Before I bought my 07 Envoy it was in a prior accident that crushed in the driver side rear door. I posted pictures of the before and after results of my wheel alignment. I still feel like the car wanders all over the road. What needs fixing?
Prior accident wheel alignment
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Before I bought my 07 Envoy it was in a prior accident that crushed in the driver side rear door. I posted pictures of the before and after results of my wheel alignment. I still feel like the car wanders all over the road. What needs fixing?
Thanks for posting the before and after alignment numbers. I would say take it to another alignment shop - say an independent shop that specializes in alignments, tell them that it feels like it is wandering and let them diagnose it. It could be bad ball joints, bad wheel bearing hubs, a bad tire, etc.
Yes, the Hyundai shop technician that did your alignment should have inspected and checked the front suspension components to make sure they are in good working order before they did the alignment, but it appears that they did not. Are there any notes on the work order/receipt they gave you when you paid the bill?
I know that whenever I take one of my vehicles in for an alignment, the Firestone techs always check the suspension components. Now before I get flamed for going to Firestone, I have a lifetime alignment agreement with them, and I know that when they inspect the suspension system, they are going to flag anything suspicious and try and get me to spend megabucks to have them replace the component(s). So, I go in knowing they are going to try and find something wrong, and so far, they have not found anything wrong except for a bent rim which I did know about before going in.
Good Luck!
Yes, the Hyundai shop technician that did your alignment should have inspected and checked the front suspension components to make sure they are in good working order before they did the alignment, but it appears that they did not. Are there any notes on the work order/receipt they gave you when you paid the bill?
I know that whenever I take one of my vehicles in for an alignment, the Firestone techs always check the suspension components. Now before I get flamed for going to Firestone, I have a lifetime alignment agreement with them, and I know that when they inspect the suspension system, they are going to flag anything suspicious and try and get me to spend megabucks to have them replace the component(s). So, I go in knowing they are going to try and find something wrong, and so far, they have not found anything wrong except for a bent rim which I did know about before going in.
Good Luck!
I used to work at that dealership so I had one of the journeymen mechanics do it for me. I checked all the suspension and tires and everything is good. I should also mention that it pulls left on the Highway.
Well, I would say that you need to jack up your front end, put it on jack stands and then see if there is any play in the wheels. Then take the wheels off and check the cv half shafts on each side as well as the wheel hubs for play, looseness, make sure all the mounting fasteners are tightened to factory spec., check the calipers to make sure that one is not retracting properly, etc. Also check to make sure your tires are not out of round. Then repeat on the rear suspension.
Have you had your tires balanced recently? A bad tire might show up while being balanced.
If everything checks out OK, then I would say take it to a specialty shop that specializes in alignments.
Good Luck!
Have you had your tires balanced recently? A bad tire might show up while being balanced.
If everything checks out OK, then I would say take it to a specialty shop that specializes in alignments.
Good Luck!
All suspension is tight just checked that last week. Brakes are all good, did all 4 pads and rotors last month. Just had my tires balanced at discount tire a month ago, both front hubs are new. I will be calling an independent shop here pretty soon for an alignment.
I hope they find nothing wrong, but something is causing that wandering and pulling to the left.
Regarding the pulling to the left, one other thought based on personal experience. We purchased a 1999 Silverado brand spanking new and it pulled to the left from the very beginning. I checked all the obvious things - tire air pressure, made sure the lug nuts were properly torqued, and I even rotated the tires and it still wandered. Took it into the dealership's service department and at the end of the day they said that the alignment was spot on. Well, on the drive home, it still pulled to the left.
I called the service department back, spoke to the service advisor who had grilled me the day before (to which I gladly answered his questions and let him know I had ordered a Factory Service Manual), and he asked me to bring it back in and meet with the shop foreman. I returned the following day, and the shop foreman and I went for a drive on a section of highway that had just been repaved, and it pulled to the left when I took my hands off the steering wheel. When we got back to the shop, he called over one of the technicians and instructed him to completely un-align the front end - to take it way out of spec, and then align it, and test drive it. Guess what. It no longer pulled to the left. It was perfect.
So, if the alignment shop doesn't find anything wrong, have them un-align the front end and then align it. What do you have to loose?
Good Luck!
Regarding the pulling to the left, one other thought based on personal experience. We purchased a 1999 Silverado brand spanking new and it pulled to the left from the very beginning. I checked all the obvious things - tire air pressure, made sure the lug nuts were properly torqued, and I even rotated the tires and it still wandered. Took it into the dealership's service department and at the end of the day they said that the alignment was spot on. Well, on the drive home, it still pulled to the left.
I called the service department back, spoke to the service advisor who had grilled me the day before (to which I gladly answered his questions and let him know I had ordered a Factory Service Manual), and he asked me to bring it back in and meet with the shop foreman. I returned the following day, and the shop foreman and I went for a drive on a section of highway that had just been repaved, and it pulled to the left when I took my hands off the steering wheel. When we got back to the shop, he called over one of the technicians and instructed him to completely un-align the front end - to take it way out of spec, and then align it, and test drive it. Guess what. It no longer pulled to the left. It was perfect.
So, if the alignment shop doesn't find anything wrong, have them un-align the front end and then align it. What do you have to loose?
Good Luck!
For what its worth - I had previous vehicle that was spot on for alignment but still wandered and pulled to one side. It turned out to be the tires weren't uniformly worn from being out of alignment previously. I didn't see if you had put new tires on and aligned? You can always put the rights on the left and the lefts on the right and see if pulls to the other side after ...
Reading my alignment sheet, is there anything that could have been bent from the accident that it was in?
Yeah --- things could have been bent --- and that's where the alignment comes it --- it is SUPPOSED to compensate for any variances in what is normal for that vehicle.
