Anyone with Alignment Knowledge?

[firefighter_0029]

I got my car Aligned in the fall of last year. I had to put the 16" Wheels on it to get it aligned because my 17's don't have a lip on them. Would this cause some sort of problem now? I started having traction problems almost like a tire was flat so I pulled it in the garage and pulled off a back wheel and Damn near Crapped my pants when I saw that the inside of my tires on both back wheels are bald. Almost $400 worth of tires are completely crap now? What would cause this? Bad Alignment? Or something Suspension Related has gone bad already?

[jeremy]

the rear camber is not correct....did you do suspension work after your alignment?

[firefighter_0029]

No. The only thing I can think of is the Struts are bad or something.

[99RegalGS]

My old cutlass did the exact same thing. It had a bent rear control arm....

[firefighter_0029]

Was it something that was real noticable? It doesn't look like anything is bent?

[firefighter_0029]

Did it do it to both sides?

[jeremy]

I'd take it back an alignment shop and show them what problem you are having....they should be able to tell you if it just and adjustment to be made or if it is a more serious problem

[luminal67]

could be a toe problem as well

[firefighter_0029]

I've been having Issues with all the alignment shops around. None of them are good. I talk to a guy at a collision Shop and they're going to put it on the rack for me to see what all is out of alignment. It's going to cost around $100 to have it done but it's better than wasting $800 on a whole new set of tires.

[99RegalGS]

IIRC it was the front control arm on the drivers side. It was noticable by looking at it when the car was up on a lift. I was going to so an alighnment on it but I stopped after I saw the bent control arm.

[firefighter_0029]

It has to be somthing in the rear. I only saw it happen once before on a friend's car. It was a broken spring on his, but mine isn't broke?

[99RegalGS]

I doubt the spring is broken if the car is at proper ride height. The spring on my old Cutlass was great, no sagging whatsoever. What I'd do though is get a straight edge and check the strightness of the control arms.

[Bossman429]

the rear camber is not correct....

I think Jeremy is right on. If you are wearing the insides of the tires, it most likely means the rear camber is too far negative, which would cause the car to ride more on the inside edge of the tire.

 

Put your old wheels on, and have the alignment checked. Having the old wheels will NOT affect the alignment. Alignment affects the suspension angles, wheels have little to do with the alignment. I'll bet your rear camber is off. $100 isn't a bad price for a W body alignment, they are a little more than a standard alignment.

 

A little reading can't hurt:

http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm#Included%20Angle

[firefighter_0029]

Hey Thanx!! I just need to find someone that knows what they're doing. I'm going to get all new struts and go back to somone else for round #2.

[Bossman429]

It's a pretty long drie to come here, but we have some DAMN good alignment techs.

[Justin]

Hmm, did you have a front end or 4 wheel alignment done? By default we align the front end at work unless people pay for the 4 wheel alignment.

[Schurkey]

By default we align the front end at work unless people pay for the 4 wheel alignment.

 

You know more about the car than the customer, most likely. You should be educating the customer by explaning WHY a front-only alignment is NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

 

You make more money, the customer gets educated, and gets a proper job done. Assuming that they want the cheapest possible solution does nobody any favors.

 

What's the name of the place you work?

[firefighter_0029]

Hmm, did you have a front end or 4 wheel alignment done? By default we align the front end at work unless people pay for the 4 wheel alignment.

 

I had a 4 wheel done.

[jeremy]

Hey Thanx!! I just need to find someone that knows what they're doing. I'm going to get all new struts and go back to somone else for round #2.

 

finding someone good can be tough to do....I had a hard time finding someone to do an alignment on my Spyder after I dropped it....a lot of places didn't watch to touch it for some reason

[marcusa]

My knoweledge is pay $180 (a bit pricier for my Intrigue, only $150on the Satty) and get the lifetime alignment from Firestone. Paid for itself over and over again already, and the folks at the shop I get it at don't really push for other repairs, though they do tell me the deals they have and quote me on repairs I need.