Road force balance + 4 wheel alignment = Best at dealer or indy tire shop?

[Ricky Bobby]

UPDATE 7/26/13: This has become more of a quest to get my X5 aligned and balanced correctly thread. The balance is spot on now, however my first attempt at alignment needed me to replace the tie rods in the front in order to adjust the toe (they were seized, everything else is new also) Please see the last page to see if I actually can get the car aligned once and for all (I have been trying to get a proper alignment done for just about 9 months now, from when I started out replacing the front suspension parts, and then had to do my wheel bearings as I had a bad right front (and did both for good measure). This is more of a "quest for alignment" thread more than anything now!

I need both done, my tires were balanced on a roadforce machine several months back but still not quite right, I have a feeling they may still be off. Before anyone asks, my hub rings are metal (I have OEM replica staggered 20s on Toyo Proxes tires, less than a year old and less than 2k miles), the hubs are clean as can be as I recently wire brushed them, and my lugs are always torqued to 101 ft lbs.

Per a local dealers special I can get 4 wheels balanced on a Roadforce machine and a 4 wheel alignment done for $225 plus tax, I think this is about the going rate at indy shops as well.

I wouldn't mind going to an indy shop if possible (there are a few Tire Rack recommended installers nearby) as I'd like to get my alignment done outside of the BMW spec for even wear (i.e. get the toe zero'ed out, leaving all other specs stock), and I also have a feeling that indy shops get their roadforce machines calibrated more frequently than the dealers since they do more tire installs I would imagine.

However, both dealer and indy tire shop incompetence seems to run rampant, when I call the dealer to ask what type of alignment machine they have they tell me a "Hunter" (I'm looking to get this done on a Hawkeye machine), and when I call an indy shop they tell me the E53 should be an easy job to do. When I bring up locking in the toe to outside BMW spec, they say "well you better leave it with us since it might take a while". I haven't even brought up setting the toe outside BMW spec when I called the dealer, as I assume they will tell me no can do.

Is it too much for me to ask a dealer or indy shop to set an alignment to a spec I provide (tmv does it all the time, and I have a printout from the last alignment I did), as well as ask to have my wheels balanced on a freshly calibrated machine?

[TiAgX5]

I have my tires road force balanced at an indy shop and bring it to BMW for alignment. I have camber and tow set to min settings and make it clear at drop off that a readout MUST be provided B4 I pay for the work.

If time allows, I "lurk" at the dealership to verify the vehicle if "weighted" before the alignment is performed.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

I have my tires road force balanced at an indy shop and bring it to BMW for alignment. I have camber and tow set to min settings and make it clear at drop off that a readout MUST be provided B4 I pay for the work.

If time allows, I "lurk" at the dealership to verify the vehicle if "weighted" before the alignment is performed.

Same here, though my goal is aggressive specs. I am OK with less tire wear. No sense not contributing to the rest of the front end mods and I get much better tire wear with Continental extreme Contact tires the all the other brands I have tried.

What I find interesting is the alignment end result is never the same and they always say it is because of the changes I have made to the suspension or something is bent. Of course, they could right but often if it was the front last time it is the rear the next time.

I always wait but I am beginning to think that they hurry because of that and that is part of the reason they can never get it same side to side on either end. I know what the sheet should look like when they get it right and they have in the past but for the last several alignments they only get close.

[Ricky Bobby]

Well I just thought I'd update that I found a shop 20 mins from me who does alignments on a Hawkeye machine, told me that the E53 is not a problem and they have regularly done X5's and can dial some toe out most likely, and they have the latest Hunter GSP9700 Balancer with touchscreen and self calibrating.

Going on Saturday, they charge 215 for the alignment and the balancing with a coupon but assure the work will be done satisfactory, and I will get printouts of my wheels this time as well as the alignment specs. Stay tuned to hear how competent this place is....

Side note, I love Hunters website, you can actually find what shops have the newest Roadforce balancing technology, just put in your zip and find the shop that has the "touchscreen" model. In my case, this shop was the only one in the area besides a Kia dealer and a Honda dealer that had the latest machine. Hunter GSP9700 Wheel vibration Control System solves wheel vibration and tire pull problems that balancers and aligners can't fix

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

....Side note, I love Hunters website, you can actually find what shops have the newest Roadforce balancing technology, just put in your zip and find the shop that has the "touchscreen" model. In my case, this shop was the only one in the area besides a Kia dealer and a Honda dealer that had the latest machine. Hunter GSP9700 Wheel vibration Control System solves wheel vibration and tire pull problems that balancers and aligners can't fix

CAUTION>>>>>>DO NOT BELIEVE THIS WEBSITE!!!!

I went to several locations on there and the Hunter machines were NOT being used.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

CAUTION>>>>>>DO NOT BELIEVE THIS WEBSITE!!!!

I went to several locations on there and the Hunter machines were NOT being used.

I don't believe it 100%, as it says on the bottom "always confirm equipment with shop", and the shop I'm going to on Saturday did confirm that they have the latest touchscreen model with eCal (electronic self calibrating), so I am happy with that. I'm sure a lot of the shops listed actually use the DSP9700 which is an older model of roadforce balancer, but they are still listed.

[TiAgX5]

There were a few on the site that did not even use the Hunter roadforce machines at all.

[Qsilver7]

FYI: below is some info I found a "few" years ago perusing the BMW TIS about BMW & the use of Hunter balancing machines. Please take into account the "date" this was released (9/2003) in case there are any updates/changes since that time:

[TiAgX5]

This is the top of the line Hunter, GSP9700.

[X5SND]

Hopefully they can get everything sorted! Just be sure to ask for the print out for both the alignment & roadforce results!