Front control arms gone after 53k on GTS

[lmoengnr]

The brand of tyre doesn't cause the wear that car is showing....That's a suspension problem

Not long after the Gen F's came out, and the HSV forum was still up and running, many owners were complaining about strange wear patterns on the factory fitted Conti's.

 

[RevNev]

Not long after the Gen F's came out, and the HSV forum was still up and running, many owners were complaining about strange wear patterns on the factory fitted Conti's.

I bought a 2015 R8 with 5000km's and my wife collected it drove it to the workshop. I drove it onto the hoist that evening and put in a set of springs and shocks (lowered it) and did a wheel alignment, took it for a spin around the block, (first drive) and it was all over the place and tram lined like a mongrel. It was a Friday night, and I ended up changing wheel alignment settings all weekend and couldn't fix it and the car just didn't steer properly despite it's newness.

Long story short, I took the Conti's off and fitted a set of Bridgestone S001's after reading all the bad Conti reviews on the HSV forum and fixed the steering issue immediately, it was the tyres causing the tram lining and steering vagueness. Having said that, I still think my VE steered better with hydraulic steering than the VF electric!

 

[lmoengnr]

I bought a 2015 R8 with 5000km's and my wife collected it drove it to the workshop. I drove it onto the hoist that evening and put in a set of springs and shocks (lowered it) and did a wheel alignment, took it for a spin around the block, (first drive) and it was all over the place and tram lined like a mongrel. It was a Friday night, and I ended up changing wheel alignment settings all weekend and couldn't fix it and the car just didn't steer properly despite it's newness.

Long story short, I took the Conti's off and fitted a set of Bridgestone S001's after reading all the bad Conti reviews on the HSV forum and fixed the steering issue immediately, it was the tyres causing the tram lining and steering vagueness. Having said that, I still think my VE steered better with hydraulic steering than the VF electric!

I fitted Superpro urethane strut tops on my E3 Maloo, and it made the steering really precise.
I'll fit a pair to the Magnum soon to compare hydraulic to electric.

 

[Skylarking]

In reality it doesn't work like that. All it takes is evidence of a kerb scrape on the tyre and the defence is hitting something (which they have) and the wheel aligner is excluded from liability. It's extremely difficult to prove that a wheel alignment was done incorrectly particularly over the time it takes for tyre wear to become visible. That's the reason so many are bad at the job!

If the issue was worn bushes, the owner didn’t contribute to the service providers lack of skill. If the issue was poor wheel alignment and there is no evidence of whacking a curb, it’s the alignment that is a problem…

I’ve had issues with poor alignment and sorted it out over the phone and booked it in for corrective action a few days later… The owner checked the alignment and it was indeed out so adjusted it and he apologised for the issue.

Sadly I’m sure some customers, who know they’ve hit a curb, still try and pass it on as a bad alignment. These bottom dwelling customers are just as bad as the business bottom dwellers of the alignment world

 

[RevNev]

I fitted Superpro urethane strut tops on my E3 Maloo, and it made the steering really precise.

Did it raise the ride height much? Urethane strut tops used have that tendency and they'd complain with lowered cars, it's higher at the front now!!

If the issue was worn bushes, the owner didn’t contribute to the service providers lack of skill. If the issue was poor wheel alignment and there is no evidence of whacking a curb, it’s the alignment that is a problem…

There was tyre shop who had a generic wheel alignment sheet off their machine and they'd change the rego number and give everyone the same sheet for the same model vehicle. Here's the sheet, the alignment was spot on, true story! The best wheel alignments come from suspension shops in most cases and I've always advised people not let a tyre shops touch it. It's bad enough making sure they don't scratch your wheels taking tyres on and off, or slip with a rattle gun.

Whether a tyre shop tries to do the right thing depends on their business model, some are good and some are extremely bad.

 

[vc commodore]

Did it raise the ride height much? Urethane strut tops used have that tendency and they'd complain with lowered cars, it's higher at the front now!!


There was tyre shop who had a generic wheel alignment sheet off their machine and they'd change the rego number and give everyone the same sheet for the same model vehicle. Here's the sheet, the alignment was spot on, true story! The best wheel alignments come from suspension shops in most cases and I've always advised people not let a tyre shops touch it. It's bad enough making sure they don't scratch your wheels taking tyres on and off, or slip with a rattle gun.

Whether a tyre shop tries to do the right thing depends on their business model, some are good and some are extremely bad.

Alot of shops would prefer to use the setting scope provided by the alignment machine, rather that actually read the tyre wear pattern and adjust accordingly....ie, it's in the green so it is good....

.About 15 years ago, I worked in a tyre shop doing wheel alignments about 500 metres from a Pedders franchise....That particular franchise had all sorts of problems with their alignment machine...As a result, they sent their alignments to me to do and unfortunately for the poor customer, got charged about double what pedders got charged for the job...I reckon I did it for them for about 3 months straight

 

[vc commodore]

Not long after the Gen F's came out, and the HSV forum was still up and running, many owners were complaining about strange wear patterns on the factory fitted Conti's.

Might be the case, but the tyre shown at the beginning is a suspension issue...ie incorrect alignment settings for it's use....

When the VE first came out, I struck a few that had rear tyre wear issues related to crap factory suspension bushes....It looked like the tyres had been used for burnouts, but didn't have the discolouring related to being used for that....

 

[panhead]

The best wheel alignments come from suspension shops in most cases and I've always advised people not let a tyre shops touch it.

I can't agree more.






.

 

[krusing]

I forgot to mention,
Front sway bar link failures are as common as horse poo in a horse paddock,
It’s not the actual links, it’s the rubber seals on them,
I am currently on my 3rd set at 221,000 k’s.

 

[Banjo79]

I can't agree more.






.

Also agree. Pedders are the best in my area, though it costs $140. They test drive and re-tinker if necessary. Not all alignments are created equal, that is for sure. Not sure if its the coilovers, camber and caster washers that make them try (and charge) harder, but they never disappoint (apart from the outsourced car wash they gave my perfectly clean car, disastorous!) Fulcrum come in distant second and are fair bit cheaper. The rest in my area don't rate a mention.