Wheel alignment issue

[Lil]

Hello Guys

I booked a wheel alignment on a local ATS garage on Friday,

I went there and they were unable to proceed as the laser heads on the front axle couldn't connect each other because the car is very low (???) (is not even that low)

they told me that the only way to do would be only if they take the front bumper off.

so I took the car and left

 

Did anyone had any similar issue before?

[supra joe]

That's rubbish. Mines low and can still be done. Try another garage.

[supra900bhp]

Same here mate had mine 4 wheel checked at a ats by me and I'm 20" with do-luck bumper and dropped but they did mine and so much better! They just prob not be botherd to get hands cold or dirty.

As for bumper off load of crap the beams still gonna be in the same place so still would not of gone through the inner dirt covers or inter cooler pipes etc just lazy by the sounds of it have a phone round someone good at there job will have no probs

Edited December 8, 2014 by supra900bhp (see edit history)

[Dnk]

Mine at Centre gravity, also pretty low but no problem

[Chris Wilson]

Laser alignment is the modern way, but "old fashioned" stringing up and measuring from the chassis centre line and doing the camber and castor with bubble gauges can be just as accurate and less prone to operator errors. You get automatic sanity checks at each stage, and ride height is irrelevant. Although i have to say MKIV's lowered very much WITHOUT major changes to the pick up pints is not conducive to good handling as the suspension kinematics go totally to pot. But people see low race saloons and assume it must be better. These cars have truly radical work done to allow them to work at such ride heights.

[Style]

I've had this problem before on an old car I had. It's down to the type of machine they use I think. Some machines run alignment arms along the tread of the tyres and therfore need a gap in the arch to get the arm in. My car was too low and they couldn't get the arm in and align it. That will be why they need your bumper off probably

 

Dnk's garage has arms that adjusts with the tyre sidewalls, a garage with a machine similar to that is what you're after.

[SupraLEDrears]

I had my tracking done but the idiot aligned my front with the back so I had camber on the fronts too! Took it to a garage to get the geometry done properly and it was way out. My car is so low at the back that the couldnt adjust the camber but they were able to get the things on the wheels. With the old tracking system before I lowered it, the had to put the clamps on the outside of the wheel and that's probably why it doesn't fit.

[Lil]

The thing i that I don't think my car is that low:

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/1973781_10152399205155588_7655727282906297329_o.jpg

 

would anyone recommend any garage in Yorkshire that could probably do the job?

[Thorin]

Gordons Tyres in Wakefield.