Wheel alignment when changing tyres

Wheel alignment when changing tyres

Author
Discussion

lecanonnier

Original Poster:

5 posts

101 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
Hi,

Wonder if anyone has any advice? I've just had a major service on my Fiesta and was told I need 3 new tyres, which I'm getting done at a different garage this week. Will I need to get the tracking/alignment done with the tyre change? This should have been included in the service so I'm hoping I won't need to get it done again.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Scrump

23,444 posts

173 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
There is no definitive need to have tracking checked because of a tyre change.
If your old tyres showed signs of uneven wear then it makes sense to have the tracking checked in order to prevent uneven wear in the new tyres.

_Hoppers

1,514 posts

80 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
If the tyres are worn unevenly, ie at the outer/inner edges I'd say yes. I'd also be tempted to get 4 new tyres depending on the condition of the 4th. Kwik Fit are doing 15% off if you buy 4 tyres, might be worth a look?

GreenV8S

30,896 posts

299 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
Changing tyres doesn't affect the tracking / alignment. If that was OK before, it will be OK after.

HustleRussell

25,629 posts

175 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
Why should wheel alignment have been included in the service? Were you billed for it? It's not a task which is done as a matter of course during a service.

Chris32345

2,137 posts

77 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
Why should wheel alignment have been included in the service? Were you billed for it? It's not a task which is done as a matter of course during a service.
This


You could drive 100k miles in a car and never need wheel alignment if it was all on good roads without potholes or hitting curbs

But it's definitely not a service item

Penelope Stopit

11,209 posts

124 months

Tuesday 8th September 2020
quotequote all
Stand to be corrected but

The way I see it is that if the major service included the replacing of any suspension parts or wheel bearings, the tracking had to be checked as part of the job

Hol

9,084 posts

215 months

Wednesday 9th September 2020
quotequote all
Penelope Stopit said:
Stand to be corrected but

The way I see it is that if the major service included the replacing of any suspension parts or wheel bearings, the tracking had to be checked as part of the job
You are looking at it from the wrong perspective.

No high street main dealer automatically replaces wheel bearings or shocks as part of a main service schedule.
However, during the service they might notice that they need replacing and ask if you wanted to have them done at the same time (at extra cost).
They may appear on the same invoice, however.

Replaced like-for-like, neither of those items would upset the steering geometry, but something like a new steering arm/rack, could do so,



NotBenny

3,920 posts

195 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
Penelope Stopit said:
Stand to be corrected but

The way I see it is that if the major service included the replacing of any suspension parts or wheel bearings, the tracking had to be checked as part of the job
a major service would include inspection of these components, but if they required changing that would be an additional work item, as would tracking/wheel alignment check/adjust.

UNLESS it was a warranty item, in which case the additional work would be zero cost but you'd still expect it to be listed on the invoice.

Penelope Stopit

11,209 posts

124 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
NotBenny said:
Penelope Stopit said:
Stand to be corrected but

The way I see it is that if the major service included the replacing of any suspension parts or wheel bearings, the tracking had to be checked as part of the job
a major service would include inspection of these components, but if they required changing that would be an additional work item, as would tracking/wheel alignment check/adjust.

UNLESS it was a warranty item, in which case the additional work would be zero cost but you'd still expect it to be listed on the invoice.
Understood

Thank you