Correct wheel alignment or 'tracking' as it is more commonly known, is crucial to the vehicles safe road handling and for optimised tyre life.
Vehicle manufacturers set strict parameters for the geometry on the front and rear wheels of their vehicles and it doesn't take much to put them outside of those parameters. The following are some examples of what can cause this:
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Hitting kerbs, pot holes or other objects in the road
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Steering and suspension component changes
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Incorrect steering or suspension components
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Worn steering or suspension components
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Maladjustment of these components following repairs
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Subframe misalignment or damage
Obvious signs of steering misalignment is a consistently off-centre steering wheel whilst driving down a staight road and abnormal tyre wear.
These conditions are completely avoidable by ensuring the alignment on your vehicle is correct. A good time to have it checked and possibly adjusted is:
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If you suspect the alignment is incorrect
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When new tyres are fitted
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When steering and suspension components are changed
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Following an accident or impact of the wheels
Here at QVM, we use state of the art Ravaglioli infrared and bluetooth four wheel alignment equipment to take care of your wheel alignment. This equipment is calibrated by a professional company, Absolute Alignment, on a regular basis to ensure we are 100% correct in our diagnosis and adjustments.
All front wheels can be adjusted but not all vehicles rear wheels can be as the alignment is fixed with solid beam axles at the factory. We check the alignment of all four wheels in either case as the rear wheel alignment influences the accuracy of the front.
Once we have a snapshot of your current settings, we can make any necessary adjustments using the manufacturers specification and provide before and after visual printouts for you to see the changes. We also carry out a road test to confirm the steering is central and the handling is correct.
In certain cases, additional work may be necessary to correct wheel alignment such as component changes or unseizing components to make the necessary adjustments. Depending on the situation, additional labour and parts may be required but we always advise customers on the best course of action and seek permission prior to any additional work.
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR POLICY IS TO NOT FIT CUSTOMER SUPPLIED PARTS OR CONSUMABLES.