Rep Power: 0

I've done my searches, and no answers...

I've been driving on 15" OEM alloys running 185/65/R15 Firestone rubber, and just had some 15" steelies with 185/65/R15 Michelin Arctic Alpin rubber mounted on them...

Well, now I'm pulling left (or, another way to look at it is my steering wheel has to be turned about an inch to the right for me to drive straight)... I never noticed anything like this before the tire change....

So, I suppose I need an alignment or SOMETHING. I will have to head back to the the shop that I had the wheels installed. Here's the thing. It's a small shop, and I don't think they will do anything other than pull the wheels off and re-install them....

1) What's really going on? I'm not getting wheel vibrations, so the wheels are balanced. How can it be that mounting new tires would get me alignment problems?

2) If I get an alignment to these winter tires, will mounting back my OEM alloys in the spring give me alignment issues AGAIN???

3) What exactly do they do to fix alignment? Shims? Tighten/loosen some bolts? ???

What I do know is I should be getting a 4 wheel alignment over a 2 wheel one.... It's $50CDN (or roughly $30USD)...

 
Rep Power: 417

maybe check the tire pressures

 
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Tire pressures are set to 33psi each....

No one knows what's going on?? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

 
Rep Power: 0

1. Since its not tire pressure, it could be the alignment. Do you also check if you have all the lug nuts tightened??

2. From what I know, you won't need to realign your car when you mount your alloys back on.

3. They adjust your camber to fix the alignment.. loosen some bolts and tighten it again.

Since your car is already pulling left.. i would go ahead and do the four wheels alignment.. btw.. when was the last time you aligned your car?


edit:
I am almost 99% sure you need an alignment!

 
Rep Power: 315

ya man, its alignment time.

After I installed my lowering springs, my steering wheel was a good 2.5" to the right to drive straight.

You just have to take it in and let them adjust it all.

Only cost me about 60 Canadian (in ottawa)...shouldn't be much in TO if you shop around.

Good luck!

 
Rep Power: 0

FRICK..... [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/IMG]

I went for an alignment at a small shop, and why is it that I feel so screwed coming out of it?! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/IMG]

He gives me this print out, and tells me this....

BOTH of my rear wheels are out of alignment, the front is within spec. The toe is messed on both sides in the rear, and he says he CANNOT FIX it! The back cannot be adjusted. Is this true??? (the only way to fix is to adjust the front to compensate)

So, I see the mechanic jacking up the car, going under, and using two wrenches he's doing something to the FRONT suspension, to fix this.... Should he be going to the BACK???

Is this all true?

In the end, I'm driving straight again, but he wrote a huge note on the bill I had to sign, saying back problems WILL cause uneven tire wear..... WTF [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/IMG] I should have paid more and gone to the dealer [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/IMG]

Can anyone help on experience on this?

 
Rep Power: 0

First of all, did you lower your car? If you do, you'll need camber kit to fix the camber at the rear.


If you did not lower your car, then the shop should be able to fix the negative camber.. and yes he should be doing the same thing to the back.