chasingthecool

called a shop that just specializes in alignments. they asked my what car i had i told him TL. he said that you cant align our cars and had to straighten the frame out (or something like that, i forgot)

now this place has gotten superb customer reviews on the internet. (over 80 reviews and all gave 4 or 5 stars)

is this true?

Aman

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

EVERY CAR OUT THERE IS ALIGNABLE, even if it is only front toe (which on the TL also happens to have easily adjustable rear toe too)


and personally i would not even bother and just move on to the next place

pnoi521

I just got an alignment a week ago.

sogellagepul

Sounds like the shop doesn't want your money to me.

AMUA6

iTrader: (7)

lol

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

As stated before, drop that shop like a hot potato!

SouthernBoy

At just over 82,000 miles, my '04 manual TL has never had an alignment. It has been checked three times, but has not needed it. However, my '05 automatic (the wife's) has had several alignments. As Turbonut said, drop that shop and find another one. They clearly don't have a clue.

Stew4HD

My 08 needed an alignment at around 30K miles. The Honda dealer where I bought if aligned it.
As others have said, that shop is full of BS.

One note, you have to buy an alignment kit though.. cost me about $400 total to get the alignment

Dino81

Whats the link to the shops web page? id like to check them out. Our TLs are fully alignable, the only thing u cant adjust is rear camber...unless u have a camber kit.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

^

dnnero

some shops alignment machines have out dated data and are unable to do it unless they have an upgrade, (just like updating your windows version on your pc or update on your GPS) I used to work at a shop like this and we could not do alignments on newer german cars -BMW AUDI VW because we did not want to pay for the upgrade. Find a better shop with the latest equipment.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

There is no adjustment for the front caster nor the front or rear camber. So this leaves only the front and rear toe that is adjustable from the factory.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

but then again i would not be surprised if all her rims had been curbed though...


btw the wife's old 02 Cavileer (it's a 3rd car now, one of those not worth selling with the amount of money put in it, to keep it in tip-top shape) with 155k miles has never had an alignment, but it's basically all highway though

surprisingly the steering is still tight too
but i will say though that it does need a touch up on the toe, because the tires wear a little faster then they should be, but nothing major though (still drives straight too)

only toe is adjustable front and rear, unless of course you buy aftermarket components to make camber front and rear adjustable

but i will say one thing though, it the updated software for German cars is $$$$$ when you compare it to domestics and Asian cars (let alone because they do like having as much adjustability as possible, they take quite a bit longer to properly align, couple of hours are quite normal for just doing alignment)(or on VW and AUDI, you have to be able to also adjust the bumpsteer which adds even more to the equipment costs needed to do it properly)

older honda/acura's caster WAS adjustable, but not easy by any means though, generally the procedure call for dropping the front subframe, so you could put in some spacers on the strut rod

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

This is a 3G forum, so that's what I thought we were discussing. We could spend all day reviewing the alignment procedures on other vehicles and bending struts, I beams, frame straightening etc.

Just an FYI=The wife's '93 Z24 she purchased new never had an alignment and was sold with 170,000 miles on the clock. Very rarely do we ever get a car aligned.

anx1300c

iTrader: (2)

You don't need a "kit" to get a TL aligned. If you're talking about a camber kit due to serious suspension mods, that's one thing, but a stock or mildly dropped TL doesn't need one.

Dino81

friesm2000 and Turbonut, U guys are right, I stand corrected.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

That's how we all learn. Certainly can't say that I've never made an incorrect statement or diagnosis as we all do it at some time or another.

d-townhakuzo

I've gotten 3 alignments

Souljah

Well did you even look at the printout sheet...?

Camber is a bitch.

chasingthecool

my steering wheel is vibrates a little. ive had balance done twice. my alignment pulls to the right. is this causing the vibration

SouthernBoy

Vibration is usually caused by tires, balance, or some part of your suspension entering the end of its life. Check your tires for any unnatural wear patterns such as abnormal wear, cupping, or feathering. If the car is pulling to the right, first check air pressure. If that is where it is suppose to be on both front tires and the car pulls to the right on a good, level piece of road, then your alignment is most likely off.

