Steering pulls left
#21
I have done many alignments in my day. I have used old alignment equipment with analog gauges and I have used newer equipment with lasers. When you enter the cars info it sets up the alignment machine with the manufactures specs.
You then move the adjustments on the car until all of the numbers shows in specification. Here is the part where a good alignment tech and a poor one will stand out.
Each manufacture specification has a tolerance number built in. It allows so many numbers of deg. Positive and negative from the actual specification.
A good tech will continue adjusting the car until it is very close to the manufacture specification if not right on. where the poor tech will stop when it is with in tolerance. Both of these will show green numbers on there board which means it's aligned correctly but the one that continued to adjust to the closer factory spec will be a much better alignment.
There is also a reason you don't have caster and camber adjustments on today's cars. Because the manufacture found out they could save time and money not having to align a car on the assembly line. if there was no adjustments and they were in the acceptable tolerance of the alignment you can just bolt it up and move to the next one.
I remember drilling out strut to spindle mounting to repair and align brand new cars to correct alignment tolerance problems. And yes it was a factory approved operation. For example when the ram truck came out in 94 the front end was so far out of spec ( but in tolerance ) they never went straight down the road with out doing very specific alignments and adding shims of different thicknesses between the wheel and the hub to get them to track straight.
With all that said I would use camber kits to adjust my front end but most important find a good alignment tech. That can put them to good use.
You then move the adjustments on the car until all of the numbers shows in specification. Here is the part where a good alignment tech and a poor one will stand out.
Each manufacture specification has a tolerance number built in. It allows so many numbers of deg. Positive and negative from the actual specification.
A good tech will continue adjusting the car until it is very close to the manufacture specification if not right on. where the poor tech will stop when it is with in tolerance. Both of these will show green numbers on there board which means it's aligned correctly but the one that continued to adjust to the closer factory spec will be a much better alignment.
There is also a reason you don't have caster and camber adjustments on today's cars. Because the manufacture found out they could save time and money not having to align a car on the assembly line. if there was no adjustments and they were in the acceptable tolerance of the alignment you can just bolt it up and move to the next one.
I remember drilling out strut to spindle mounting to repair and align brand new cars to correct alignment tolerance problems. And yes it was a factory approved operation. For example when the ram truck came out in 94 the front end was so far out of spec ( but in tolerance ) they never went straight down the road with out doing very specific alignments and adding shims of different thicknesses between the wheel and the hub to get them to track straight.
With all that said I would use camber kits to adjust my front end but most important find a good alignment tech. That can put them to good use.
#22
Mine wants to go left under power, does not need to be accelerating. I did have an alignment done recently and all of the numbers are at spec.
Watch a car get aligned on a modern machine. After the tech tells it what kind of car it is, it tells him what to change and where to stop changing.
In the old days, before computer print outs the tech might look in a book and set the caster, camber and toe the way he wanted to.
Without doing a body pull on an HHR you cannot change the caster. It is possible to put an after-market camber kit on it. The only adjustment that can be done on a stock HHR is the toe.
Perhaps a blown out strut on one side could cause a weight distribution problem?
Watch a car get aligned on a modern machine. After the tech tells it what kind of car it is, it tells him what to change and where to stop changing.
In the old days, before computer print outs the tech might look in a book and set the caster, camber and toe the way he wanted to.
Without doing a body pull on an HHR you cannot change the caster. It is possible to put an after-market camber kit on it. The only adjustment that can be done on a stock HHR is the toe.
Perhaps a blown out strut on one side could cause a weight distribution problem?
I have had this (pull) occur after an encounter with a curb in a past ride that bent a control arm slightly.
#23
Thank you, Lucky. Can you recommend a good alignment tech near Schumburg Illinois?
Is there a way by which an alignment can be checked that can imitate or approximate the actual forces applied to the suspension while driving? For example: A car with a little toe-in should cause the wheels to push inward while driving forward and that force should impinge on the suspension components and cause the camber to start moving positive. I have no idea how much, but I would be curious to find out, and find out whether it does it evenly on both sides.
