Rep Power: 418

I curbed my rims a while back and now my steering wheel shakes when going at highway speeds. I installed my camber kits, so now I can get an alignment. I'll tell them about the kits, but I think they'll align everything using the stock adjustment. I'm not lowered or anything, so it should be allright. I may tell them to give me a slightly negative (more than stock) camber for better cornering.

Does anyone know if they need to take your wheels off for the alignment? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

They probably do, right? I'm kinda worried about this because I have special lug nuts. I guess I'll have to give them the special socket that came with my lug nuts. I'm also worried because my wheels don't have hub rings. I center them on the lugs by feel alone (no, this is not why I get the vibration). Maybe I can tell them not to use an impact wrench? Maybe I can ask them if I can put my own wheels back on once they take them off?

 
Rep Power: 0

well when i went to sears *cough*....ahem...they didnt have to take my wheels off...i'll give ya my alignment specs if u wanna see...that's if i find them

 
Rep Power: 418

They didn't have to take your wheels off? Weird. How the hell did they adjust it then? Hmm... As far as I know, for the front you have to take off the wheels. Take off the tie rod. Then un-bolt that adjustment bolt and thread the tie rod in and out for toe. I don't know how they change the front camber though? Does a machine grab your wheels and somehow bend things into alignment? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG] [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

 
Rep Power: 0

well i know they didnt take off my wheels cuz it was on the ramp the whole time..plus they didnt have the key for my lugs...they didnt adjust my camber in the front because it wasnt necessary...my toe was WAY off tho...like .5 degrees off all around...to change the front camber they'd have to use a new bolt (like the ingalls or spc front camber kits) with some kind of spacer or cam on it to replace the bolt that goes thru the upper part of the spindle...boy could i feel the difference after the alignment...crazy stuff

 
Rep Power: 423

I believe they align the tires to the road. They leave the wheels on.

 
Rep Power: 418

I scheduled an alignment at this one dealer that has the best reputation in my state (Massachusetts). Just a front wheel alignment since the rear wheels were not curbed. They said that they would need to take off the front wheels to do it. I will share my concerns with them when I go to get that alignment. That sucky thing is that the nearest available date was November 4th! I scheduled it on the 6th since I have that whole day off. Damn, either they have a small business, ot they're very popular? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

 
Rep Power: 0

Hope that fixes the problem

 
Rep Power: 416

ya i think they align it with the wheels on.. hopefully the alignment will fix the problem cause i know how annoying a vibrating steering wheel could get.. had to get my wheels balanced 5 times. then when i finally got it done correctly, i slammed on the brakes and messed up my tires.. it vibrates again so i just live with it...

 
Rep Power: 348

I just got my alignment last week and they didn't take off the wheel. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/IMG] They didn't take off the wheel because they put this thingy on the wheel to do the computerized alignment. I don't know how to describe the thingy but 2 boxes on each wheel.

 
Rep Power: 418

Really? Weird. It was weird 'cause when I called I asked if they had to take off the wheel. The person I talked to said "yes". Then I said that I would have to supply them with a key for my wheels locks. She didn't understand what I meant, so she asked someone and came back and said "you're all set". I guess I don't know what to think now? I think I'll call them again tomorrow and get some details...

 
Rep Power: 0

Err dats not an alignment issue if you're vibrating at highway speed... GET IT BALANCED [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/IMG]. Trust me its a balancing issue... or it could be ur tires or wheel is damaged... tires mite have a knot or a bubble or ur wheel is bent... but ITS NOT AN ALIGNMENT.. okay hope this helps..

 
Rep Power: 0

make sure they don't use an impact wrench during the alignment or else they'll crack the tie rod/bushings on the end..

 
Rep Power: 418

Hmm... Maybe. I guess the impact on the curb could have damaged the wheel enough so that it's not balanced anymore. Seems unlikely though. Well, it's pulling to the left anyway and I know by using a square that I need an alignment, so I'll get that done anyway. Maybe I'll get the wheels re-balanced later after I re-paint them. Yeah, that should be good.

DogstyleEX: I hope they don't do something like that. I think they're a good shop though. They have the best "customer satisfaction" in my state.

 
Rep Power: 0

ull also need to take alot at ur tie rods and go to a body shop to see if NEthing was bent.. im a manager at a tire and auto place and i had a customer come in and he hit a curb at 40 mph and he was wondering why it was broken so we checked out da alignment and it was off.. but we couldnt set it cuz da tie rods were bent and i forgot sumtin else was bent dat we couldnt fix so we sent him to a body shop. sounds like ur problem dont it?

 
Rep Power: 418

Yeah, somewhat. Although I wasn't going 40mph when I hit the curb. Maybe 25mph at the most. I know that the tie rods aren't bent because I can see that they're straight. Although they might be a little bent, I guess that could be possible. I'll try and check them out with a level or straight edge when I go to install the 2002 Civics suspension improvement rod thingie that I bought.

 
Rep Power: 418

Damn it! The place I went to didn't want to do the alignment because they said that their equipment would put little nicks in my wheels. They reccomended that I go to this other place that specializes in aftermarket wheels. Oh well, there goes a month of waiting.

 
Rep Power: 413

Are you frickin kidding??? You waited all that time and they wouldn't even touch the car????

That sux bro......

 
Rep Power: 418

Yeah, that kinda sucks. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/IMG]
Oh well, maybe I should just align it myself. It is possible.

 
Rep Power: 0

So much for #1 Customer Satisfaction, because you sure don't sound satisfied!

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