Alignment Question
#1
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Alignment Question
Had a new set of tires installed on my 06 TL and when I got home I noticed that the tire store had installed a set of Falken ZE502s. These were incorrect and the next day I had the correct Sumitomo HTRZ3s installed. If the car was aligned with the Falkens on the car should I have it realigned with the Sumitomos. For instance, the overall diameter is slightly different 25.3 vs 25.4 tread width 8.6 vs. 8.3. It seems very minor, but I noticed a very slight pull to the right with the Sumitomos. Did I notice it with the Falkens? I only had those tires on for one evening and didn't really pay attention. It was a Chevrolet dealer that sold me the tires so should I for the sake of the car go to the Acura Dealer and have it realigned? The cost of the Sumitomos with alignment at the Chevrolet dealer was $499.00 and at the Acura Dealer the cost was $988. A significant savings. I trust the Acura dealer far more for the alignment than the Chevrolet dealer. Thanks
#2
Suzuka Master
If the alignment was good then there is no reason to have it redone but if it wasn't pulling before I'd mention it to the shop that did the alignment.
#3
Team Owner
My experiences with Chevrolet and most GM dealers has been far above my experiences with Acura. I would say there's a lot more knowledge on average at those dealers.
If it pulls, either the alignment is off or one of your new tires is no good. If you want to see for yourself you can switch the left and right front tires and see if it pulls in the other direction. If it still pulls to the same side it's the alignment. If it switches direction it's the tires.
If it's the alignment take it back as soon as possible. It's on them to do it right, it should cost you nothing to get it redone. But the longer you take to bring it back the more likely it is that they will say you hit something to knock it out of alignment.
Keep in mind that it's supposed to have a very slight pull towards the right. It should be almost unnoticeable. If you're on a flat road and take your hands off the wheel, the car should very slowly drift over toward the right.
If it pulls, either the alignment is off or one of your new tires is no good. If you want to see for yourself you can switch the left and right front tires and see if it pulls in the other direction. If it still pulls to the same side it's the alignment. If it switches direction it's the tires.
If it's the alignment take it back as soon as possible. It's on them to do it right, it should cost you nothing to get it redone. But the longer you take to bring it back the more likely it is that they will say you hit something to knock it out of alignment.
Keep in mind that it's supposed to have a very slight pull towards the right. It should be almost unnoticeable. If you're on a flat road and take your hands off the wheel, the car should very slowly drift over toward the right.
#6
I'm Craig
iTrader: (2)
I've been battling alignment issues for what seems like ever since I've had the car. Either the place I've had the alignments done at is doing something wrong, or therein lies a deeper issue than alignment with my car. Had the issue with my all-seasons and my snows.
#7
Team Owner
I remember trying it when my TL had 8 miles on it when a friend doubted it. Sure enough it always went to the right. Of course it's exaggerated to roads with a large crown but going down the freeway it would eventually make it's way to the right. I wouldn't even call it a pull but rather a slow drift.
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#9
Team Owner
I've never actually read about it but a friend that does high end alignments for race/exotic cars told me this. Apparently it's in case the driver falls asleep the car won't go into oncoming traffic.
#10
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (1)
Sorry, but you guys are way off base. This is a first for me, so I'd certainly like to see any FSM or alignment spec book state that after the alignment the car is supposed to pull or drift right. As I stated before, both sides have the same alignment spec, so what would make you believe that such a statement is even possible in the real world and the high end alignment guy might meed more schooling.
Last edited by Turbonut; 01-15-2011 at 06:11 AM.
#11
Suzuka Master
Sorry, but you guys are way off base. This is a first for me, so I'd certainly like to see any FSM or alignment spec book state that after the alignment the car is supposed to pull or drift right. As I stated before, both sides have the same alignment spec, so what would make you believe that such a statement is even possible in the real world and the high end alignment guy might meed more schooling.
#12
Team Owner
Not that it matters because I trust my source and every new car I've driven would go right but I googled it and sure enough found many sites stating the car should go right for the very reason I mentioned.
#13
Race Director
What search term/terms did you use? Would like to see the links for the sites you found stating this...
Last edited by nfnsquared; 01-15-2011 at 12:22 PM.
