As per my other thread, I was in the market for new front tyres for the family touran. I had a few prices online and thought, as I was passing, I would call in at the halifax branch of KF for a price. As usual, the manager checks the tyres and there is no doubt that the front off side was low, cord showing on the inside shoulder.

This was described as dangerous and really for immediate replacement. With the entire family listening in to this, and wondering of I was going to risk their safety for a few pounds, I was able to get a fairly near price match to the online prices secured.

I was advised that mis-alignment was the likely cause of the uneven wear so as part of the service, this would be checked.

Tyres on fine and the car was then driven on to a pretty high tech looking laser alignment jig.

A few minutes later and a print out with 14 categories of measurements covering front and rear was handed to me, five of which see red.

So, did I want the alignment doing? It was £20 for the rear wheels and £45 for the front. The combination of the “alert” colour of the print out, a description that the wheels were out of line and a desire to not have another premature tyre wears issue saw me agree, with a £10 discount agreed.

Now, looking at the print out, I can’t help but feel that I’ve been a bit of mug. The measurements for the right front wheel, that with the cord showing were, camber -0deg37min, caster 7deg28minutes and toe -0deg05minutes.

The tolerance for each measurement is, respectively, 1deg – 0deg, 7deg04minutes – 8deg04minutes and 10minutes – 0.00.

After the work the green light was presented and printed, revised figures -0deg39mins, 7deg28mins and 0deg04mins.

I’d be very interested to hear from anybody who thinks these changes will affect tyre wear. Is it the case that if I left, drive round the block and pulled back in, the figures would be red again. I’m sure that we are not even talking single degrees of alignment in some cases, with the offending tyre seemingly needing on 9 minutes of adjustment from -0.05 to 0.04. Unless I have my units wrong.

This procedure costs me £55 and it was suggested I go back every 4-6 months!

I can’t help but think that the driver for this service might be an every increasing squeeze on type mark up so they offer this, £55 for no more than 15 minutes of work, to boost the revenue.

Thoughts please.

Kwik Fit are poo. That’s my thought.

Sounds entirely reasonable to me. Badly unevenly worn tyres = traking check time. Of a competent person uses the alignment equipment and sets your tracking your new tyres should wear evenly and grip better. KF get some bad press for the old sucking teeth itl cost ya you might die tactics. In this case id say they had it spot on.

I can’t help but think that the driver for this service might be an every increasing squeeze on type mark up so they offer this, £55 for no more than 15 minutes of work, to boost the revenue.

This.

It’s easy money for them to adjust tracking and pretty easy to spin customers a line that the tracking is the cause if the problems and will save them money long term on fuel and tyres.

Reasonable to suggest it was checked and adjusted. £55 is more than ive ever paid or charged mind.

Well it was out, and now its in, but its all pretty marginal to my mind. Inside shoulder damage is commonly caused by chamfered speed humps, both shoulders by under inflation. I only get mine looked at if there’s something obviously wrong, and then it’s off to an specialist place with Hawkeye.

I cant believe you drove around with a tyre that bad, its your responsibility to check tyres and make sure your car is road worthy.

As to tracking yes good to be done, not sure I would get quick fit to do it though, their laser thing looks good, but there are better places to go for tracking.

As to QF haters, there are good QF’s and bad ones.

I learned the hard way, not to get my tracking checked by somewhere that sells tyres.

Now use a place that only does tracking when I feel it needs doing.

Mate, your leg has been well and truly lifted. It happens to most people, usually only once. Preying on one’s insecurities and over-exaggerating that your motor isn’t perfect. Nobody’s is. Its not an aeroplane or a spaceship its a car. Put it behind you and try not to let it happen again

What were the other wheels, it’s not as simple as measurements for one wheel. What’s the state of the current suspension components bushes/joints etc. Ever had a spring and/or arm and opted for just one rather than the pair?

On a lot of basic modern cars there is nothing to adjust (apart from toe in / out). Being out of alignment is because something is bent, broken or worn.

So yes, you were probably had – but driving the family car down to the tyre cords you did deserve a bit of a spanking 🙂

what was the total toe before and after, what it was on one wheel is meaningless. are you sure it is deg and mins and not ‘metric’ degrees?

Yes..the tyre wear was bad and it was late in the day to get them changed. In my defence, it was the inside shoulder and the outside was ok..hence the likelihood of misalignment being identified as the problem.

I just feel that the accuracy of the measuring device is so fine that it might have been out by only a tiny amount , but it registered as red…needing attention. The jist of this post was also if the misalignment measured was sufficent to cause the wear pattern.

On a touran front and rear toe is adjustable, as is rear toe.

Porter….I might be using wrong units. Total toe before was -0(deg symbol)10′. After was 0(deg symbol)11′.

I can’t do a degree symbol!

Benji….the only other red on the front was near side toe at -0deg05.

On the rear, offside toe at -0deg17, total toe -0deg14 as near side was 0deg03.

If that makes sense.

On a lot of basic modern cars there is nothing to adjust (apart from toe in / out). Being out of alignment is because something is bent, broken or worn.

So yes, you were probably had – but driving the family car down to the tyre cords you did deserve a bit of a spanking

This! If your alignment is out find what’s damaged,replace it and then correct the alignment.
Judging by your figures above they haven’t actually done anything.The tiny difference could be achieved by rolling the car forward/back a yard or two.

The tyre needed doing – inside shoulder is never easy to see unless you have it at full lock when you park. Probable cause being toed out slightly – i had a bad case on my x type havint too much toe in cause by the OH kerbing it – alas they were awful bridgestone runflats so i was glad to be shot of them.

As for the tracking.. £45 was steep. i think i pad 30 whn i had new rubber on the front. rears very rarely need adjusting unless youve walloped it sideways. (the fronts always being err pushe out of alignemt by the”braille” parking method)

rockhopper70 – Member

I just feel that the accuracy of the measuring device is so fine that it might have been out by only a tiny amount , but it registered as red…needing attention.

TBH the measurement is backed up by the tyre wear so I wouldn’t have much doubt that the car needed attention, personally. Whether they’ve done a good job of resolving that is a whole other question.

I don’t think you’ve necessarily been ripped off, especially since you say you had uneven wear. £55 is reasonable for a full 4-wheel laser alignment. It can affect the wear rate of your tyres – my car only made 15k miles out of the front pair of tyres, when I replaced them I got the geo checked and it was out, it was adjusted and I got 25k out of the next pair of front tyres as well as another few mpg.

These laser alignment machines can be operated by un-skilled operators – even Kwik Fit unskilled operators, so if the machine said your geo was out then it most likely was and therefore in need of adjustment.

Ok, the helpful bit…

Look here for decent alignment centres, and compare at least 2 of them. Unfortunately even some of them who have the proper equipment do not know how to use it.

Proper tracking can cost £80-£140 if much is wrong. If your paying £20-£30 then they are not doing a full proper check.

http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/

And sorry wear on the inside of a tyre isn’t hard to spot at all. Not doing so is just an excuse.