alignment
08-14-2011, 08:32 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 12-06-2010
Location: shamokin, pa
Posts: 134
alignment
anybody have a wheel align go bad in less than 45k? left front wore down on inside corner, no pulling, no sign of steering probs, all highway driving, did not hit any pothole, got it used and tires was new.
08-14-2011, 09:18 AM
#2
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Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
Being that you are in the heart of "pothole territory", you might just get it aligned as an annual thing since it doesn't take too much to tweak it out of spec.
The camber on that corner is out of spec by the description you've given, if its as I suspect the alignment shop can install a camber adjustment kit on that side to bring it back to where it should be.
You can have a vehicle with the camber setting knocked out into the "goofy" range without being able to feel it on the highway, you'll feel it more when the toe is out of spec....then it'll pull.
The camber on that corner is out of spec by the description you've given, if its as I suspect the alignment shop can install a camber adjustment kit on that side to bring it back to where it should be.
You can have a vehicle with the camber setting knocked out into the "goofy" range without being able to feel it on the highway, you'll feel it more when the toe is out of spec....then it'll pull.
08-15-2011, 12:30 AM
#4
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Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
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Yeah that's the gadget sleeper, its a guess as to whether tntwolt's camber is out of spec on that corner due to the world famous PA potholes, or whether its been that way since his HHR left the factory.
08-15-2011, 12:47 AM
#5
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Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,878
Very true, + well worth having an alignment done to know the score, reguardless..
08-15-2011, 05:42 PM
#6
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Join Date: 05-09-2006
Location: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
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Hmmmm....you say, "got it used and tires were new"!
How many miles were on it when you purchased the car? And how new is new?
Did you actually put 45k on the car OR IS that the total mileage..
And, to directly answer your question......not unusual. I know several people had it done with new tires around 30,000.
By thw way, GM is notorious for bad alignments from the factory. It's one of those instances where, that's good enough.
I have a friend that PAYS for a new alignment, to his specs, on every new car he buys. He's says he's always found the alignments to be off, just a bit. He is also "religous" about rotations and air pressure and gets 60,000-80,000 miles on OEM tires.
How many miles were on it when you purchased the car? And how new is new?
Did you actually put 45k on the car OR IS that the total mileage..
And, to directly answer your question......not unusual. I know several people had it done with new tires around 30,000.
By thw way, GM is notorious for bad alignments from the factory. It's one of those instances where, that's good enough.
I have a friend that PAYS for a new alignment, to his specs, on every new car he buys. He's says he's always found the alignments to be off, just a bit. He is also "religous" about rotations and air pressure and gets 60,000-80,000 miles on OEM tires.
08-15-2011, 06:25 PM
#7
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Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
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But, wait. Doesn't "used, new tires" tell you to look for body/frame damage. Since the camber (from the factory) actually depends on the top strut mount being not bent & the strut bearing not worn out? In other words a body shot to the fender might mess with the camber and be cause for a "total loss".
08-15-2011, 09:12 PM
#8
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Join Date: 05-09-2006
Location: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 6,805
But, wait. Doesn't "used, new tires" tell you to look for body/frame damage. Since the camber (from the factory) actually depends on the top strut mount being not bent & the strut bearing not worn out? In other words a body shot to the fender might mess with the camber and be cause for a "total loss".
That's was my way of thinking also......but I was waiting for my questions to be answered.
08-17-2011, 04:35 AM
#10
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Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
Posts: 24,735
Wait 6 months and get a new Carfutz. Mine came back as a near total 6 months after I bought it, but was sold as "GM Certified". Sometimes it takes many months for the data to catch up with Carfutz. And West Virginia is right up there in a.) bad back roads (the interstates are nice) and b.) Chop shop activity.