Ever since upgrading to staggered 18" 108's the car felt strangely more planted in the twisty but slightly more prone to motorway wander and rut following. Playing with tyre pressures improved matters, a suspension refresh replacing baggy front lower control arm and anti-roll bar bushes sorted 75% of the tramlining to an acceptable level but some motorway wander persisted.
I last had a 4W alignment done about 3 years (10k miles) ago so took it in today, the readings were well out on the rear and lop-sided on the front. The garage uses the Snap-On John Bean kit rather than Hunter as last time but it seemed to do the job. It turned out that the N/S track rod was seized solid as hell, the guys felt it very unlikely that side had been adjusted for years and certainly not 3 years ago - I'm now thinking it wasn't fully adjusted last time hence the lop-sided readings.
A new track rod and correct adjustment all-round has dialled-out the wander & tramlining and it's feeling so good to have finally found the answer. Moral of the story seems to be, have regular 4W alignments and that the skill and integrity of the operator are more important than the make of alignment kit.
I'd use Bridgwater Tyres for 4W alignment again and at £96 for the check and all adjustments seems fair compared to some Hunter outfits, although I don't profess to know the real difference between Hunter and the Snap-on John Bean equipment?
http://www.bridgwatertyres.co.uk/
I last had a 4W alignment done about 3 years (10k miles) ago so took it in today, the readings were well out on the rear and lop-sided on the front. The garage uses the Snap-On John Bean kit rather than Hunter as last time but it seemed to do the job. It turned out that the N/S track rod was seized solid as hell, the guys felt it very unlikely that side had been adjusted for years and certainly not 3 years ago - I'm now thinking it wasn't fully adjusted last time hence the lop-sided readings.
A new track rod and correct adjustment all-round has dialled-out the wander & tramlining and it's feeling so good to have finally found the answer. Moral of the story seems to be, have regular 4W alignments and that the skill and integrity of the operator are more important than the make of alignment kit.
I'd use Bridgwater Tyres for 4W alignment again and at £96 for the check and all adjustments seems fair compared to some Hunter outfits, although I don't profess to know the real difference between Hunter and the Snap-on John Bean equipment?
http://www.bridgwatertyres.co.uk/