Tyres and wheel alignment a cautionary tale

Joined
Jan 22, 2013
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Location
Dorchester
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24,382
MH
C class
Exp
since 2010
Mincing around la Belle France, Laruns.
Mrs asw19 opines that the rear tyres look iffy.
Obvs she has NO IDEA.
Another couple of weeks and the man of the camper glances fleetingly at the tyres as part of a rigourous biannual inspection. Well stap me vitals, she was right, they are a bit threadbare.
By this time we have moved further North on our way to Spain, between Dax and Bayonne.
Potter round various tyre places, wanting 1 Continental van contact as we have the original spare unused.
The tyre chap assures me that the spare is no use as it is a summer tyre, not the 4 seasons m&s I required.
Borrocks, order 2 tyres, citing the size and load factor from a photo.
Delivery 2 days, jobs a goodun.
Back at Chez Marshall, I check the order form, aargh thy have ordered the wrong load factor. Jump on the phone and inflict my somewhat deficient french on to the lovely Marina, who agrees that it is wrong, despite our conversation.
Reorders in a greater load factor, Thursday 1100 hrs.
Rollup early and the tyres are installed. Week 38 2022
Good to go? Nah, the fronts nead aligning mate. Can you do it? Er no camping car body too wide. Go to merc dealer back in Dax. No sir, too wide, but we use these people...
Mosey off and eventually discover them.... No mate too big try our truck place. The truck place can't oblige.
Getting a bit desperate by now I smile sweetly at the bearded brigand and ask for help. He and his sidekickette then swung into action phoning 5 places, eventually finding a place in Orthez for Monday morning at least it is more towards Spain
Phew. We shall see.

To be continued
 
Update, arrived in Orthez for the wheel alignment at a truck garage, much more better.
In at 10am out at 10:40.
Quick and efficient laser alignment, back axle parfait, front axle well out.
€138 but well pleased considering the endless buggering about. The tracking hadnt been checked from new, 6 1/2 years and 40,000 miles.
The fronts have a few more miles ,?5,000, in them and the rears were finished at a hair under 40k miles.
Will replace the fronts and spare when we return.
It was a surprise to find that mercedes had supplied the van with a summer weight spare instead of the 4 seasons fitted to the chassis.
Probably not technically any use...
Now sitting on the aire at Oleron sainte Marie.
Tomorrow is the Lindt factory shop and over to Canfranc.
 

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