What is reasonable spec for wheel alignment?

mickuhaha

I got the car tracking done this day last week. Went into the NCT test today and passed but was close on the back to failure. Front - 8m/k fail outside + - 14m/k and rear -16 m/k fail +- 18 m/k. Am I right that this will cause premature tyre wear. I went back to the garage to complain and they tried to say that it's fine as within NCT pass but I said but my tyres will still wear as a result. Then they said that it could be as a result of worn suspension parts and that it would have been in factory spec coming off the four wheel laser machine and I might have hit a pothole. After awhile they said they will see if they can pull up a report on what they did and come back tomorrow. Anyone any advice. Should I just drive away and live with it, should I get it done again somewhere else. Do I need to learn to drive again ( more than likely yes).

mickuhaha

It's a ford smax 2007 1.8tdci 6speed

Stoolbend

That seems very far off. Did they not give you a print out?

sundodger5

They shouldn't be tracking a vehicle with worn suspension parts anyway. First thing you should be looking for before a gauge goes on it really.

Car99

Is there adjustment on the rear of a 2007 smax ? Most run of the mill cars don't have adjustment on rear its just wear and tear on bushings and the like that put it out of limits.

mickuhaha

Stoolbend wrote: »

That seems very far off. Did they not give you a print out?

No didn't offer me one and I was running back to work.

mickuhaha

Car99 wrote: »

Is there adjustment on the rear of a 2007 smax ? Most run of the mill cars don't have adjustment on rear its just wear and tear on bushings and the like that put it out of limits.

I have no Idea, independent suspension so maybe? I just assumed it could cause the focus can

mickuhaha

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-Rear-Suspension-Eccentric-Bolt-Ford-S-Max-C-Max-Kuga-Mondeo-Galaxy-1456979-/162507281716
Well you can buy the bolts so I guess it is adjustable. The oval shape is used to move the arm around a fixed point making the arm longer or shorter and thus adjusting rear wheels.

enumbers

Rear adjustment on all the ford setups of this generation are generally badly seized and to release can quite often need suspension arm and bolt replacement. Its very unusal that the back can be aligned without replacement parts.

mickuhaha

enumbers wrote: »

Rear adjustment on all the ford setups of this generation are generally badly seized and to release can quite often need suspension arm and bolt replacement. Its very unusal that the back can be aligned without replacement parts.

Do you mean that generally with fords you leave the rear alone unless really bad?

enumbers

mickuhaha wrote: »

Do you mean that generally with fords you leave the rear alone unless really bad?

Will attempt to adjust if it won't move we advise customer depending on how bad readings are.

mickuhaha

enumbers wrote: »

Will attempt to adjust if it won't move we advise customer depending on how bad readings are.

Thanks, That's exactly what past experience has been. Would the figures I had be worth telling the customer about?

mickuhaha

So went back in . The guy gave me a copy of the print out and said it was fine. Said it was in spec leaving and that I must have hit something or NCT equipment must be off. Any way offered me a free tracking in good faith . I refused nicely

Stoolbend

For it to be that far off something would generally need to be bent. Or they didn’t fully tighten the bolts and it moved on it’s own.