[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by guptavis

Thanks for the quick reply nikhil. I have stock steel rims on both Alto and NHC.

So, will my NHC steel rims get damaged by the same procedure of removing weights with a hammer. Or are they strong enough and it wont be a problem if the same treatment is given to them.

Normally they shouldnt get damaged but the chances of damage are much higher if a hammer is used. Best to avoid them.

[sagarpadaki]

Today got alignment done to my I20. The technician said the left front Caster cannot be adjusted and there is a problem. He asked me to check with service center.

What exactly is wrong and what should I ask the service center to check.?

[Nikhilb2008]

Caster cant be adjusted by any tyre shop guy. You will need to get it done at the service centre.

I think you have problem with the camber and not the caster. Caster is the angle the steering makes and there is no LEFT or RIGHT with that. Camber is measured at every corner.

Camber also cannot be adjusted for most cars. You will have to take the alignment report to the Hyundai service centre and show them how the camber is off and ask them to have a look at it.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Caster cant be adjusted by any tyre shop guy. You will need to get it done at the service centre.

I think you have problem with the camber and not the caster. Caster is the angle the steering makes and there is no LEFT or RIGHT with that. Camber is measured at every corner.

Camber also cannot be adjusted for most cars. You will have to take the alignment report to the Hyundai service centre and show them how the camber is off and ask them to have a look at it.

Nikhil,thanks for the reply.

I have been having a left pulling problem with my i20 since past 7K kms. I am unable to find out why.After the last alignment it was reduced to 50%. As soon as i leave the steering ,the car starts drifting to the left very rapidly and within one or two seconds it will go out of road.

For your reference i am attaching the Alignment report . Please let me know what should be corrected to solve this left pulling problem.

PS- All the tires are properly and equally inflated and its not because of tapering of road because this left pulling happens even on the flat concrete roads

EDIT- What is this "SAI'? The SAI value is way out of limits!

[headbanger]

I took my Ritz for wheel alignment and wheel balancing 2 days back at Qutub Motors, Gurgaon.
Now the process they use over there is to remove all the old weights from the tyre, mount it on the machine and then add new weights to the tyre as recommended by machine. 4 tyres were balanced by this scheme. Then another technician came, took the 5th tyre, didn't remove the old weights from tyre, mounted it on machine and BINGO!!! This tyre didn;t need any weights.

My question is which approach is the correct one? For a moment, I thought the technician is fleecing people since you need to pay for weights that are added to tires in the process of balancing.

O.T. I paid a total of 760/- for wheel balancing and alignment at Qutub Motors, Gurgaon which I felt was on the higher side. Any pointers to a good and reasonable place for this activity in Gurgaon?

Wheel Balancing - 250/-
Wheel Alignment - 250/-
Weights added - 200/-
Tax - 60/-
-------------------------
Total - 760

[humyum]

Originally Posted by headbanger

I took my Ritz for wheel alignment and wheel balancing 2 days back at Qutub Motors, Gurgaon.
Now the process they use over there is to remove all the old weights from the tyre, mount it on the machine and then add new weights to the tyre as recommended by machine. 4 tyres were balanced by this scheme. Then another technician came, took the 5th tyre, didn't remove the old weights from tyre, mounted it on machine and BINGO!!! This tyre didn;t need any weights.

My question is which approach is the correct one? For a moment, I thought the technician is fleecing people since you need to pay for weights that are added to tires in the process of balancing.

O.T. I paid a total of 760/- for wheel balancing and alignment at Qutub Motors, Gurgaon which I felt was on the higher side. Any pointers to a good and reasonable place for this activity in Gurgaon?

Wheel Balancing - 250/-
Wheel Alignment - 250/-
Weights added - 200/-
Tax - 60/-
-------------------------
Total - 760

Perfectly fine. He did the right thing. Infact during balancing, first the old weights should not be removed and the balancing checked. If the wheel is perfectly balanced in the first place, it should be kept that way minus any minus plus.

[ssh1979]

Guys, I fitted new tyres and rims on my ride on Saturday. Last night when going out, I heard a noise from the front right wheel, best described as some sound you get when loose gravel is thrown by your wheels into the arches. I ignored it first couple of times thinking this was the case. That this didn't go off and that it occured only at very low speeds say, while starting from a signal or when doing 90 degree turns, made me think again.

I then checked around the wheel inner and outer and noticed the balance weights. I suspect it could be this rubbing against the brake caliper. The other wheels don't have any weights attached to them.



