Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


Zeon

3916 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#160493 8-Jan-2015 16:54
Send private message

Hey guys,
My tyres and each wearing more on the outside edge than the rest of the tyre and I hear a squeeking noise when I drive along. I'm guessing my wheel alignment is out?

I got a quote from the mechanic next to my office for wheel alignment and they said $295. From what I have seen in ads etc. this seems really high. What should be the kind of price I should be paying and any suggestions around the Mt. Wellington area to visit?




Speedtest 2019-10-14


Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
 1 | 2 | 3
MikeB4
18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #1210677 8-Jan-2015 16:56
Send private message

$295 for an alignment is very high, my last full service cost less than that. Shop around.



DjShadow
4084 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #1210678 8-Jan-2015 16:57
Send private message

Keep an eye on sites like Grabone, I picked up a wheel alignment at TyrePlus for $31

timmmay
20575 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1210680 8-Jan-2015 16:58
Send private message

Tony's Tyres, $59 to $89.



  #1210682 8-Jan-2015 16:59
Send private message

you shouldn't be paying more than $100 for a wheel alignment and that's at a push/race car alignment

TLD

TLD
902 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #1210690 8-Jan-2015 17:18
Send private message

When was the last WOF.  When the next one is due, ask the guys about the tire wear and get them to have a close look at the front suspension.  What sort of vehicle?  What components control the wheel alignment, like anti roll bar rubbers.  If they wear then the wheels will toe-out under breaking and wear the inside tread.  Just think a wee bit about cause and effect rather than going straight to wheel alignment.

Oh, and that is way too much IMO.




Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

Batman
Mad Scientist
29760 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1210724 8-Jan-2015 18:06
Send private message

when that happened to me the steering joint was worn (sorry I know it should have a better name but it was steering related and it was a ball and socket thing)

  #1210744 8-Jan-2015 18:41
Send private message

tie rod?

 
 
 

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.
Inphinity
2780 posts

Uber Geek


  #1210771 8-Jan-2015 19:35
Send private message

Is the $295 a deal for like 10 alignments or was it for far more than just alignment? That is crazy expensive.  I have paid half that for custom alignments for track cars. I would normally expect to pay $60 - $80 for an alignment when not part of a special/promotion etc. Have paid as little as $30 ($150 for 5 alignments) when in a deal/promo.

Zeon

3916 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #1210779 8-Jan-2015 19:54
Send private message

Thank guys, the car is a 2005 Mazda 3 (Axela) and was last serviced in March 2014 with a service due this March. I may just get the alignment from a cheaper place and get the mechanic to take a look during the next service!




Speedtest 2019-10-14


RunningMan
8953 posts

Uber Geek


  #1210791 8-Jan-2015 20:28
Send private message

I'd suggest getting the car checked to establish why the sudden wear, otherwise you'll pay money for an alignment, then still suffer issues due to whatever is broken / worn in the first place.

Generally speaking, alignment goes out for one of two reasons: impact damage, or a worn/damaged suspension part.

Feathering of the outer edges is often cause by too much toe in, but a squeeking noise and uneven tyre wear could also be caused by something like a dragging brake calliper.

IMO, worth getting a confirmed diagnosis before going straight to a fix.

scuwp
3885 posts

Uber Geek


  #1210819 8-Jan-2015 21:23
Send private message

Wheel alignment - $80 tops.  But that won't be causing the noise.  Other possibility is the tyres are under inflated (are they wearing on the inside edge as well?) If it squeals when driving along, but stops when you put you foot on the brakes,  that is normally the indicators on the brake pads telling you they need replacing.  I wonder if the mechanic next door was quoting for more than the wheel alignment?  If not he is a crook.

Generally wheel alignments should be done around every 10,000km.  The small price is worth it to save the tyres.  




Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation



  #1210822 8-Jan-2015 21:27
Send private message

a good alignment tech should be able to spot what is wrong and then inform you of that so you can fix it.


TLD

TLD
902 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #1210842 8-Jan-2015 22:38
Send private message

What about tire pressure?  If the tires are wearing out towards the edges, then that could under inflation.  Google says 35PSI

In fact try Google with Mazda 3 Axela uneven front tire wear.  I bet there are forums specifically for that car with folk nearly as geeky as GZ Denizens. wink




Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

michaelmurfy
meow
13240 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator
ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1210864 8-Jan-2015 23:22
Send private message

Get the wheels aligned and then swap each of the 4 tyres out in a clockwise rotation every 3mo - it'll prolong the life of them and prevent random wears like this.




Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.


nakedmolerat
4629 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1210867 8-Jan-2015 23:30
Send private message

Are you sure that is just for wheel alignment?

$295 for wheel alignment is crazy. Bridgestone will do for $40.

I suspect they quoted the price to fix the issue? Misaligned tyres will not cause the noise.

If it's something need to be fixed, you shouldn't wait until March.

 1 | 2 | 3
Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.