4 wheel alignment today - pics

[dave6666]

Mach4444 had a thread recently about looking for an alignment spot. I mentioned that I was going in today to get my 26K mile '01 GTS checked.

That party is over, and it was solid as Sears.

No adjustment needed.

Has some tire chatter, and apparently the tire balance they did today is light years beyond what Discount Tire did when they mounted the tires.

D'Tire - 7 oz weight

PST - 1-3/4 oz weight.

Typical result of today's visit.

Bottom line on the alignment... Check the shop out. Talk to the Tech. If you are not warm and fuzzy, LEAVE.

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[RAYSIR]

Dave, the alignment specs look good for no noticeable tire wear. But if you let go of the wheel it should have a slight pull to the right since the Caster should be .5 to .75 more + on the right than the left for crown of road. The Caster isn't a tire wear angle so only will cause a pull. The rear specs are perfect and great cross track readings. But the front caster readings are backwards. If it doesn't drift to the right when you let go of the wheel don't worry about it. But I hope you weren't told it was perfect. Dang, 7 oz of weight??? Man, that would cause one heck of a shake at 'bout 60. 6oz off!!! You know I'm sure that alignment doesn't cause shackes just pulls and tire wear. MAN, I like that RED car!!!! Ray

 

[dave6666]

They did not say it was perfect, but within spec for s street car. When he said "I wouldn't mess with it," we didn't.

I'll have to try the no hands on the wheel thing. I suppose any speed under a buck fifty is good?

 

[heftygts]

Dave, the alignment specs look good for no noticeable tire wear. But if you let go of the wheel it should have a slight pull to the right since the Caster should be .5 to .75 more + on the right than the left for crown of road. The Caster isn't a tire wear angle so only will cause a pull. The rear specs are perfect and great cross track readings. But the front caster readings are backwards. If it doesn't drift to the right when you let go of the wheel don't worry about it. But I hope you weren't told it was perfect.

You are correct about caster do you work in the alignment field
West Coast Alignment

 

[RAYSIR]

Dave, the only thing the specs would do is cause a drift and you would feel it even at 40mph on a good road. Have owned an auto repair shop since 1979. Started doing it all myself. Have 6 ASE Masters techs, including me, now and 2 service writers. I have Hunter 4 wheel computer alignment set up but I was doing it back with bubble gauges and trammer bars. An Old Fart!! Just sold the place as of 4-1-08 and working to move to Eugene area and do some Viper work from my home garage. Heading south 4-10 to find a place. Anyone need a 5 car garage house in Anchorage?

 

[dave6666]

OK Ray... I did a hands off the steering wheel at about 30 mph on a pretty flat road in the hood.

The car very slowly drifted right. On a scale of 1 to 10 I wouldn't go any higher than 2 on that. We'll call that Drift Lite.

It has never had a pull of any kind. Wouldn't have bought the car with problems like that.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Your old tires are as hard as stone. They are worthless. Get some ps2. Too much rear neg camber. -.5 deg rear each side at 29 psi . Temps even across tire at the track. ok on the street. Toe in 1/16 total. Front stock cast,3/4 deg neg camber each side,zerro toe.Ok for the street but go to 31-32 psi for the track. Not a bad street and track set up course with that couple of x-tra psi up front. GTS Bruce

 

[dave6666]

Your old tires are as hard as stone. They are worthless.

My old tires??? Do you sleep in my f**king garage or what? They were purchased in Jan 2007. Manufactured in 2006 according to the date code.

And as long as you know more about my s**t than I do, why don't you man up and start paying for the parts you say I should throw away? Don't be so worthless.

 

[RAYSIR]

Dave, slow down! No big deal!!!! If the drift is OK with you then FORGET it!!! Not a tire wear problem. Just should be +5.5 on rside and +5.0 on left. need .5 to .75 caster for it to go straight but no big deal!!! If you OKay with it then OK. Mine is +++ right on but I own a repair shop! LOVE your posts!! DONT worry about it I started something!! RA OHHH Dave , does'nt matter old or new still act the same. Just don't cross side to side, That will REALLY pull.

 

[hemibeep]

What is a good place to find the alignment specs.?
I had an alignment that saves tires, BUT the steering feels light and drifty. It seems worse under hard acceleration, kinda scary light.
I don't car too much about tire life, just do not want the car to feel so 'drifty'
thanks

 

[RAYSIR]

Sure would like to see the specs because alignment won't do what you are saying unless it was not set to specs. I have never seen a save tire spec and a light and drifty spec. They do set the alignments up for circle track, left turns.. When set at factory it should go great. The thing is they say it's OK in specs but!!! The specs are real wide. So the alignment needs to be in specs with the camber close to 0 both sides and caster 1/2 degree more+ on right for crown of road. If caster is the same then the camber needs to be 1/2 degree more + on the left for crown, but will also get more outside wear on left. Caster is best for correcting pull since it isn't a tire wear angle. The light feel and squirlly feel has to be settings wrong. Sounds like toe in is way off' Toe being off causes massive tire wear and Real bad steering. Also sounds like the 4 wheel is off. I do 4 way alignments all the time and don't have ANT cutomers tell me Drifting??? Man, you are going to the wrong shop!!!!

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

But I hope you weren't told it was perfect. Dang, 7 oz of weight??? Man, that would cause one heck of a shake at 'bout 60. 6oz off!!! You know I'm sure that alignment doesn't cause shackes just pulls and tire wear.

Hiya Ray - friendly q4u, did you ever encounter vibration with cars having an improper castor angle, a vibration at 60 mph, then goes away speeding up, a jiggle like a bad grocery cart wheel.. Car looks great Dave! Cool to even share stuff like this. Somebody posted a scan of the 999 recall doc and it had some factory alignment specs, just need to dig thru the pdf, I saved a copy here..
http://www.wincom.net/mnllehti/998_999_Recalls.pdf