ancdmd

I got an alignment on my '02 UL Friday, now I am getting a horrible creaking noise from the front left suspension during very low speed turning maneuvers. I watched the guy do the alignment and on the front left he had to use an extension pipe on his ratchet handle to loosen something that appeared very tight. When he was tightening things up he had two ratchets with pipes on the handles and was putting some serious torque on something, it looked like the inner control arm mounting point. I don't think any bolt on the the car requires that much torque, so I'm a little scared he F'ed something up by overtightening it. Any ideas before I go back to the shop and start stepping on necks?

projman

If he was tightening the lateral strut bar bolts where they attach to the chassis, it's possible he needed that much leverage. If I remember from doing the bushings on my '98, they were supposed to be torqued to 160 ft-lbs. I had to calibrate my impact to that value because my torque wrench doesn't go that high.

ancdmd

Took the car back to the shop today, they tightened the left eccentric bushing and the noise is gone.

anotherLS

iTrader: (9)

hope you got new tires b4 the alignment....if not u gotta get another alignment after

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Why is that?

CarguyinGa

Did they just find it loose and re-torque it? If so, take it back and insist they re-align it......eccentric oddly enough is NON concentric...it is used as part of the adjustment, if they did not re-align it, I promise you it's not dead on anymore! It may be passably close if they had scribed it during the prior alignment.

As far as getting alignment done after new tires.... great misinformation!! It's a wheel alignment, not tire alignment. It has been a common practice to do an alignment when tires are replaced to ensure you don't scuff away that new rubber faster than it has to be. You can have an alignment done at any time, the times to do it logically are, steering pull to one side, abnormal tire wear (uneven), or as a precaution if you give the suspension a major jolt. Wheel alignments are done to set the angles of all four wheels in relation to each other and the centerline of the car. Tire pressure is presumed as being correct in all cases of pull or wear I mentioned above.

If changing tires requires aligning, I guess you better get it done every time the wheels are unbolted too, that has about the same effect.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

correct, the only time an alignment has anything to do with tires is in the case there is a mismatched size, or a tire with a visible separation making it larger in diameter than it is supposed to be...

so long as the tires are the right size and they are not coming apart, then you can align the car and expect it to still be aligned with new tires...

ancdmd

I watched him tighten up the bolt on the eccentric thing, it was fairly tight already, just needed a little more. The steering wheel was ever-so-slightly off after that, but it still tracked straight with no pulling or anything. I took it back in the next day and he made a quick adjustment to get the steering wheel straight again. I asked him what he adjusted (it was actually on the right side) and he just said the "steering'. I bet the alignment may be slightly changed after these adjustments but the front tires have limited life left and I get the car aligned every four months so I'll just let it go.

campisi

You serious? Waste of money with the very high potential of needlessly screwing something up (as you found out). If it ain't broke ....

anotherLS

iTrader: (9)

its not misinformation to get an alignment with new tires, why would you get an alignment with balding tires or tires showing inner wear??? that would throw off your alignment settings, im just saying that everytime i get an alignment its with new tires...and when i rotate i get it checked again....i guess its perks having family work at Lexus...free alignments

ancdmd

I get alignments every 4-6 months now since I have the 20" wheels, I do this because after that time either the steering is off or it feels a little squirrely in the front end. Also if the alignment is not good I'll go through these expensive soft-compound tires way too fast.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

actually, as I stated earlier, a tire that is worn will not change the alignment... unless the tire is the wrong size, or is significantly different than its original diameter (like a separated tire maybe), then nothing will change...

I do agree, it's a good idea to have good enough tires to start, but I digress...


Here's a thought for everyone that'll throw ya... A car doesn't get "knocked out of alignment" If a cars alignment changes, it's because of one of three things - something is bent, worn, or was not tightened properly...

why else would the alignment change? if you hit something and an alignment bolt moves, it wasn't tightened properly... at the same time, if over time, it is just out of alignment, then it is due to sagging springs, worn bushings or something actually being bent...

VQT

Hey Cody.

When did you move to Texas? Are you still working at the same place in Las Vegas? Your sign said location tx...

Viet

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

I'm at a company owned Firestone location now instead of the private owned one I was at in Vegas... Moved back here about 7 months ago... eventually will be in Honduras, but thats a longer story...