4 wheel tracking at ATS

[zoricib]

So had 4 wheel tracking done at ATS Euromaster on Sept 5th and a few days later when I went on the motorway noticed the car was pulling to the left...called to let them know and had my revision booked in for Sept 19th...they made some adjustments and the car's still the same. They said there may be some suspension issues which I'll have checked. 

However the alignment on the back now seems off too in the revision sheet? Can anyone with some knowledge on this share their opinion? 

 

 

[Mr Vlad]

Maybe get your alignment checked elsewhere. Do you take your car to Lexus for its service? When I took my is250 they did an alignment check as part of the service plan. Slightly out on the back but not worth changing. One nearside shock leaking now both changed. No issues with mine tracking wise. Id get a 2nd opinion. How are your tyres by the way?

[Texas]

+1 on going somewhere else, ATS may have Gucci alinement machine but the results are only gonna be as good as the gorilla working it! If you can feel something is not right when driving down the road then it is way out as a slight mis-alinement will not be felt and these machines can detect a fleas todger's difference!

[zoricib]

27 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Maybe get your alignment checked elsewhere. Do you take your car to Lexus for its service? When I took my is250 they did an alignment check as part of the service plan. Slightly out on the back but not worth changing. One nearside shock leaking now both changed. No issues with mine tracking wise. Id get a 2nd opinion. How are your tyres by the way?

Haven't taken it to Lexus as my my is250 is from 2005 so don't see the value in dealer servicing. Front tyres are good, rears brand new - changed with the initial alignment. I'll get it checked again somewhere else once I'll get it in for it's MOT next month

[LexIS200Sport]

Noticed that you are in West Midlands. Would highly recommend these chaps for wheel alignment. They look after my GS and Leaf. 

https://www.alineyourcar.co.uk/

 

[Malc]

In my experience the  initial check should show in RED any issues with alignment and then when corrected will show it all in GREEN

Yours seems to have zero colour code at all ...  or is it my eyesight ?

Malc

[Thackeray]

4 hours ago, zoricib said:

So had 4 wheel tracking done at ATS Euromaster on Sept 5th and a few days later when I went on the motorway noticed the car was pulling to the left...called to let them know and had my revision booked in for Sept 19th...they made some adjustments and the car's still the same. They said there may be some suspension issues which I'll have checked. 

However the alignment on the back now seems off too in the revision sheet? Can anyone with some knowledge on this share their opinion? 

 

 

As you said and as far as I can see the initial numbers are within acceptable tolerance while the revised numbers are outside the acceptable tolerance on the rear. (They're in the red for the benefit of Malc who perhaps has a computer that isn't showing the red properly. Click the pictures to enlarge them and show the colours.)

I had the same experience once with a tyre fitting chain. They adjusted the tracking and then the steering wheel was off centre and the car pulled to the left. They tried to fix it and made it worse. Later it was an MOT tester who advised me to find a garage with a Hunter machine. I found one and they made the car perfectly poised - it felt solidly planted and the steering wheel pointed straight.

So my advice would be avoid national tyre fitting chains. If you can find a small garage with a Hunter machine that might solve the problem.

The one recommended by LexIS200Sport seems to use a Hunter machine from the pictures on their website. If it's close enough that might be an option.

[Texas]

You are right but this print out has the figures in Red Or Green and it looks like the REVISION sheet had actually been made worst as it now has some Red Figures!

[zoricib]

41 minutes ago, Thackeray said:

As you said and as far as I can see the initial numbers are within acceptable tolerance while the revised numbers are outside the acceptable tolerance on the rear. (They're in the red for the benefit of Malc who perhaps has a computer that isn't showing the red properly. Click the pictures to enlarge them and show the colours.)

I had the same experience once with a tyre fitting chain. They adjusted the tracking and then the steering wheel was off centre and the car pulled to the left. They tried to fix it and made it worse. Later it was an MOT tester who advised me to find a garage with a Hunter machine. I found one and they made the car perfectly poised - it felt solidly planted and the steering wheel pointed straight.

So my advice would be avoid national tyre fitting chains. If you can find a small garage with a Hunter machine that might solve the problem.

The one recommended by LexIS200Sport seems to use a Hunter machine from the pictures on their website. If it's close enough that might be an option.

When I asked the guy about the rear he said that the rears have to have an angle so they keep the car straight.... 

 

2 hours ago, LexIS200Sport said:

Noticed that you are in West Midlands. Would highly recommend these chaps for wheel alignment. They look after my GS and Leaf. 

https://www.alineyourcar.co.uk/

 

Thanks for the recommendation LexIS200Sport! I'll probably take it there or somewhere with a hunter machine for a check at least and then ask for a refund.

 

Would a suspension issue cause the pull? 

 

Thanks everyone for your input! Much appreciated!

[Thackeray]

16 minutes ago, zoricib said:

When I asked the guy about the rear he said that the rears have to have an angle so they keep the car straight.... 

In that case, what was the point of him looking up the manufacturer's recommended figures in the alignment machine's database? (It looks from the heading of the printout as though he found the right model, though I don't know what "UE" refers to.)

You could ask him why he fed in the manufacturer's numbers based on the car designers' calculations if he was just going to ignore them and make a guess based on how he was feeling that day!

Incidentally, did you have a problem before the first adjustment, either with the suspension or anything else to do with the wheels or alignment?

[LexIS200Sport]

1 hour ago, zoricib said:

Would a suspension issue cause the pull? 

Potentially, if something is bent beyond tolerance. 

Another cause is sticking brake calipers. The car will pull towards the side of the binding brake caliper. Happened on my IS200.

[Mihanicos]

Before you do any adjustments on the steering geometry,  you should make sure that all suspension and steering members and joints have no play. Also all wheel bearings should have no play at all either. Use a small crowbar to check them.

The alignment shop should tell you to have the foregoing checked before you go for alighnment.

Chris.

[Texas]

A MOT should have picked up ( Advisory or Fail) any wear or play in any of the critical running gear components if you have had one recently.

[zoricib]

10 hours ago, Texas said:

A MOT should have picked up ( Advisory or Fail) any wear or play in any of the critical running gear components if you have had one recently.

MOT is due at the end of October...will have to get it checked at some point as I don't want to ruin the new rear tyres given the specs on the rear wheels.