Any thoughts?
Is there a way by which an alignment can be checked that can imitate or approximate the actual forces applied to the suspension while driving? For example: A car with a little toe-in should cause the wheels to push inward while driving forward and that force should impinge on the suspension components and cause the camber to start moving positive. I have no idea how much, but I would be curious to find out, and find out whether it does it evenly on both sides.
Any thoughts?
#25
Thank you, Lucky. Can you recommend a good alignment tech near Schumburg Illinois?
Is there a way by which an alignment can be checked that can imitate or approximate the actual forces applied to the suspension while driving? For example: A car with a little toe-in should cause the wheels to push inward while driving forward and that force should impinge on the suspension components and cause the camber to start moving positive. I have no idea how much, but I would be curious to find out, and find out whether it does it evenly on both sides.
Any thoughts?
Is there a way by which an alignment can be checked that can imitate or approximate the actual forces applied to the suspension while driving? For example: A car with a little toe-in should cause the wheels to push inward while driving forward and that force should impinge on the suspension components and cause the camber to start moving positive. I have no idea how much, but I would be curious to find out, and find out whether it does it evenly on both sides.
Any thoughts?
As for toe a front wheel drive car toe is set to the negative (toe out) because the drive forces of the front wheels naturally push the tires inward. A rear wheel drive car are set to the positive ( toe in ). Because the road force pushes the tires outward.
Front Toe that's is out of adjustment will wear the tires equity on both tire. Too much toe in will wear the outside edge of the tires too much toe out will wear the inside edge or the tires.
#27
I can't help you In Illinois. You seem to have general knowledge of basic alignment measurements. You can look at reviews on line and interview you local shops. If they won't spend time with you to answer your question then don't get your work done there.
As for toe a front wheel drive car toe is set to the negative (toe out) because the drive forces of the front wheels naturally push the tires inward. A rear wheel drive car are set to the positive ( toe in ). Because the road force pushes the tires outward.
Front Toe that's is out of adjustment will wear the tires equity on both tire. Too much toe in will wear the outside edge of the tires too much toe out will wear the inside edge or the tires.
As for toe a front wheel drive car toe is set to the negative (toe out) because the drive forces of the front wheels naturally push the tires inward. A rear wheel drive car are set to the positive ( toe in ). Because the road force pushes the tires outward.
Front Toe that's is out of adjustment will wear the tires equity on both tire. Too much toe in will wear the outside edge of the tires too much toe out will wear the inside edge or the tires.
#28
You can get the alignment before the tires. worn tires will not affect the alignment equipments ability to display proper alignment numbers.
If you are planing on replacing the tire soon I would wait until you get the tires on before the alignment only because if the car ends up with a drift or pull the alignment tech would not be able to blame it on the worn tires.
I have had cars in the past that the alignment was with in specs but during the road test the steering wheel was off center which means I put it back on the alignment rack and make adjustments to make it right.
If I see the tires are badly worn then I would not waste my time to set it back up on the rack to make it perfect because worn tire can change the handing feel of the car and you could just be chasing you tail.
You should not need camber bolts unless for some reason the camber is out of spec. Or you end up trying to adjust camber because the car has an unexplained drift to one side that you can't live with.
If you are planing on replacing the tire soon I would wait until you get the tires on before the alignment only because if the car ends up with a drift or pull the alignment tech would not be able to blame it on the worn tires.
I have had cars in the past that the alignment was with in specs but during the road test the steering wheel was off center which means I put it back on the alignment rack and make adjustments to make it right.
If I see the tires are badly worn then I would not waste my time to set it back up on the rack to make it perfect because worn tire can change the handing feel of the car and you could just be chasing you tail.
You should not need camber bolts unless for some reason the camber is out of spec. Or you end up trying to adjust camber because the car has an unexplained drift to one side that you can't live with.
#29
My tires are shot 60000 miles warranty and I am at 67000 on them the inner part is of tires are wearing .. So I should get the new tires first then alignment right ? Like I said had to replace my control arms bushing were cracking in the rear and replaced the stabilizer bars and tie rod end links