VE SV6 Alignment/Crabbing Issue

[Mitch089]

Hey guys,

i've just had new 20" tyres fitted to my VE SV6 + alignment and had the camber checked at a local goodyear tyre outlet. i've had the 20" wheels for over a year and its been lowered (SSL rear and SSSL front) for about a year now without too many problems (although steering wheel always seemed to have a very slight shake that could never be fixed). its had a couple of wheel alignments done after it was lowered. i had to replace the tyres due both tyres on the left hand side of the car being shredded on the inside which i assumed was just the camber being out.

however, as soon as the new tyres have been fitted and a wheel alignment done the car is now crabbing, and not in a fixed position, it seems to be floating around. my first thought was that the tyre place had broken something/left a bolt out which was causing the problem but i've taken it back and they tell me they cant find anything wrong without taking the back end of the car apart.

so im after some advice on what the problem could be or what i should do? there was no problem before it went to goodyear but now there is definitely something wrong. should i be taking it back to goodyear for them to look at more or go to somewhere like pedders?

any help would be greatly appreciated!

[TinSnips]

If you don't get any joy from goodyear, take the car elsewhere, but I'd be informing Goodyear they can fix up the bill. Try Heasman's Steering in Sydenham or Wholesale Suspension in Penrith. Both are renowned for good wheel alignments.

[Mitch089]

yeah thats why i was more wanting to give it back to goodyear to fix it up so they could cover the cost. but if it turns out to be something unrelated to anything theyve done and i'm gonna have to pay for it then there may be better places to take it to, like who youve said

also im up in the hunter valley, so driving to sydney on a car thats floating all over the place doesnt sound like that best idea, thats why i was thinking pedders.

i guess the real question is can getting an alignment done show up other problems and cause these issues?

[jasonsv6]

na mate if it was fine before they touched it and stuffed now they have done something wrong. having the wheels alinged would not show up another unrelated fault even if all your busshes were worn the problem wouldnt be as bad as your saying it is they have broken it they have to fix.thats all there is to it
if they cant or dont then take it to a suspension joint ahd have it inspected then contact the parent company (GOODYEAR DUNLOP) with this information.

[Mitch089]

thanks for the advice. ill be getting back in touch with them

[EraserHead]

Wheel alignment is an interesting topic... I had a new VY SS and it would eat rear tyres out every 15,000km, especially the left one. Had the Holden dealer I bought it off (FTG Holden) check the alignment at the 10,000km service - could find nothing wrong and their answer was I must be driving it too hard or doing too many left hand turns - wankers!!. At the 20,000km service, same thing - he also claimed to have sent it to the Bridgestone place up the road for checking - nothing wrong. Had my wife take it to Bog Janes for an alignment - nothing wrong.

At the 30,000km service took it to another Holden dealer closer to work (Barlowworld) - again had 2 new rear tyres put on and they checked the alignment. They even phoned me up amazed as they said the rear alignment was out some 8 degrees! They did an alignment on it and it drove like a completely different car... superb! Tyres lasted 50,000km after that.

What it goes to show is that very few people around are any good at doing wheel alignments. They obviously have some pretty unskilled people working at most alignment places - even at some of the Holden dealers. So if you find a good alignment place, stick with them and let everyone know!

[revinR1]

Dont know where OP lives but Ross Rodrick at Kurri Kurri have been pretty go to me for my lasy couple of cars.Might be worth a look

[Mitch089]

i live near singleton, so kurri is definitely close enough if theyre good at what they do.

im dropping my car off at pedders tomorrow and theyre gonna check it out when they get the chance and let me know what the story is. fingers crossed its nothing too expensive as this isnt the only problem ive gotta fix haha

seeing as its gotta get this work done i was also thinking of replacing the stock shocks. as i said before its on kings SSSL's in the front and SSL's in the rear, can anyone recommened good shocks to suit that? i was thinking just monroe's as they are apparently designed for the king springs (or vice versa). and what other pedders products are worth installing?

[wake jake]

I can relate to this. Yestereday my left rear tyre started scrubbing on my guard so guessing this would just be an alignment issue. Didnt get picked up at the service silly Holden

[Mitch089]

Update:

pedders did their 28 point suspension check on the car and didnt find a problem. they looked into it more and have come back and said that with the design of the rim, the outside face of the rim isnt straight which can effect alignment.

this could explain why goodyear would do alignment, take it for a drive, check it and the alignment would be totally out (cos they havent attached the machine to the same spot on the rim). pedders did the exact same thing before noticing the rims arent straight. so perhaps goodyear didnt even have the alignemnt machine (whatever its called) on at the correct positions and totally ####ed the alignment, causing it to crab.

so pedders say theres no problems and theyll do a proper alignment and let me know how it goes