference in cost for just a 2 wheel alignment.

And i just thought if you can adjust something on the back wheels of the fuckus im going to look silly.

[Toms306]

Yeah it has adjustable rear. The Focus uses a pretty complicated rear suspension setup in order to handle better than a 306...

Pretty sure its the first car I've had with adjustable rear though, unless the Vectra was but don't think so.

[daddyfixit]

complicated ? no, where the lower arms attach to the tinfoil subframe, the bolts are eccentric. the same bolts that used to rip out from the said tinfoil subframe and allow a rear wheel to do an impression of an early morning drunken stagger home........

[bashbarnard]

Also the bolts sieze. We get it done at rackhams mate. No idea of cost though. Its the body repair place

[Toms306]

complicated ?  no, where the lower arms attach to the tinfoil subframe, the bolts are eccentric.   the same bolts that used to rip out from the said tinfoil subframe and allow a rear wheel to do an impression of an early morning drunken stagger home........

More complicated than shoving a  couple of twisty girders between the trailing arms.


Rackhams is the only place that came up for Hunter alignment round here Bash, have emailed to ask for a quote but guessing it'll be expensive there!

[bashbarnard]

Everyone we have sent there have said they have a great service.

[Toms306]

Great service is all well and good, but I'm more after a great price!

Also thought it was the bodyshop my mate works in so was gonna try and get discount, turns out he works at one in Kesgrave lol, not much difference!

[welshpug]

tbh unless you've twatted loads of kerbs or crashed it, or its massively decked I wouldnt bother with the rear.

[Toms306]

Its had 2 elderly owners, kerb twatting is likely to have happened!

One of the rear edges are wearing so I'd rather it was at least checked, even if it turns out its doesn't need adjustment.

[welshpug]

fair reason indeed!

fingers crossed it wont need adjusting as theyre always seized :/ Ford didn't seem to use zinc plated bolts or grease.

[daveylennon93]

Here in ireland 40 euro for 4 wheel alignment anyplace ive went.

[Toms306]

Not sure I could ford that little river between us and Ireland but that's the best price I've heard so far.

[1616six]

STS Tyre Pros use hunter and charge £30 so I've been told today. Gonna go next Monday and find out.. Need to get mine done now I've removed my coilovers.

[Toms306]

Quote from Rackams - £83.40.

£30 seems cheap, is that a chain? I haven't heard of them if so lol...

[Connor]

You might be lucky on an 08 plate that they aren't seized, but I'd say they will be :/ bastard to get the arms off once they're seized, usually involves couple of hours of cutting/grinding. The rear toe is what is adjustable, so if somewhere has the equipment for front, then it's the same equipment for the rear. Be very careful though, as I've personally had a customer that's came from a tyre fitting place, who snapped the nut off the suspension arm and told them to drive all the way over to us (good 15 odd miles) and they hadn't told the customer that they snapped it, just to come to us (main dealer) to sort it out

[Toms306]

Hmm, it was clean underneath when I got it, think it's been garaged tbh...until now where its parked on wet mud anyway.

Do you reckon it's not worth bothering with the rear then? Don't really want to risk important bolts snapping. Will definitely have the front done either way.

[Connor]

If it was me, Id see if the bolts undid myself. Undo the nut a little bit, coat it in WD40 (or equivalent) and hit it with a hammer and see if the bolt moves, if it moves back and forth, try turning it, if it turns then you can get the rear tracked up. If not, wait until the bushes wear (shouldnt be much longer at that age ) and get the arms replaced, which will more than likely need cutting out as I mentioned before, then youll have all new shiney nuts, bolts and washers, and so long as you (or whoever replaces them) covers everything in grease itll be fine for the next time it needs tracking

[Toms306]

Too cold and wet to be going under the car now. Cant even jack up on the drive now, jack just goes downwards lol.

I'll just expect the rear arms to fail the MOT and have tracking done after that then.

[Paul_13]

All good getting it aligned
but does the monkey operating the machine know what he's doing?
I do it myself as a lot of idiots don't understand the tracking has to be done to a centralised rack

[Toms306]

Tbf, I tend to be the annoying guy that watches the mechanics lol. And both ATS and F1 in ipswich do seem to know how to do the tracking.