Having just been back from the garage, I'm wondering if there is any DIY solution rather than having to go back to them again. Has anyone here had this experience and what did you do?

Vehicle: Ford Endeavour 3.0L 4x4 AT post 2009 model
Rims: 15" Lenso alloys

[shipnil]

I had done wheel alignment / wheel balancing second time (first time after the original purchase of tyres) last weekend. I have some observations / questions.

1. First time the tyre dealer balanced the wheels, the guy used to check the tyre once, see the unbalanced figures, put the weights, check again, the balancing would be complete as per machine (weights 0). This was the case with all the new tyres.

But this time, after the first checking and putting the weights, second time too the machine used to show about 5 gms of unbalancing on both the sides. This happened with all the tyres. Did the guy pull a fast one on me? Because while attaching the weights the first time, nearly each time, he did not put the weight on the green mark. The wheel used to turn a bit (accidentally / intentionally)

2. I followed the recommended method of removing all the previous weights and do a fresh re-balance for all the wheels. From what I remember, the weights were nearly same, about 15 / 20 gms on each side for each wheel. Obviously I cannot be certain about the position though. But now I am having second thoughts about doing it the next time. I never had to remove any tyre from the wheel during last 10,000 kms. I feel only the tyre rotation is required. What is your take?

3. Finally, I am wondering, that we go to the extent of putting 5 gms here and there to balance the wheel and when the wheel is put on the car, we put a 100/200 gms wheel cover on one side, throwing the whole balancing out of the window. What is point of balancing if we are going to put on the wheel cover?

[sumeethaldankar]

A question related to the weights used while balancing.I had given my 800 for alignment and balancing and the people over there to keep costs down used old weights.I was told about this.I just wanted to know how good or bad it is to install used weights for balancing on the rims ?

thanks

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

A question related to the weights used while balancing.I had given my 800 for alignment and balancing and the people over there to keep costs down used old weights.I was told about this.I just wanted to know how good or bad it is to install used weights for balancing on the rims ?

thanks

Old weights are not good. They could cause discolouration or rust on the parts of the rim they are in contact with.

More than that, they could fall off as the clip would have lost it's effectiveness. It could fall off 5 kms after leaving the service centre or it could hold on for 10,000 kms. But it isnt reliable.

Apart from that, nothing else.

[Sanjith.R]

Hi , I would like to know if manual wheel alignment is as good as computerized one ? I was suggested of a wheel alignment guy who does as in the picture and goes under the car and manually checks with his hands, later takes me for a TD and lets me know the differences in alignment. I did find it corrected.

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by Sanjith.R

Hi , I would like to know if manual wheel alignment is as good as computerized one ? I was suggested of a wheel alignment guy who does as in the picture and goes under the car and manually checks with his hands, later takes me for a TD and lets me know the differences in alignment. I did find it corrected.

This is a computerised wheel alignment system. It is not a manual type. A manual type or a mechanical type is also quite common with tyre shops and aliognment centres who dont want to invest in technology.

The computerised wheel alignment pic you have put up is a generation or two old. Many alignment centres are now moving to 3D Wheel alignment or Camera based wheel alignment.

[Sanjith.R]

Thanks, are Sai Iyengar's near cambridge layout good for WB and WA ?

[Betelguese]

Hello All!
I have a query regarding wheel alignment. I plan to change all my tyres on my Swift. Should I do the wheel alignment before changing or after. The Tyres will be changed at a different dealer. I plan to take the car for a reputed workshop for the alignment. I felt changing the tyres first would be better. The senior guy at the alignment workshop very politely feels to get the alignment done first? Approximately what costs should I be looking at for the alignment? Thanks!

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by Betelguese

Hello All!
I have a query regarding wheel alignment. I plan to change all my tyres on my Swift. Should I do the wheel alignment before changing or after. The Tyres will be changed at a different dealer. I plan to take the car for a reputed workshop for the alignment. I felt changing the tyres first would be better. The senior guy at the alignment workshop very politely feels to get the alignment done first? Approximately what costs should I be looking at for the alignment? Thanks!

If i understand alignment correctly, then it does not matter whether it is done before changing tyres or after. The reason is that alignment settings are not done for the tyres at all - its more for the suspension, and how the tyres touch the road. So, technically, it should not matter.

In fact, one could argue if alignment needs to be done at all, if you are changing tyres. I guess its just a common practice to do alignment when changing tyres, because it ensures uniform wear and tear, and hence increases the life of the tyres - more importantly when you are investing a high amount in new tyres.

Would wait for the other experts also to pitch in.