Tracking (possibly UK only)

Does your 480 have tracking-problems? Does your car pull to one side? Or is your steering wheel vibrating? Read the posts in this category to find out what's going on.

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dragon
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Tracking (possibly UK only)

Post by dragon » Fri Jan 16, 2004 10:20 am

I need to get the tracking done on my car as new wheel bearings and a change in wheels have left the car pulling a bit and with a noncentral wheel.

However, most places I have seen so far do the tracking by hanging a device that looks a bit like a wheel clamp on each wheel that shines torches onto boards with measurement markings on (or in fancy ones, lasers)

Now my problem is that with the 17" wheels on, garages cannot hang these devices on the wheels due to insufficient clearance between the wheel and the arch. With the 15" wheels back on, they can hang the devices, but still can't do my tracking because they say they can't get the beam of light across the front of the car due to it being lowered. The gentleman as kwik-fit (don't ask) was helpful in that he showed me the problem and explained himself very well - he then told me there were at least 2 other "systems" of accurately measuring and adjusting tracking in use by garages, one of which simply invovles driving onto a special device and nothing more (?).

So my question-de-jour is: Does anyone know what these systems might be called, so I can phone up local tyre centres and garages to find someone who can cope with my car - I feel a bit silly phoning up and saying "can you do tracking checks on a lowered car"

Does anyone know of such places (of course preferably in the Sheffield/Barnsley/Wakefield area, but confirmation of the existence of these places anywere would be good)

Thank ye :)
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MatBat
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Post by MatBat » Fri Jan 16, 2004 10:33 am

I know that in New Zealand they have a system which hangs clamps on the wheel, however the shine a laser into each other, so the tracking is adusted when the beams all correlate, this is also fed into a huge computer, which will give all the measurement for every car (even a 1965 Mercedes with a split type rear axle!) This system also measures and adjusts the camber.
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Jamo
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Post by Jamo » Fri Jan 16, 2004 2:11 pm

You want laser tracking, Kwik fit are crap.

Do have a Plume branch in your city mate? they can track quite easily
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volvofox
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Post by volvofox » Sat Jan 17, 2004 8:21 pm

I had the "car" i got from my boss tracked I think it had bigger wheels it was an Iveco 3,5 ton (big) bus. This should not be to crazy. Maybe you oucht to see the yellow pages and phone around. this must be doable. Go to an expensive tyre shop, not kwik fit. ( I had to much hassle with them in the past) The chance is bigger a more expensive shop has better tools (logo) ;)
luck,
JPF


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