Should the wheel alignment come first

freedreamz, Feb 29, 11:57am
or should the new tires go on first.
Had new tires fitted yesterday plus it was booked in for a wheel alignment.
Dropped it off, went for a walk, got back to pick it up and they were just putting the 2 new front tires on, asked if alignment had been done and they said yes.Never ever seen before where alignment was done and tires fitted afterwards, when I questioned them, they said standard practice. Just after your opinion. TIA
msigg, Feb 29, 12:01pm
seems fine to me
bill-robinson, Feb 29, 12:08pm
wheel alignment is setting the suspension to the correct position. It does not matter what tyres are on the car, (subject to size, diameter) PS I agree with the previous poster.
unbeatabull, Feb 29, 12:18pm
I always do w/a after fitting the tyres, purely for the reason that if the previous tyres weren't worn evenly and it was pulling slightly and you adjust it to fix that then the new tyres won't have that problem so it may all be aligned but it may still pull slightly one way.
kazbanz, Feb 29, 1:54pm
it seems theres two types of wheel alighners out there.
Theres the guys with all the fancy machines who measure everything according to computer and then theres the guys who get the car to drive straight.rarely it seems does old school and computer school mix.
Myself I really don't really care what the numbers say--I want the car to drive straight and have the wheels sitting flat on the road.
So on that basis I prefer the tyres changes then the allighnment done.
intrade, Feb 29, 1:59pm
normally tyre first then alignement. only do alignement if tyres dont get changed first.
mrfxit, Feb 29, 2:25pm
# 4/5/6 Perfect
Eliminates any potential problems with faulty or badly worn tyres

With the computer diagnostics being so ingrained & often needed these days, common sense & real life "seat of the pants" diagnostics are fast 'exiting stage left' .

This in turn is creating a false reliance in the real world of motoring because if the computer say's it's right, then it MUST be right.

B0LL0CKS . I have had 3 different "the computer & it's operator" teams, fail to diagnose a very clearly fractured front suspension beam that was bending all over the place when driving
mrfxit, Feb 29, 2:28pm
Fine IF . & that's a big IF .there was NO indication of any steering problems or adverse tyre wear (including size/ type /age / tread matching)
bill-robinson, Mar 1, 12:35am
Well I always looked at tyres, and checked suspension, BEFORE doing an alignment. does this answer your statement! How do you do this job. I now use string not laseras the sting is straighter, and less expensive.
scuba, Mar 1, 3:16am
this may coome as a shock but most punters don't come back when they see you, pull out a length of string to do a wheel alignment on their pride and joy
scuba, Mar 1, 3:23am
depends on how much your paying lol and with car dealers thats usually bugger all- toe and go
holden_fan2006, Mar 1, 3:36am
Our alignments are measured off the hub/rim, not the tyre. Apart from tyres that are miss matched sized (which our machine will pick up anyway) it shouldn't really matter.
sw20, Mar 1, 4:28am
Dropped a car off once to get the wheels aligned as I was fitting new tyres elsewhere in the afternoon. Went back to pick up car at agreed time and they hadn't done it "you need new tyres" Think of calling me you f%king retards! I know I need new tyres, they are going on this afternoon. "Oh you should put them on before an alignment" Told them they were useless and never went back.
mrfxit, Mar 1, 3:55pm
Didn't detect that the whole suspension beam was BUSTED wide open

Beam on that car is a folded plate "upside down U shape" Approx 200mm each side & approx 150mm wide
It was cracked from the bottom front around to halfway down the back of the beam.
THREE "tech's & computer machines MISSED the floating beam.

Can't beat EYE'S /torch & a short drive
mrfxit, Mar 1, 3:56pm
I don't know of any machines in about the last 40 years or more, that measure off the tyre