Alignment and shop

[Guest Anonymous]

I took my car to a shop for alignment as I replaced tie rods. I initinally did a rough alignment as per CD's instruction with a string around 4 tires and adjusting by ensuring both face of each tire is touching the string and counting numbers of threads on tie rods on both sides ensure they both have roughly equal number of threads. I did this so that I could safely drive the car to the shop for accurate alignment. The shop said they did some work and I paid $100, only to find out that the number of threads remained the same as before I took it to the shop and the steering wheel was titled slightly in the same way as before. it drives same as before as it was slightly toed in. I took it back to the shop and asked if they really did the work. They said yes and got mad at me, treating me like some AH customer. I find it hard to believe them that they did the work if the number of threads remained the same and the steering wheel tilted in the same way?? Could it be possible for them to do the adjustment and have same number of threads on both sides as before and after? Thanks.

[Harv]

My guess is that you got it very close the first time and they didn't have to adjust it much if at all. Young guys at allignment shops don't seem to know how to make a steering wheel straight. You can do it yourself by turning the tierods equal amounts to get the wheel straight.

John

[c.d.iesel]

Harv is correct - the slight adjustment from your"equal settings"

may not show a visable thread count differance from your setting.

BUT , had you marked the tie rods with a dot of white paint marking each of the 4-ends - you may have seen the 1/4 or 1/2 turn made by the shop.

The off-center steering wheel is an issue, and only if the shop had road tested their settings , they should have seen that and re adjusted.

Either the steering gear box was not perfectly centered before all this started, or , the steering wheel is off a tooth from prior molestation.

In which case your alignment is correct, but just the steering wheel now needs to come off and back on 1 tooth in the centering direction.

o.k. ?

[Guest Anonymous]

Many thanks. then maybe I am really an AH customer after all. I just could not trust the mechanics after seeing and hearing how much they had ripped off many customers. again thanks.

[SteveJ]

I think the shop just goes for the numbers.

The shop I took my 02 to for the alignment, the guy checked the tire pressures, centered the steering wheel, made all the adjustments, rechecked the steering wheel, and also gave the whole underside a good lookover. As he pulled the car out, he said if anything doesn't feel or look right to come right back and he would correct it. Needless to say, everything was great. I will be taking all my cars to them from now on.

[Guest Anonymous]

I could use a shop something like yours. They are hard to find, I think.