Alignment problem - help me understand

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted by SlavaB
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Have them check ride height too. I dintr understand the "leaning": issue. Is your car seat broken, maybe?


Maybe I've used the wrong term, sorry.
To describe better: when going straight on a highway in the middle lane, after I'm releasing the steering wheel - the car doesnt go straight but pulling to the right by itself.
So in order to go straight I keep adjusting it while driving.


Does it pull or lead...?

Pull = goes immediately
Lead = drifts after a short time.

The graphics and numbers on you report don't make sense really, did they give you a printed report?

 

[SlavaB]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Ahh . yes I saw too much inward tilt on your driver side wheel.

Tilt wheels steer the direction they tilt ( think motorcycle) and that wheel is tilted right MUCH more than the right wheel is tilted left.


Now as you said it I see it too, somehow only paid attention to the fact it's in the green zone.
Will need to get it done properly somewhere else

 

[SlavaB]

Originally Posted by DuckRyder
Originally Posted by SlavaB
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Have them check ride height too. I dintr understand the "leaning": issue. Is your car seat broken, maybe?


Maybe I've used the wrong term, sorry.
To describe better: when going straight on a highway in the middle lane, after I'm releasing the steering wheel - the car doesnt go straight but pulling to the right by itself.
So in order to go straight I keep adjusting it while driving.


Does it pull or lead...?

Pull = goes immediately
Lead = drifts after a short time.

The graphics and numbers on you report don't make sense really, did they give you a printed report?


1. Ok, I can't tell it jumps immediately into the right lane, but at the same time it's happening quickly.
2. I don't have any printed report, they only shared these pictures with me and a printed receipt

 

[eljefino]

Could it be they haven't licensed and updated their alignment machine software recently?

Those guys suck.

 

[das_peikko]

Any shop that has a big fancy machine with a color screen that prints out colored pictures --- doesn't know how to do alignments. I'm not the least bit impressed with those machines or the fancy pictures. Usually it's the tire shops that pull that kind of crap.

And any shop that talks the customer into going with a non-factory size tire are a bunch of hacks.

 

[MParr]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Could it be they haven't licensed and updated their alignment machine software recently?

Those guys suck.

Originally Posted by das_peikko
Any shop that has a big fancy machine with a color screen that prints out colored pictures --- doesn't know how to do alignments. I'm not the least bit impressed with those machines or the fancy pictures. Usually it's the tire shops that pull that kind of crap.

And any shop that talks the customer into going with a non-factory size tire are a bunch of hacks.


What these guys said. Tire shops love to sell alignments, especially lifetime alignments and balances. That's how they Hoover up lifetime customers. They get you in there and tell you this or that needs to be replaced or your tire or tires are wearing irregular and make another sale.

 

[double vanos]

Tire size visual difference

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
The cross camber in front axle looks too large to me 0.4 deg, 0.8 deg. That's basically -1 deg neg on one wheel and -1/2 deg on the other. And its on the wrong side of the road crown for a beneficial countersteer up the crown.


And it might not be easily adjustable ... on many cars, the only adjustment available is toe. Which is why techs often see green and move on ...

 

[SHOZ]

My Gen Coupe has always pulled to the right. The caster was off with the left leading the right and is not factory adjustable. I got some adjustable tension rods and can slightly adjust the camber, enough to cancel the pull almost. Who knows what it really reads as I always have to do it after an alignment. Tires wear nice and even.

And if your strut uses two bolts on the bottom to attach to the hub, there are camber adjustment bolts you can buy that are eccentric and can usually get 2* more camber.

 

[Chris6391]

I have two sportages and do my own alignments as I saw the incompetence at Sears and Firestone. Not too hard. Mine are SM?? 05 and an 08. The wheel track is identical front and back.A straight level with a laser measured across the center of the tire shooting at a known distance target(ruler with a dot on it) from the center of the wheel hub mounted on a 2x4 does it for me. That's all the machines do. The only good thing they have is the tire plates. My way in the driveway I make an adjustment and pull it back and then forward to let the tires settle their footprint and take another measurement to see if I have it. Mine don't have camber bolts but my Sedona did and I just make sure I am on a level part of my driveway and use my level vertically up the tire away from the flex footprint area.