When you get your car wheels aligned do they only do the front wheels or all four? My brother got his done today and they only done the fronts? That correct?

Cheers

Well the norm is all four if done by a laser alignment machine which is most commonly used now and doesn't seem to make sense to only do the fronts.

I just had mine done yesterday, had the 2 front alloys balanced and all 4 wheels aligned on the laser machine. I had been experiencing vibration above 60mph and movement under braking so decided to get it checked and as I thought the wheels need balancing and the alignment showed them well out

Much better drive now and braking has been improved also.

Kev

they hang the little lasers on all 4 but i thought they only aligned the front 2.

All three posts above refer to what is also known as Tracking. This is also done with lasers aligned to each other from all four wheels. A lot of the time people think they are getting propper 4-wheel alignment done as garages tell them so. This is not true. All they are doing is setting the positioning of the front wheel to the back and then adjust the toe-in according to a reference guide. Vibration through the steering colum at speeds is solved by sorting the tracking. Usually costs £20.00 to £40.00

Proper 4-wheel laser alignment costs a bomb and not all cars can have this done. 4-wheel alignment will adjust the toe-in and camber of all four wheels. Professional garages will use the manufacturers settings as a reference or starting point and then adjust to the car's specific set up and what is best for the actual car itself. Things like altered ride hight and aftermarket suspension can influence the final settings. Cars are often put on rollers at better places to double-chack any changes made. Lasers are aligned between all four wheel (same style as tracking) and off the car aswell. Not any old garage (or tyre centre) can do this - it is very specialised. Pricing usually starts at around £80.00

So if someone sells you 4-wheel alignment for £30.00 - they are full of s t! They are selling you Tracking.

Yes correct I just had mine done by laser and it cost £57 at my local alloy wheel place and with that you get a print out showing all 4 wheels and the changes made to the toe and camber.

For best results, look for places that do the wheel alignment / tracking with laser.

Kev

i agree with SYSTEM~G a full geometry can only be the way, let me explain
front wheel alignment measures one angle cost av £25. with laser?
four wheel alignment measures three angles cost av £38, with laser?
full geometry measures 15 angles min av cost £35, test only, adjustments
av £16.50 each,
adjustment to front wheel alignment is done with the assumption that all the other angles are ok? same can be said for four wheel alignment, a full geometry will display the true fingerprint of the geometry and the image can be conciderd fact! all cars geometry exists in a 3d enviroment, measured by degrees and minutes, laser can only mearsure a straight line... sadly i deal with people world wide who have been burnt by the promise of the laser, please don't be fooled! the best verbal test is ask " does it measure the caster angle" if yes then that's a full geometry, visit www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk the site may put ammo in your gun?
LOC UK have embrassed wheels- inmotion and the help is free.....

The vibration is solved by balancing the wheels and has nothing to do with Tracking or Allignment... If you get a vibration at between 50 -70 mph AND can drive through it chances are it is the WHEEL BALANCE. if on the other hand you get vibration when you are breaking chances are its a warped disc.




4 wheel allignment WON'T adjust the camber.. Setting the geometrics however will adjust the camber.
Not all cars get 4 wheels alligned because not all cars have trackrod ends on the back.. but have a solid axle... in this case it is normally just the toe settings that get adjusting on the front... the reason the guages go on the back wheels is so that the mechanic can find the centre line of the car cos if thats not correct the steering wheel ends up squint



To do 4 wheel allignment you reverse the guages on the car and then useing the reference guides set them up to the manufactures toe settings.. cars must have track rods ends on the back to have this done. once all 4 track rod ends have been adjusted to the correct spec the allignment is done... castor and camber has nothing to do with allignment... however on a lot of vehicles with 4 wheel allignment it IS better to get the geometric checks done too.. i.e castor and camber.

Thanks guys, I think they can only adjust the fronts on mine but they still call it a 4 wheel laser alignment!

can anyone suggest why the front tyres on my new celica red with only 7000 miles are wearing unevenly near the outer edge?

Power stearing can do this.. it would be worse on the left side of the car as we turn to the right more often ( roundabouts) and all the weight get transferred to the left side.

Could also be that the allignment needs looked at... also things like ball joints wishbone/rollbar bushes etc.. stearing rack worn.. lots of things can cause it.

The cheapest thing to do is get the allignment checked.. unless you have an MOT test in the next month.. in that case wait till after the MOT if there are any other problems they shoild pick them up once MOT'd again do the allignment