LasVegasTL

Could also be your tires are going bad. Same thing happened to me.

chasingthecool

ive just had new tires put on. maybe i need to break them in?

LasVegasTL

Sorry I meant to post that in a different forum. But for someone to tell you that you can't get an alignment and that you have to "straighten your frame out" instead is probably the craziest thing I've ever heard. I've been told that I had to get a front end alignment because I had 20" wheels. Is that what he said? Some places can't do an alignment if your rims are too big.

Slpr04UA6

I think you should find a different shop! Also, since you have a pull to the right, you should get an allignment so that you don't wear these "new" tires out.

nfnsquared

Could be one or more of the new tires has a flaw. It happens...

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

normally rare though, but it does occasionally

quanaman

iTrader: (4)

For work like this, I prefer taking it ot the dealer.

My local dealer gave me a rotate, balance, and alignment for 150$. all with a 1 year warranty.

I hate cars

Its nice to see the people never or rarely get alignments. As long as you're not hitting things and the suspension is not worn, alignments should be a rare thing.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

I got an alignment a week ago. Yesterday, I got all 4 tires replaced. On a hunch, I went back to the exact same place to get an alignment. I have camber kits for both the front and rear. After getting the alignment the 2nd time from the exact same machine, I found out that both my camber up front and toe in the rear were off!

I hate cars

That's typical of my experiences too. I would be willing to bet it was the shop, not your car. Did you add or take out weight?

If you're ever down this way, I will set you up with someone that will do a perfect alignment and unless you hit something you probably won't have to touch it for many, many miles. Just need a week advance notice.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

Thanks, Matt. I got my NT05's mounted yesterday, and I went to the track today. They're definitely stickier than the FK452's.

I hate cars

Nice. I think you will like them better after a few more heat cycles. Mine were nice out of the box but they really impressed after a week. I'm definitely interested in your opinion good or bad.

chasingthecool

i just got my 2nd alignment done and it sill pulls to the right. the alignment was off after i hit a huge rock on the highway going 60mph. i know that its not a alignment issue. is the frame crooked or what

ez12a

as people said in the closed thread, could be unevenly worn tires. Swap sides (unless they're directional) and see if it changes.

I had to get my 04 TL aligned due to rear toe wear on the tires. There's a TSB on it.

I havent gotten the revised bumpstops put in yet, but if my new tires i got go to hell for it then i'll complain to the dealer.

Slpr04UA6

Chasingthecool--did you try another shop?
I recently got new tires at the firestone located by me, got it alligned, and all specs showed in the green, but it still pulled to the right! I have the lifetime allignment with them. After multiple attempts, I went to the dealer, they put it on the rack and all 4 corners were off, both toe and camber (I have frt/rear camber kits). They got it to drive more straight, and only thing out of spec was castor (2.4L/2.3R) but it still didn't feel/look right. I eventually called a guy that does allignments by hand, and he is supposedly a front end suspension guru (told this by a friend). Went to him, and sure enough the dealer had my toe out, and the camber was off as well! Man was I pissed, after leaving this allignment, car drives straight and turns easier left to right.
I don't know if the allignment machines are not calibrated, or if people don't know what the F**K they are doing! My only advice would be to try to find an old school shop, or talk to some friends that are lowered/slammed, and ask them where they get their allignment. Hope this helps..

nfnsquared

Good grief, you kind of left out the most important fact: "i hit a huge rock" at highway speeds...

Yeah, you might have a bent frame, bent wheel, bent/broken suspension part/s.

Will Y.

No wonder the shop guy said he couldn't align your TL-- the subframe was probably bent a tad, which is what got bent by hitting the highway rock!
It took 35 friggin' posts in this thread before OP mentioned why the shop guy mentioned straightening the frame, "or something like that, [OP] forgot..."

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

JUST A KEY BUT OF INFO