Kwikfit and Hunter Hawkeye alignment

[mar1b0ro]

On Saturday i took my 996 into kwikfit for a 4 wheel alignment check after having some coilovers fitted onto my C4 along with replacement coffin arms all round, so i knew that the alignment would be out a bit. After messing about with the car for about an hour and a half, the kwik fit guy called me up, telling me that it was all done, so i went to collect it When i asked what settings they had used to set the car up, the guy reluctantly brought me a print out of the measurements which showed that although they had changed the toe settings on each of the wheels, the camber settings were all still miles out of spec..- front left is minus 2, front right is minus 1, rears are minus 2.5... now I'm no expert on setting up suspension, but isn't setting up the correct toe without setting the correct camber about as useful as an astray on a motorbike? Surely if i go somewhere else to correct the camber, this will mess the toe settings up? The guy in the shop told me that he didn't think you could alter the camber settings which i know is bollox, but obviously they didn't know how to use the machine. Just wanna check with you guys before i ring up and complain to see if there is actually any benefit of dialing in the correct toe setting but ignoring everything else? And yeah, i know i should have taken it to center gravity but I'm not looking for a track setup, just something that will drive decent on the road.

 

[Magic919]

The Hunter machines tell them how to make the adjustment as far as I know. I can understand the car might not have enough adjustment, but clearly they didn't say that.

Putting up the printout would help people help you. It'll show the target and achieved figures and clarify the units involved.

 

[vlad]

First step, they have to go through is selecting the car model, they often fail at that step!
Years ago I had a 996C4S, I waited while they did the work.
Chap came out, can't get within spec, has your car been crashed?
Went into the garage, they had dialled the car up as a Carrera GT logic being it said carrera C4S on its rump so GT must be close enough.
I did find them the correct model C4S with M030 suspension, but they really didn't have a clue how to use the software.
Once found, they were great with the spanners, and the handling was transformed, in a good way.

 

[911munKy]

Similar problem experienced after changing shocks & springs, I was trying to save money on a cheap alignment but Kwikfit couldn't get it anywhere near spec, in the end the manager gave me a full refund and I took it too another place that could do it.
To be fair to Kwikfit the operatives only do a basic Hunter course and mainly work on less adjustable cars so if you've altered the suspension significantly they are out of their depth.

 

[Shalmaneser]

Having correct toe is better than incorrect toe but the settings will certainly be altered by adjusting the camber.

I've had better luck with smaller local tyre shops doing my alignment work than kwikfit. You quite often find that the guys there are a bit more enthusiastic about cars and are more likely to take an interest than the kwikfit guys. Obviously its a bit of a lottery!

Where in the country are you, someone maybe be able to suggest a shop that can help - I agreed that traipsing up the country to CG everything you change a track rod is a bit pointless.

 

[mar1b0ro]

Having correct toe is better than incorrect toe but the settings will certainly be altered by adjusting the camber.

I've had better luck with smaller local tyre shops doing my alignment work than kwikfit. You quite often find that the guys there are a bit more enthusiastic about cars and are more likely to take an interest than the kwikfit guys. Obviously its a bit of a lottery!

Where in the country are you, someone maybe be able to suggest a shop that can help - I agreed that traipsing up the country to CG everything you change a track rod is a bit pointless.

I'm in Harrogate, North Yorks. Plenty of places up here i can find to do a proper set up on the car, but i really just wanted to try and find out from someone if it has actually added anything to my car by just bringing the toe setting within spec, and ignoring the camber and caster? As i understand it, i still need to get the camber adjusted as it's currently outside of tolerances for the car, so I'm basically starting from scratch again aren't i?

 

[Alex]

I've taken mine to kwikfit about 8 times now and had adjustments everytime. The can do everything apart from castor. I had to point them in the right direction doing the camber and already had the internal panels removed but it was a doddle for them.

 

[JonnieD]

On Saturday i took my 996 into kwikfit for a 4 wheel alignment check after having some coilovers fitted onto my C4 along with replacement coffin arms all round, so i knew that the alignment would be out a bit. After messing about with the car for about an hour and a half, the kwik fit guy called me up, telling me that it was all done, so i went to collect it When i asked what settings they had used to set the car up, the guy reluctantly brought me a print out of the measurements which showed that although they had changed the toe settings on each of the wheels, the camber settings were all still miles out of spec..- front left is minus 2, front right is minus 1, rears are minus 2.5... now I'm no expert on setting up suspension, but isn't setting up the correct toe without setting the correct camber about as useful as an astray on a motorbike? Surely if i go somewhere else to correct the camber, this will mess the toe settings up? The guy in the shop told me that he didn't think you could alter the camber settings which i know is bollox, but obviously they didn't know how to use the machine. Just wanna check with you guys before i ring up and complain to see if there is actually any benefit of dialing in the correct toe setting but ignoring everything else? And yeah, i know i should have taken it to center gravity but I'm not looking for a track setup, just something that will drive decent on the road.

