slightly off level steering wheel?

[TommyG]

I just had my 04 viper aligned for the TWS Viper Days even this weekend. Driving home, I noticed at hwy speeds the steering wheel was slightly turned to the right while car was going straight.

I had this issue once before after an alignment was done by someone else but it was more severe.

My tech suggested that next time I bring him the car with at least 1/2 tank of gas, it was pretty close to empty when I turned it in and I had not thought about this.

He says due to my spring rate on the moton's which I think is 500 ft/800 rear that it may not make a big difference. He also said when he drove the car he did not notice the off level steering wheel and that maybe because I way 50 lbs more than he does, that would be the cause.

I also filled her up with a full tank prior to getting on the hwy. I can't tell if this will weird me out on the track or not and will drive her again in the am to get a 2nd feel.

Thoughts?

 

[Black Moon]

Bring it back. It all sounds like bull to me. A good alignment should have no problem keeping the wheel straight.

 

[bluesrt]

that guy is full of **** or just plain stupid--- he is wrong wrong wrong wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tom Sessions]

Dont waste your time with him he is full of it. Have Russ from Archers align the car for you at the track. You will be very happy with the job he will do for you.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Not that hard to straighten it if you have a jack and can get to the tie rods. Just make sure the amount you take out of one side is the same as the one you put more into.

 

[Achilles99]

Just get it redone. Like Marc said, doing the tie rods will fix it but only temporarily. You could be toe'd out in opposite directions, still drive straight, but your tires will wear very unevenly.

If you have access to a 4 post lift, alignments are easy. Tie a string to the posts, square it up and fix the toe. One-half turn = 1/16" toe approximately.

 

[TommyG]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It is not something I can do myself at my level of exp at this time in my life, so I always hand it over to the pros.

It is an ever so slight **** to the right at hwy speeds, so I wrestle with myself asking, "am I being too anal?". I will drive her this am and get another feel and will likely take her back in.

The tech did give me the option to bring her back, it's just I am cutting it short as I have some other prep to do to the car prior to leaving Friday am to event.

Thanks again!

 

[plumcrazy]

im not sure id want a BS'er like that to even touch the car now. not to mention what he possibly screwed up on the alignment to begin with.........

 

[Achilles99]

What kind of alignment machine does he use? Lasers are notoriously off. Believe it or not, old school strings are more accurate. The lasers are rarely calibrated as often as they are supposed to be due to cost.

What are the alignment specs you are trying to reach?

 

[TommyG]

Took her back in this am and with full tank of gas and me sitting in driver seat holding wheel level(not sure if any of that matters). Outcome was very good and my wheel is level now at hwy speeds.

Porsche Center here in San Antonio did the alignment for second time this go round or should I say today made it a third time. I had no problem the first time with them and used Mark J's specs and it made the world of difference on track.

They do use some high tech lazer deal and give a print out with before/after. Funny thing is that the fist alignment I had done on the car was with the strings and done by a crew chief who mainly works on vipers and comp coups and the unlevel wheel was much worse after that job.

Not to say the strings are not better, it could have been a freak thing? All is good now and I hope to see some folks out at tws this weekend. Thanks Again.

 

[Achilles99]

Strings are definitely better, but what made the difference here is that you were holding the steering wheel! The device they use to hold it does not work well.

When I do my own alignments, after we change any of the settings, we roll the car back and forwards and re-center the wheel. Comes out perfect everytime I bet the crew chief who used strings had the car perfect, without the wheel necessarily being "level." Not sure which is worse... a car with an unlevel wheel and good alignment, or a car with bad alignment but a level wheel.

Glad you got it sorted out!