Wheel Alighnment

[CliveM]

Can any tyre place do full wheel alignment on a MB? or does it need a MB trained dealer?

Local place has just done wheel alignment for many years and currently uses a Hunter 811 system with hunter factory trained technicians - Éven though they are not MB trained should they be able to complete the job. or would it be better to leave it to a dealer?

 

[mjtray]

I had all four wheels on my C280 done by an non MB Garage and they did a great job and it only cost £27.00. They had all the latest laser wheel alignment kit and had guys who really knew what they are doing. They keep their prices low as they have a huge amount of cars going through their business for tyres and wheel alignment on a daily basis.

If you are anywhere near Hampshire I would recomend Micheldever Tyres on 01962 774437

Cheers

 

[Smalley]

Hunter makes the alignment machine that is unique to Mercedes Benz.

I suppose, though, that any competent shop could align your car if they use a spreader bar.

To properly align a Mercedes, a spreader bar is used to load the suspension.

Without this, I have no idea how the alignment could come out properly.

 

[CliveM]

I thought the MB dealers had adapted Beissbarth alignment kit not hunter.

 

[Smalley]

I thought the MB dealers had adapted Beissbarth alignment kit not hunter.

They might use different equipment for different countries, or possibly have more than one supplier.

The machines that I have seen at several dealers in the U.S. were all made by Hunter, FWIW.

 

[andyM4]

First I have to declare an interest - I work for Beissbarth. It is true that other manufacturers of alignment equipment are approved, including Hunter, but in the UK the vast majority of DC dealers use Beissbarth equipment.
Historically Mercedes Benz have always been very interested in wheel alignment and the equipment which dealers are required to purchase is a result of this.
What the local tyre place which did a good job for £27 would not have done is measured all the ride heights and calculated the correct target data for the ride height presented. The MB delaer has a tool for this which costs £1800, plus the adapters for different models. The ride height is then transferred to the Beissbarth machine which then calculates the correct data for the ride height as presented.
So - if you want a factory standard wheel alignment setup go to a dealer, or one of the many independant specialists who use all the factory approved equipment.

 

[CliveM]

Thanks for your post.

if a local wheel alignment shop using the Hunter 811 system and claims to have "all load cells, height gauges, push bars etc to undertake full suspension geometry readings and adjustment for, amongst others, Mercedes Benz passenger vehicles" should they be able to do a job as good as a MB dealer?

 

[andyM4]

The Hunter 811 is certainly capable of providing the accuracy of measurement required for MB, if the required ride height measuring tools, toe spreader and data are available. The question is are tyre fitters, even 'Hunter trained' - which may just be the sales rep spending half a day with them - capable of understanding the information presented to them. In my experience many tyre shops have invested in expensive alignment equipment in the hope that the equipment will make up for a lack of skill, intelligence and expeience in their staff, who are, after all, only paid to fit tyres. That is not to say there are no tyre shops capable of doing a professional job of wheel alignment, just that they are few and far between.
The other side to this coin is that since the big "re-alignment" of MB dealers the skills base within the dealerships has taken a big dip, so there is no guarantee of a good job even at an MB dealer.