I had the same issue with Kwikfit a month ago, they told me the same! I got them to do a free alignment check though, so thankfully I didn't pay them a penny.

They did tell me too that they never change chamber on cars, and some you can't alter anyway (yeah right!) but its their fixed policy that they will not do it for anyone.

If you've paid Kwikfit and can't get your money back, then you might be able to get someone to sort the camber correctly, and then go back to Kwikfit for them to check the alignment. It seems that Kwikfit offers free checks and realignment after an original alignment service from them.

You might be better off though going to someone else for the whole thing that know what they're doing with all the settings. You do need that camber sorted for sure!

I personally can't see that Kwikfit is ever going to be a good option for anyone unless its just a straight alignment that needs to be done or for a free check.

Good luck getting it sorted!

 

[kas750]

I've taken mine to kwikfit about 8 times now and had adjustments everytime. The can do everything apart from castor. I had to point them in the right direction doing the camber and already had the internal panels removed but it was a doddle for them.

+1

 

[mar1b0ro]

I've taken mine to kwikfit about 8 times now and had adjustments everytime. The can do everything apart from castor. I had to point them in the right direction doing the camber and already had the internal panels removed but it was a doddle for them.

+1

Seems like it's all down to which branch of kwikfit you go to and whether the operators are confident with using the machine properly. Looks like some of the branches offer the full service and others don't. Its a shame to have a machine like that though and not use its full capabilities. I'll put it down to a lesson learnt.

 

[Magic919]

Find a suitable company here https://www.alignmycar.co.uk/

 

[Shalmaneser]

Having correct toe is better than incorrect toe but the settings will certainly be altered by adjusting the camber.

I've had better luck with smaller local tyre shops doing my alignment work than kwikfit. You quite often find that the guys there are a bit more enthusiastic about cars and are more likely to take an interest than the kwikfit guys. Obviously its a bit of a lottery!

Where in the country are you, someone maybe be able to suggest a shop that can help - I agreed that traipsing up the country to CG everything you change a track rod is a bit pointless.

I'm in Harrogate, North Yorks. Plenty of places up here i can find to do a proper set up on the car, but i really just wanted to try and find out from someone if it has actually added anything to my car by just bringing the toe setting within spec, and ignoring the camber and caster? As i understand it, i still need to get the camber adjusted as it's currently outside of tolerances for the car, so I'm basically starting from scratch again aren't i?

Yep starting from scratch again basically.

Worth noting that caster can't be adjusted on the 996 out of box as it were - you need adjustable top mounts.

After I changed my springs, shocks and coffin arms I went to my local kwik fit who said they could adjust the toe only and it would be £70. It's a big shop and they had a hunter machine too, it does seem a shame they don't use them properly! Maybe too much liability if they don't bolt things up tight again?

I ended up taking it to a different local place who did camber and toe spot on all round for £60 I think, and that was with a hunter machine too!

Only disadvantage is that they set the front camber to Oe specs and I'd like them to maybe put a degree on the front. Setting camber yourself is actually super easy, but as you have found out it will affect the toe. Effect is probably fairly minimal on the front, but adjusting the rear camber has a big effect on the toe.

 

[berni29]

Hi

Although setting the camber is in theory reasonably trivial on these cars it certainly is not if the eccentrics are seized or the mechanic involved is rough damages the subframe.

So as long as you know the bolts are free and you know how the system works, you should be able to just assist the kwik fit operative.

Best of luck!

Berni

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Took mine early this year to the local tyre shop and they were unsure of how to adjust the camber, I told them how it is adjusted and after 30 minutes the technician came back in and said toe is adjusted but that he wasn't confident enough to adjust the camber and didn't want to damage my car as he'd never done it before. Fair enough but they aren't the cheapest for adjustments! They did the rear and front toe though, car feels great but I need to drop it in to a Hunter shop at some point, I do like having the print-out with proof of the before and after settings :thumb:

Nearest Hunter place (on alignmycar.co.uk) to me is a Kia dealer...