recom. - suspension geometry set-up in east midlands

[smallspeed]

MODS: If this post in some way infringes on one of the advertisers or something then please remove it.. ..this is kind of why i posted in the members only section, to limit the audience a bit! (also I couldn't see a recommedation area)

I recently had my car "geo'd" and looked around quite a bit first. Thought I'd post my experience here incase it helps others in the future.

There seems to be a range of people out there offering full 4 wheel alignment/geo services with a range of equipment and feedback.. there is also a massive range of prices!

I was being a cheap-skate, BUT wanted a decent job doing, plus I had the settings I wanted already so didn't see the point in using someone who roadtested the car and spent 1/2hr interviewing me before hand

I ended up using a company just south of Leicester called "tyres galore". I'd regularly passed by there when I used to live in town, but always dismissed them as a low-cost tyre and exhaust outfit!

http://www.tyresgalore.co.uk/index.php? ... =alignment

They may well fit that pigeon hole, but having chatted to the guys i found out they have just about the most upto date optical alignment kit in there too, which having seen it in operation is absolutely amazing!
It uses an array of cameras to build a picture of the alignment of the four wheels, and allows real time adjustments..

Their base in Leicester has the top of the range version of the equipment which includes automatic levelling of the car prior to each alignment, their other base in Market Harborough has a more traditional manual alignment bed which gets aligned every morning, so is marginally less accurate, although seems to be the same bed/base as most other set-up's I've seen

They were able to take measurements of where the car was set, at the time I took it in, then realign to my settings. I had my own numbers as I've plumped for the stock settings a friend uses when setting up his race car for a new circuit, but they're also able to set to factory default settings for pretty much any car, and regardless of whether you're excessively lowered to the point more traditional equipment will not fit on/over the wheels and tyres

work was done during the day while I was at work so can't comment on how long it took, but the guys are very knowledgable and obviously into their cars; very happy to chat about the process and settings

cost for me for a full alignment check, and realignment to my specifications (front camber, caster and toe, rear camber and toe) was around £50 (can't remember the exact figure as I had two new tyres fitted and an exhaust clamp replaced at the same time) which I thought was a bargain compared to some other quotes I'd had, especially as this included following the manufacturers recommended process for weighting the car down prior to measuring and adjusting which I know from experience isn't as simple as dumping 3 bags of sand in the passenger seat

the only service they can't offer is corner weighting, however i have access to a set of corner scales at work should i decide to do this myself before the next alignment

hope this recommendation is of use to someone; Id like to point out I have no connection to the company whatsoever, just passing on the good experience i had with my own car

ben

[IanMcLeod]

+1

Used them myself for a couple of years now. Recently had them re-fit the tires to my refurbed Fuchs as they genuinly take care.

Right scruffy place, boss can be rather gruff, some of the staff look like typical teenage kwick-fit oiks, parking not easy when busy etc but don't let that put you off as a lot of the trade in Leicester use them.

Ian.

[Nige]

Ben, I think you've been a "cheapskate" you really need to have it cornerweighted at the same to get any accuracy within your geometry, otherwise it's just an alignment check that you would do with your daily driver which for what you paid is about right and quite a lot of tyre centres do this. Did they show you how they adjusted the front or rear camber settings?

[smallspeed]

nige, i understand what you're saying but corner weighting it at the time would have been a bit pointless as I've been removing and changing components on the car (mostly weightloss).

I just wanted to have it set-up as the car had a couple of weeks previously been torn apart and re-bushed throughout so was all over the place..

having been there and had it done though, i can recommend. next time around (once i've finished removing/changing parts) i will cornerweight first


i would definitely spend the "extra" from now on for my road car though; it can't be corner weighted, but their adjustment procedure is far superior (and not that much more expensive) than the crappy mirrors/lasers you get at kwikfit.. mine was £50-60 because of the number of adjustments required, a normal road car would be cheaper (camber, toe / camber, toe)

[Nige]

No worries, did you try Dom at SVP? He did a full corner and geo setup on mine at a favourable price, I am a fellow cheapskate also and it was well within my wallet tightness. They have a helluva lot of experience in this area, especially with Porsches.

Not entirely East Mids, but there is plenty of interesting metal there for you to peruse whilst you hang about.

http://www.specialistvehiclepreparations.com/

[smallspeed]

i'll bear them in mind..

ps.. they adjusted castor and camber on the front with the adjustable top mounts, camber on the rear with the camber adjustable bottom arms, and toe front and rear with the adjustable tie-arms