"Outspoken"
Wheel Alignment on Pajero by WA Suspensions.
(written 26 Oct 2012)
On 4 July 2012 I took our Pajero to WA Suspensions in Osbourne Park, for a wheel alignment.
Just
over 3 months later, I noticed a faint "clunk" sound and slight pull on
the steering wheel whenever I applied the brakes (even slightly).
On 25 Oct (so 3 months and 3 weeks after alignment), my girlfriend
reported that when turning corners, the steering often would "stick"
and not straighten up, along with clunking and "metal scraping" sounds.
On 26 Oct I collected the car from here to check, and found that the
right front wheel was moving in and out, and front to rear, about 30mm,
when turning, and / or applying the brakes (even slightly). Something
was obvioulsly broken, or some bolts had come loose or fallen out.
On same day, I limped it into my mechanic, who checked the vehicle, and
found that the bolts securing the right front upper links where
completely loose, with a gap of around an inch. This is where shims are
placed during front wheel alignment. There were 2 shims still just
sitting there loose, and we had no way of knowing how many shims were
in there. My mechanic obviously secured the bolts, but not knowing how
many shims were in there, means that the alignment was now probably way
out, and in need of re-doing it.
Later same day, I called WA Suspensions to discuss the issue with them,
and requested that they re-do the alignment for me. They accepted no
responsibility for this problem, and told me that they were going to
charge me $110 to have the alignment re-done. I proceeded to explain
that bolts coming loose on front suspension is not normal, and that as
they were the last people to touch these bolts, that it was likely that
they were not correctly fastened. They argued the point and again said
that I would still have to pay. It is my opinion that this is a company
that does not stand by their work, and given the importance of correct
adjustment and tensioning of steering components, I feel that they may
be releasing vehicles in unsafe condition, as mine was.
I now use another company for my wheel alignments.
These pages were last
updated on 26 Oct 2012.