Technical Camber/castor/toe alignment.

[KK1]

Hi folks,
As we all know some stilos have got problems with front wheel alignment/camber. And some of you may also know that im on the third set of front tyres due to wear on the inside edge.
Fiat were very very good the first time i.e paying for my tyres(well only 50% of the cost)and said that all is ok now.
the second time I paid for a new set of tyres, and a few adjusments were made as fiat were supposedly aware of the prob.
This time I get the feeling they really dont care(prob cos of 20,000m)

To cut a long story short, does any one know any good wheel alignmnet specialists in London(west if poss) that actually know what they are doing, as Fiat have told me (this week) that the wheel alignment/camber is perfect.

I know you guys are probably sick to death of hearing this subject, but I just want to get the problem sorted once and for all(especially as I changed all four alloys and tyres this week)

Thanks

 

[daftcars.com]

I don't believe that the problem is camber/castor/toe alignment, so all that might well be perfect, but you'll still get the wear.
My car is 18 months old and has done 23,000 miles. I've been offered nothing for tyres (my second set of fronts are now very dodgey) and it's supposed to have been fixed twice. I've threatened legal action and am awaiting news.
Don't give in. Keep hassling them to fix it properly.

 

[KK1]

Hi again folks, after doing some research, I found a reputable company in Periavle, just behind the tesco's, called the alignment centre.

I went there this morining and explained the problems I have been having,
these guys had some pretty sophisticated stuff.
They found the toe to be seriously out on the front wheels, the peramiters were they should have been was between 0.02 - 0.11deg, the left was 0.24 and the right was 1.01deg out which the chap said was pretty bad, his computer even gave a rough estimate of how quick the tyres would wear on the inside edge from new which was about 11,000M.
So the total toe misalignment was -1.25deg which should be between 0.05-0.23deg.

He then said no worries, tweaked a couple of nuts whilsts watching the pc screen(where I saw the angles being set to what they should be) and hey presto, both fronts perfectly aligned!!!

I could not believe how simple it was to sort, and waht enrages me is all countless visits to fiat slough and hayes and why they could not fix the prob.
Quite simply Im astounded that they could not fix such a small issue.

And the cost to fix the prob.... £45.
I will be sending a bill to fiat CS and fiat slough, with a letter explaining how to fix the tyre wear issue, and the alignment centres telephone number.

The car felt amazingfly better, even with such a small adjustment, it was much quieter, and felt more sure footed.

Thank god this issue is now sorted, and hopefully thats the last the forum should be hearing of the great stilo tyre wear problem.

Thanks KK

 

[choppertoo]

Possibly worth getting this check done before the tyre wear situation actually arises ... anyone know of a good alignment centre near Blackpool?

 

[cmc]

I'm beginning to wonder whether the issue is that the car's tracking is just 'too easily' knocked out if you know what I mean. When I got my tracking done after getting the 4 new tyres done son the back of this problem my mate at kwik-fit said my tracking was a mile out.

Could it be that when it's re-tracked then within a week or so this design flaw just allows it to be knocked out again?? Despite asking I've never actually been told what the specific design problem is and why it requires drastic actions like replacing an axle.

Does anyone actually know what is causing it?

cmc

 

[KK1]

Hi CMC, I honestly dont think, its that easy to knock out of alignment, my car was never right from the day I bought it, mine was purchased with worn out tyres that I didnt spot mainly cos I didnt give a second thought to a car that had only done 7000miles.
I did ask the chap where I went will the alignment go skew again, he said no, the only way it will go out again is if you encounter a pothole the size of a small crater or it gets kerbed very hard.
He did reconmend to get it checked once a year, or at service intervals.

The bit he had to adjust was the track rods, he simply screwed the rods a little out until the computer was showing within tolerance levels, the rod was a pretty chunky bit of metal, so I think it would be difficult for it to work it self out of alignment.

Lets hope it stays correct.

I'm beginning to wonder whether the issue is that the car's tracking is just 'too easily' knocked out if you know what I mean. When I got my tracking done after getting the 4 new tyres done son the back of this problem my mate at kwik-fit said my tracking was a mile out.

Could it be that when it's re-tracked then within a week or so this design flaw just allows it to be knocked out again?? Despite asking I've never actually been told what the specific design problem is and why it requires drastic actions like replacing an axle.

Does anyone actually know what is causing it?

cmc

 

[daftcars.com]

I'm not convinced. There may well have been the need for adjustments, but that doesn't mean the problem is fixed. I'd watch my tyres like a hawk if I was you.
I believe there is a major design flaw, Fiat know about it, but it is extremely expensive to fix, hence they are happy to fob people off, and give the *lucky ones* (grrr ) a couple of new tyres now and again.
It stinks.

 

[daftcars.com]

Having said that, I'm almost tempted to go down to London and get them to do mine! It's worth a try, and I'm really not looking forward to getting stuck in the snow again.

 

[KK1]

Your right mate, I will take your advice and keep an eye on them.
One thing I have noticed is;
The red lines that are on new tyres on the inside and outside edges, have both worn away at the same time, where as on the last set of firestones I had the inside edge line wore out on the first day where as the outside edge line took nearly a week to wear away.

But like you said I will keep a very close eye on them.

Regards.