Steering wheel is offcenter after tire rotation and balance

[smokey_mountain]

My 2020 Tahoe was absolute straight and steering wheel was dead on center. Dealer did tire rotation and balanced all 4 wheels. Well now the steering wheel is a bit off center to the left when truck goes straight.

I know that this truck can ride straight with the steering wheel being dead on center. I do not understand how rotations and balancing can cause my problem.

My faith in dealer is long gone but gave them one more chance with such simple procedure but did not work.

Can anyone help me understand how rotation and balance can cause perfectly straight vehicle to start going off center with steering wheel off?

Thanks.

 

[olyelr]

Simply taking the tires off and putting them back on definitely would not change the steering wheel.

They must have done an alignment or something, and didnt get the wheel set back straight.

 

[smokey_mountain]

They adamantly claim they did not do alignment. Now I am even more concerned that they messed with something and did not put it back. I would not understand why would they do it? To get me to come back for aligment, that would be ridiculous?

I will have to take it to a local suspension shop to get it checked.

is it correct that wheel on these trucks is centered electronically?

Simply taking the tires off and putting them back on definitely would not change the steering wheel.

They must have done an alignment or something, and didnt get the wheel set back straight.

 

[George B]

It may be tire pull amplified by road crown. Try switching the front tires left to right... It was not uncommon back in my days in a tire shop that a rotation would result in a slight pull or steering wheel just a little off center. It’s cheap to try it.

 

[smokey_mountain]

Indeed will give it a try this weekend. Thank you, @George B !

 

[mb1500]

Interesting. How many miles on the tires and date since last rotation? Condition?

 

[smokey_mountain]

Close to 9k miles since last rotation, total 14.5 miles on them. They look even wear to me and I do not see any issues. Dealer also did not note any problems with tires.

 

[olyelr]

It may be tire pull amplified by road crown. Try switching the front tires left to right... It was not uncommon back in my days in a tire shop that a rotation would result in a slight pull or steering wheel just a little off center. It’s cheap to try it.

Yea that definitely makes sense!

 

[91RS]

Did they cross-rotate the non-drive axle? This can very often cause a radial pull and even more common if rotate intervals are too long, uneven (like here since you said 5k for the first time and 9k for the second), or the alignment hasn't been kept up. This is why I generally do not like to cross-rotate tires but then some customers get angry just the same that we didn't do it "exactly as the owner's manual states." Swap the rear tires side-to-side and see if that fixes your problem (and then swap the front tires also if the pull is still there). If that fixes it, just don't cross-rotate any more and you'll be fine. This isn't something you will be able to see looking at the tires. Even brand new tires can have a radial pull.

 

[mb1500]

Did they cross-rotate the non-drive axle? This can very often cause a radial pull and even more common if rotate intervals are too long, uneven (like here since you said 5k for the first time and 9k for the second), or the alignment hasn't been kept up. This is why I generally do not like to cross-rotate tires but then some customers get angry just the same that we didn't do it "exactly as the owner's manual states." Swap the rear tires side-to-side and see if that fixes your problem (and then swap the front tires also if the pull is still there). If that fixes it, just don't cross-rotate any more and you'll be fine. This isn't something you will be able to see looking at the tires. Even brand new tires can have a radial pull.

Good info here!