alignments more often?

[steiny93]

Are folks seeing more frequent alignments necessary on the 2021+ suv's?

Asking as the wife's '21 denali was aligned at delivery when we swapped tires and now at 30k the rear is out of spec. Dealer's drive through system caught it (no odd tire wear or driving characteristics), dealer is saying they are seeing a fair number needing alignments.

Is this a thing with the independent rear in GM land?
We've been doing the align at delivery during tire swap for quite sometime, this is the first vehicle to come out of a alignment prior to needing tires. Or maybe the drive through systems are getting much better.

thoughts?

 

[StephenPT]

Maybe a bit too soon to tell? This is a new IRS setup so it will take some time for the "data" to be collected.

Is the dealer going to re-align it for you under warranty? Otherwise I would bring into question if this is just another money grab for the dealer. Did they show you a report of what the specs are and how far out it is?

 

[steiny93]

Is the dealer going to re-align it for you under warranty? Otherwise I would bring into question if this is just another money grab for the dealer. Did they show you a report of what the specs are and how far out it is?

Alignments are covered during the first x miles and y months (it's like 7500 miles and 12 months); so no.

Yah, the report was provided and you can see it when you drive through the service bay, this Denali has been in the dealer quite a bit; it's probably been run through the auto checker 20 times or so, all green till now.

 

[B-train]

Seems a bit odd to me, but again, it's a new design. Reminds me of the Ford exploders with IRS that always burned up tires.

Just another reason for me to stick with the solid axle trucks. IMO

 

[DuraYuk]

I wouldn't trust a drive thru alignment. Only way to tell Is to put it on a rack. Set up the sensors and check it. Problem is this costs money and most won't do it for free.

What they have is a money grab.

Unless it's one of these https://www.hunter.com/vehicle-inspection/quick-check/#roi

If they are using a hunter like that then it's probably accurate. The reason you didn't notice it on the older stuff is because this tech wasn't used. As you read in the literature it says many problems don't even cause wear. And if you didn't notice a driving issue and no tire wear then it's really up to you on how 'bad' that actually is.

For those clutching the old stuff we didn't use these machines. We did it with the alignment rack. We only did it If we saw tire wear or driver was complaining of tracking issues.

 

[OR VietVet]

Having ran a shop that specialized in brakes and alignment of cars, all the way up to motorhomes, I saw the value of alignment inspections every two years. So many things can happen in a 2 year period. Loose/worn/damaged steering/suspension components and road conditions contribute to tire wear and steering/handling problems. As steering and suspension components wear they can effect the way the vehicle steers and handles. As the driver, we adapt to the feel of all this because it happens in very small increments instead of all at once, unless of course something breaks or has reached the end of the "wear" cycle. I would bet that a charge for just an alignment check, with a printout, is way less than the cost of tires and the inconvenience of a breakdown on the road. As my dad taught me and is in my signature, "Maintenance pays and breakdowns cost".

 

[GTPace500]

I wouldn't trust a drive thru alignment. Only way to tell Is to put it on a rack. Set up the sensors and check it. Problem is this costs money and most won't do it for free.

What they have is a money grab.

Unless it's one of these https://www.hunter.com/vehicle-inspection/quick-check/#roi

If they are using a hunter like that then it's probably accurate. The reason you didn't notice it on the older stuff is because this tech wasn't used. As you read in the literature it says many problems don't even cause wear. And if you didn't notice a driving issue and no tire wear then it's really up to you on how 'bad' that actually is.

For those clutching the old stuff we didn't use these machines. We did it with the alignment rack. We only did it If we saw tire wear or driver was complaining of tracking issues.

MY dealer has this and it showed my rear driverside wheel to be out of alignment - at 2800 miles. I don't recall hitting anything that would have done this, so I'm a bit wary about how calibrated and accurate these machines are. I saw a worker cleaning the sensor of the machine with a towel while I was there, which also has me scratching my head. Dealer wanted 199 for the alignment, and I felt sort of coerced to do it because then if I don't, and something happens that requires a fix, I won't hear the end of it with them.

I was at the dealer for the first service, so I had them do the alignment there. Service took 6.5 hours and I was livid. They brought in other vehicles ahead of mine (I was one of the first at the dealer that morning) and were just generally slow. Then, after the service, they performed the alignment, and now my steering wheel isn't properly centered to the vehicle. I noticed this while leaving the dealer and driving it around the block a few times. I drove back to the dealer to have it fixed and still the same thing. After spending 7 hours that day, i just drove it home and called the service advisor to bring it in another day. First service and just the dealer in general has got me pretty pissed so far.

 

[steiny93]

I wouldn't trust a drive thru alignment. Only way to tell Is to put it on a rack. Set up the sensors and check it. Problem is this costs money and most won't do it for free.

What they have is a money grab.

Unless it's one of these https://www.hunter.com/vehicle-inspection/quick-check/#roi

If they are using a hunter like that then it's probably accurate. The reason you didn't notice it on the older stuff is because this tech wasn't used. As you read in the literature it says many problems don't even cause wear. And if you didn't notice a driving issue and no tire wear then it's really up to you on how 'bad' that actually is.

For those clutching the old stuff we didn't use these machines. We did it with the alignment rack. We only did it If we saw tire wear or driver was complaining of tracking issues.

It's the Hunter system in the link above that is flagging the alignment.

 

[OR VietVet]

MY dealer has this and it showed my rear driverside wheel to be out of alignment - at 2800 miles. I don't recall hitting anything that would have done this, so I'm a bit wary about how calibrated and accurate these machines are. I saw a worker cleaning the sensor of the machine with a towel while I was there, which also has me scratching my head. Dealer wanted 199 for the alignment, and I felt sort of coerced to do it because then if I don't, and something happens that requires a fix, I won't hear the end of it with them.

I was at the dealer for the first service, so I had them do the alignment there. Service took 6.5 hours and I was livid. They brought in other vehicles ahead of mine (I was one of the first at the dealer that morning) and were just generally slow. Then, after the service, they performed the alignment, and now my steering wheel isn't properly centered to the vehicle. I noticed this while leaving the dealer and driving it around the block a few times. I drove back to the dealer to have it fixed and still the same thing. After spending 7 hours that day, i just drove it home and called the service advisor to bring it in another day. First service and just the dealer in general has got me pretty pissed so far.

The vehicles do not get a full fledged alignment when they are manufactured. It is by far the quickest, "set the toe and let it go" adjustment. My brother works for Ford at the KC, Mo. assembly plant and he has had that job before. He sits down in a pit. The vehicle drives over the top. Stops and he adjusts tie rod sleeves tighten down as needed and it rolls off.

 

[tjs3922]

My 23 suburban had a "crooked bowtie" on the steering wheel, slightly to the left that started within the first 6 months, dealer aligned under warranty (still in bumper to bumper). My 23 Yukon was delivered with the "denali logo" crooked. Dealer corrected with alignment.