Cars can be build crooked and yet a good alignement guy can make it run true and straight when he's done.
There is a lot of tolerance and variances in building and repairing a car that there has to be a way to adjust it into specs - right?
Having bent parts, in and of otself - is not a car killer. Having a mechanically worn out or sloppy and indecisive part is a problem though.
You align it and bump the car and go to finalize the alignment and it's out of allignment again. Wha!!!
In that scene, something;s loose or sloppy.
Also --- there is such a thing as "radial pull" which is "findable" by swapping the fronts tires, side-to-side. If it changes or goes away or pulls the other way ---- yeah --- you got a problem tire.
.... just sumpthin' of which to be aware ......
Cars can be build crooked and yet a good alignement guy can make it run true and straight when he's done.
There is a lot of tolerance and variances in building and repairing a car that there has to be a way to adjust it into specs - right?
Having bent parts, in and of otself - is not a car killer. Having a mechanically worn out or sloppy and indecisive part is a problem though.
You align it and bump the car and go to finalize the alignment and it's out of allignment again. Wha!!!
In that scene, something;s loose or sloppy.
Also --- there is such a thing as "radial pull" which is "findable" by swapping the fronts tires, side-to-side. If it changes or goes away or pulls the other way ---- yeah --- you got a problem tire.
.... just sumpthin' of which to be aware ......
Time for a late-nooner ..
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I'm not liking the numbers in the front. Comparing the toe from the two sheets the arrows on the little graphs and the numbers aren't the same.
The diagnosis, indicating toe-out are in sync. The repair shows the numbers opposite the graphics. The numbers say toe-in, graphics show toe-out. A toe-in condition can cause a wandering issue. Not enough positive caster will contribute also. If you steering doesn't self-center after a turn when you let go of the wheel that also could be not enough positive camber.
It also shows a very, very slight dog-tracking. In this case the rear wheels are tracking to the left of the fronts.
I'm used to dealing in inches for toe, so I have no point of reference on how much a degree affects the toe. But this is what I see.
I would compare the wheel base for a difference between the left and the right. Considering it was hit on the left that may have literally bowed the vehicle slightly. Since the trailing arms have no real adjustment, it could have shortened the left-side wheel base, which will cause a pull to the left. We would do that on purpose for oval track racing.
All of these work together, as soon as you move something, everything has to be rechecked. Worn out or damaged bushings could also contribute.
I could get a 195 mph car to track straight down the backstretch at Daytona and Talladega. I do have a different perspective on what these measurements mean when they aren't what we wanted.
That said, I'm not there to look at other things that would catch my eye. These are lessons learned over 45 years of, "If we do this, we know the car SHOULD do this."
Good luck . . .
The diagnosis, indicating toe-out are in sync. The repair shows the numbers opposite the graphics. The numbers say toe-in, graphics show toe-out. A toe-in condition can cause a wandering issue. Not enough positive caster will contribute also. If you steering doesn't self-center after a turn when you let go of the wheel that also could be not enough positive camber.
It also shows a very, very slight dog-tracking. In this case the rear wheels are tracking to the left of the fronts.
I'm used to dealing in inches for toe, so I have no point of reference on how much a degree affects the toe. But this is what I see.
I would compare the wheel base for a difference between the left and the right. Considering it was hit on the left that may have literally bowed the vehicle slightly. Since the trailing arms have no real adjustment, it could have shortened the left-side wheel base, which will cause a pull to the left. We would do that on purpose for oval track racing.
All of these work together, as soon as you move something, everything has to be rechecked. Worn out or damaged bushings could also contribute.
I could get a 195 mph car to track straight down the backstretch at Daytona and Talladega. I do have a different perspective on what these measurements mean when they aren't what we wanted.
That said, I'm not there to look at other things that would catch my eye. These are lessons learned over 45 years of, "If we do this, we know the car SHOULD do this."
Good luck . . .
I’m sending into an independent shop this week to get my alignment, pulling and wandering looked at. Should I be concerned about the thrust angle?
If you go to a reputable shop --- they'll check the whole package and Thrust Angle is always in the testing criteria ... it sets the front end up as a reference point.
What are they gonna charge for the alignment? Here in non-comptetative Montana, they charge $175.00.
Makes one sniff when one remembers thst one had a Bear Machine and sold it upon retirement --- and three interstarte moves where it was a white elephant and was just a burdon to keep.
Hmm? Thrust Angle . . . Never heard anyone use that term. Since a lot of us racers weren't "book learned" we might refer to it as something else. Or our starting point is totally different.
Have to look that one up . . . 🤔
OK. Since our race chassis are built with jigs on a surface plate, we have many places with known distances for point to point reference to use.
Have to look that one up . . . 🤔
OK. Since our race chassis are built with jigs on a surface plate, we have many places with known distances for point to point reference to use.
Here’s the results. Got an alignment and the pulling is fixed for the most part. They checked everything and said nothing was bent or loose. Still feel like my Envoy wanders a little but not as bad. I will post a pic of the alignment results
Your guy put a little crown-toe into it --- I like that ... and you'll never feel that 0.8° negative camber and it's certainly in specs.
What I DO think I would've done differently when you complained of wander, is put the Toe on both sides a little Positive - off specs a tiny bit - to force the rack and connecting links to be pressed together a little bit tighter and that can be used to cut "wander".
Otherwise, it looks pretty good from here.
What I DO think I would've done differently when you complained of wander, is put the Toe on both sides a little Positive - off specs a tiny bit - to force the rack and connecting links to be pressed together a little bit tighter and that can be used to cut "wander".
Otherwise, it looks pretty good from here.
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