#15
Team Owner
I'm not sure what the attitude is for. Go out and drive a new car for yourself. I've done my testing already so as far as I'm concerned it's a closed case. Not getting baited anymore so you guys feel free to discuss among yourselves.
#16
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (2)
I'm just going off personal observation, but it's definitely there. And I have to rule out the crown causing it, because if I'm in the passing lane on a four lane highway I've never felt a car drift left.
#17
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (2)
Not that e-how is an automotive authority, but here's a link supporting the theory. Scroll down a bit. When I'm a little more rested I'll do some more in depth research.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6113567_ca...-driving_.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_6113567_ca...-driving_.html
#18
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (1)
About that article, here's the author:
Jericho McCune has been a writer and editor since 2007. He has written for various publications, including "The Global Times" and Ridan Publishing. McCune worked as a carpenter and stage tech for 15 years before moving to China to teach English. He studied at Akron University and Shanxi University (Taiyuan, China).
Really qualified in the automotive field!
Also, if one is in the passing lane on a 4 lane highway, the crown is from the middle to the right to darin water, so why would you believe the car should drift left?????????
Last edited by Turbonut; 01-16-2011 at 06:34 AM.
#19
Suzuka Master
But even in the passing lane aren't you to the right of the highway center thus to the right of the crown?
#20
Registered but harmless
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But Tire Rack says there is slight bias to the right to resist crowns...
Originally Posted by Tire Rack
...Cross-Camber and Cross-Caster
Most street car alignments call for the front camber and caster settings to be adjusted to slightly different specifications on the right side of the vehicle compared to the left side. These slight side-to-side differences are called cross-camber and cross-caster.
For vehicles set up to drive on the "right" side of the road, the right side is aligned with a little more negative camber (about 1/4-degree) and a little more positive caster (again, about 1/4-degree) to help the vehicle resist the influence of crowned roads that would cause it to drift "downhill" to the right gutter. Since most roads are crowned, cross-camber and cross-caster are helpful the majority of the time, however they will cause a vehicle to drift to the left on a perfectly flat road or a road that leans to the left.
Using cross-camber and cross-caster is not necessary for track-only cars...
Most street car alignments call for the front camber and caster settings to be adjusted to slightly different specifications on the right side of the vehicle compared to the left side. These slight side-to-side differences are called cross-camber and cross-caster.
For vehicles set up to drive on the "right" side of the road, the right side is aligned with a little more negative camber (about 1/4-degree) and a little more positive caster (again, about 1/4-degree) to help the vehicle resist the influence of crowned roads that would cause it to drift "downhill" to the right gutter. Since most roads are crowned, cross-camber and cross-caster are helpful the majority of the time, however they will cause a vehicle to drift to the left on a perfectly flat road or a road that leans to the left.
Using cross-camber and cross-caster is not necessary for track-only cars...
Last edited by Will Y.; 01-16-2011 at 10:31 AM.
#22
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (2)
No attitude, but slightly disconcerting when someone is challenging my opinion, which naturally can be documented with factual material, then copy what I have stated and reply with an opposite point of view with no valid reference material, other than having driven a few cars that pulls, drifts etc. One item I must state is that when a car comes off a rack, the customer will see or feel no pull, drift or whatever term you want to use and there is no built in factory drift. Sometimes I think you are just being obstinate.
About that article, here's the author:
Jericho McCune has been a writer and editor since 2007. He has written for various publications, including "The Global Times" and Ridan Publishing. McCune worked as a carpenter and stage tech for 15 years before moving to China to teach English. He studied at Akron University and Shanxi University (Taiyuan, China).
Really qualified in the automotive field!
Also, if one is in the passing lane on a 4 lane highway, the crown is from the middle to the right to darin water, so why would you believe the car should drift left?????????
About that article, here's the author:
Jericho McCune has been a writer and editor since 2007. He has written for various publications, including "The Global Times" and Ridan Publishing. McCune worked as a carpenter and stage tech for 15 years before moving to China to teach English. He studied at Akron University and Shanxi University (Taiyuan, China).
Really qualified in the automotive field!
Also, if one is in the passing lane on a 4 lane highway, the crown is from the middle to the right to darin water, so why would you believe the car should drift left?????????
