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Car pulls hard to the right... Alignment?

aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
#1. What is a reasonable price to have my alignment fixed? I was quoted $69 at once place, $85 at another.

#2. Is an alignment the only possible cause? Tires have been rotated ~ 5k miles and are fairly new (8 months old or so). As soon as i let off the wheel, the car pulls hard to the right. To drive straight, i need to pull left a bit on the wheel.
 
Originally posted by: aphex
#1. What is a reasonable price to have my alignment fixed? I was quoted $69 at once place, $85 at another.

#2. Is an alignment the only possible cause? Tires have been rotated ~ 5k miles and are fairly new (8 months old or so). As soon as i let off the wheel, the car pulls hard to the right. To drive straight, i need to pull left a bit on the wheel.
Click to expand...

#1 - depends on the area, call more than two people, find a reasonable quote


#2 - It's not the only possible cause. Have you checked your undercarriage for dead bodies? It might also be due to terrorists or liberals.
 
69 and 89 sound normal as one could be two wheel alignment and the other four wheel alignment. In my own experiences, 4 wheel isn't that much more than two wheel (as you may expect it to double).

Oh and could a mod fix the "Off Topic" link... I clicked it and ended up in "The Garage"! :Q
 
Originally posted by: Aikouka
69 and 89 sound normal as one could be two wheel alignment and the other four wheel alignment. In my own experiences, 4 wheel isn't that much more than two wheel (as you may expect it to double).

Oh and could a mod fix the "Off Topic" link... I clicked it and ended up in "The Garage"! :Q
Click to expand...

*Double checks forum* - No you didn't. I would have given a serious answer in the garage.
 
You most likely have what is typically called a "radial tire pull".

Sometimes the diameter is not equal across the tire face due to manufacturing variances. Imagine a Styrofoam coffee cup on it's side. The bottom is smaller than the top. When you roll the cup it does not roll straight. The larger top rolls around the smaller bottom. The same thing can happen with a tire. If the tire is mounted on the wheel with the larger side on the inside of the rim, it will drive the wheel to the outside. If the wheel with this tire is mounted in the back you will not notice. If you then rotate it to the front, you suddenly get a strong pull as if your alignment is out.

If the pull suddenly appeared, and the car has not hit something to throw it out of alignment, and the tires were not rotated, then you may have a tire that is defective and coming apart internally.

A quick check you can run is to swap the front tires and see if the pull changes. If it doesn't then you are looking at an alignment issue.
 
Been doing any off-roading lately? Any way a steering component would have gotten bent?

If you've rotated the tires and the pull is still there, I doubt it's tires. Although possible, it's unlikely you have more than one bad tire. If you've rotated them, I would assume the pressures have been checked.

You could have a brake dragging. After driving a while, see if one of the wheels is warmer than the other. If it's hot outside this test may not give definitive results.

Go with the lower price if you feel they're competent to do the job. I'm sure you're aware that parts are extra.
 
Check tire inflation first. Some retard at Jiffy Lube (never again) overinflated my tires on one side to 10psi more, and I thought it was alignment too because it never entered my mind even they could be this incompetent...
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
Check tire inflation first. Some retard at Jiffy Lube (never again) overinflated my tires on one side to 10psi more, and I thought it was alignment too because it never entered my mind even they could be this incompetent...
Click to expand...
They are, oh yes they are. Not the sharpest tools in the shed there.
 
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