Alignments Suck -- What Am I Missing

[George B]

After lowering, I did my alignment with a string pulled tightly between two heavy jack stands and a stainless steel metric ruler. The only thing I don't know is my caster. I know it's positive and probably a good bit more than what's specified for these rigs. Steering wheel is straight (it REALLY bothers me if it's not), it tracks straight, is not darty, steering isn't heavy, return-to-center feels like stock, etc. When I first finished the drop, the wheel was about 30 degrees slanted and steering was twitchy. I eventually got it to where I could fine-tune the steering wheel's straightness by turning the wheels to each lock and reaching the tie rods. I'd test drive, pull over into a parking lot, adjust, test drive, etc.

My point is that it's not so difficult once you have a handle on it all. Loose/floaty steering can be slack in the system or improper alignment. It sounds like you may have the slack ruled out unless something you replaced is defective. Maybe you don't have enough toe-in?

Are you a big ol' boy? I've seen a customer bring his car back multiple times because it kept pulling. On the rack, the numbers were spot on and centered within the spec'ed ranges. The alignment tech asked to speak to the customer, and when the customer was approaching, the tech suddenly changed his mind about speaking to him and just said he wanted the customer in the car while he did the alignment. The customer was a really large dude and the car was some small thing (Corolla maybe?). With the guy in the car, the suspension would squat enough to throw the alignment off and cause the pull. The car was aligned and it never returned after that except for oil changes and rotations.

sorry but LOL!

 

[swathdiver]

Are you a big ol' boy?

That's me! That's why I drive a Yukon XL! LOL

 

[dubyagee01]

Most alignment shops at tire places are inept. They will do a “toe and go” and charges you the full price. I take mine to a frame shop. I get a report sheet and have never has an issue with it.

 

[iamdub]

They will do a “toe and go” and charges you the full price. I take mine to a frame shop. I get a report sheet and have never has an issue with it.

Sad, but true.

 

[iamdub]

sorry but LOL!

Lol at my alignment or...?

 

[George B]

Lol at my alignment or...?

The Big O’l Boy story. I have one very similar from a past life on auto service.

 

[wildcatgoal]

I'm 200 lbs of pure sexy...

 

[wildcatgoal]

The last place I went to was a Firestone. I'm giving them one more chance and having them use a different alignment tech. I don't have the sheet - he gave me one and castor was red, I had positive camber, and toe out. It was questionable. I do my own alignments on my race car but they won't let us do personal vehicles on our club's alignment rack (to keep people from running a shadow alignment business and overloading our resources). If they would just let me do the alignment on their rack, it'd be fine. I should have no slop. Literally everything that can cause slop is new. I will have to go to Gran Turismo East north of Atlanta, which is a great place to get a race car aligned, and see if they can put some care into it. They are just WAY out of my way but they will let me sit in it and hold that wheel straight!

 

[cam3439]

On top of what the guys have recommended, I would also check to make sure your steering wheel hasn’t been incorrectly installed (there are groves that it sits on and someone can still force it on incorrectly - you’ll have to pull the airbag off, so do some research first for safety).

I’d also recommend checking if the steering wheel shifted when changing out that plastic bearing or intermediate shaft. If it did, then it could explain the aligned wheels with a crooked steering wheel. If this is the case, you’ll have to reset the steering wheel/shaft to align with your wheels when they’re clocked straight ahead.

 

[RET423]

I get the steering wheel straight and locked (if there isn't a steering wheel lock notch that holds it dead straight I have someone sit in the car and hold it there) then adjust the drivers side tie rod until the drivers side wheel is straight ahead, then adjust the passenger side tie rod until the wheel is straight ahead; that aligns the steering wheel so it will stay straight as long as you achieve your desired toe in by an equal turn on each side.

If you align the wheel first and get the toe close even a crappy shop won't mess that up.

If it wanders you probably have to little toe or the caster is out of whack.