#23
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (1)
I'm talking about a DIVIDED four lane highway with a center median. If the road has two lanes or more going in a single direction, the road is crowned in the middle of the unidirectional lane, is it not? When you're in the passing lane on such a road your car is most certainly positioned to the left of the crown, however slight the crown may be.
That's not quite correct, according to Tire Rack on alignments:
Tire Rack.com-- "Alignment" in the Tire Tech section: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=4
Tire Rack.com-- "Alignment" in the Tire Tech section: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=4
Don’t know how we survive with the TL as the camber/caster is the same on both sides, at least on mine.
Night all!
#24
Team Owner
On certain highways as you stated, with a middle divider, I agree that the passing lane would be slanted to the left, but now you're stating the car will stay straight in the left lane. If the car has that much camber difference to keep it straight against the slope, then it must really go right in a hurry when in the right lane with the slope downhill.
Well, we’re back to the Tire Rack bible and that is directly opposite of above conclusions. They say factory built drift right to stay away from oncoming traffic, and TR stats a built in drift left to compensate for crowned roads. Think how stupid that sounds, adjust so that the car will drift right if on a flat surface, so that it will stay straight on a crowned road, but how much crown would one assume and with no crown the car will drift left, absurd. Glad these guys don’t have an alignment shop. If I set up cars to drift right so it would stay straight on a heavily crowned road, and pull left on flat roads, I’d have people beating down my front door for realignment.
Don’t know how we survive with the TL as the camber/caster is the same on both sides, at least on mine.
Night all!
Well, we’re back to the Tire Rack bible and that is directly opposite of above conclusions. They say factory built drift right to stay away from oncoming traffic, and TR stats a built in drift left to compensate for crowned roads. Think how stupid that sounds, adjust so that the car will drift right if on a flat surface, so that it will stay straight on a crowned road, but how much crown would one assume and with no crown the car will drift left, absurd. Glad these guys don’t have an alignment shop. If I set up cars to drift right so it would stay straight on a heavily crowned road, and pull left on flat roads, I’d have people beating down my front door for realignment.
Don’t know how we survive with the TL as the camber/caster is the same on both sides, at least on mine.
Night all!
#25
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (2)
On certain highways as you stated, with a middle divider, I agree that the passing lane would be slanted to the left, but now you're stating the car will stay straight in the left lane. If the car has that much camber difference to keep it straight against the slope, then it must really go right in a hurry when in the right lane with the slope downhill.
Well, we’re back to the Tire Rack bible and that is directly opposite of above conclusions. They say factory built drift right to stay away from oncoming traffic, and TR stats a built in drift left to compensate for crowned roads. Think how stupid that sounds, adjust so that the car will drift right if on a flat surface, so that it will stay straight on a crowned road, but how much crown would one assume and with no crown the car will drift left, absurd. Glad these guys don’t have an alignment shop. If I set up cars to drift right so it would stay straight on a heavily crowned road, and pull left on flat roads, I’d have people beating down my front door for realignment.
Don’t know how we survive with the TL as the camber/caster is the same on both sides, at least on mine.
Night all!
Well, we’re back to the Tire Rack bible and that is directly opposite of above conclusions. They say factory built drift right to stay away from oncoming traffic, and TR stats a built in drift left to compensate for crowned roads. Think how stupid that sounds, adjust so that the car will drift right if on a flat surface, so that it will stay straight on a crowned road, but how much crown would one assume and with no crown the car will drift left, absurd. Glad these guys don’t have an alignment shop. If I set up cars to drift right so it would stay straight on a heavily crowned road, and pull left on flat roads, I’d have people beating down my front door for realignment.
Don’t know how we survive with the TL as the camber/caster is the same on both sides, at least on mine.
Night all!
Actually, I tried it out tonight on my '10 Subaru Impreza with 12k miles and it did still pull slightly right in the passing lane, but not as pronounced as it does in the right lane.
#26
Suzuka Master
iTrader: (1)
I'd take it in, find out what is wrong and get it fixed. Why would anyone drive a car that would pull up an incline or pull right and accept that it is the way it was manufactured? At least on the Impreza it would be an easy fix.
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