Alignment question

[nuQ]

I posted this in general chat with no answers and I really need to find an answer tonight (or early tomorrow). Bottom line, can a tech screw up an alignment and make things worse than when you pulled in??? Is it easy to do or common?

[elwesso]

Yeah it could be done......

[nuQ]

thanks wes,,,,if you didn't read the other post, i might be going round and round with STS over my mom's car. i think they botched it up pretty good............

[Jeff Williams]

The only thing they can adjust on the Q is the toe-in. The rest is just replacement of parts.

They can tell you what it is, and what is worn.

Talk to the tech, not the guy at the counter. Ask him to show you what he adjusted.

[maxnix]

Get a read out before and after from a Hunter machine, get the FSM, and read Q45tech's posts on the subject.

Very simple, really.

[Q45tech]

The rear camber and rear toe and setting up zero thrust angle is the hard part.........then setting the front toe without distrubing the trust angle takes an EXPERT.

And usually a$20 tip in advance for all the extra work to make it perfect.

Remember to always have you or your weight in drivers seat to see/set the real operating camber and toe conditions.

[elwesso]

Ok i just read your post in general chat.

For others, this is NOT on the Q, this is on a 99 CRV (which you probably should have mentioned)>.. I would assume that, like the Q, you can only adjust front toe..

It is the owners responsibility to get a BEFORE AND AFTER PRINTOUT of the alignment specs to verify! The computer wont lie!

[jamesmost]

The rear camber and rear toe and setting up zero thrust angle is the hard part.........then setting the front toe without distrubing the trust angle takes an EXPERT.

And usually a$20 tip in advance for all the extra work to make it perfect.

Remember to always have you or your weight in drivers seat to see/set the real operating camber and toe conditions.

the tech tried to explain thrust and he down played it to me said imaginary line yada yada.but one allignment thar worked for me said 0 thrust and the one i have probs w/ said 2 deg. thrust

[Q45tech]

"the one i have probs w/ said 2 deg. thrust"..................so when you let go of the steering wheel on a perfectly level road it tracks off in a 2 degree angle or worse depending on other differential errors in the front suspensions.

[nuQ]

as an update----yeah, i should have mentioned it was my mom's crv, but as it turns out it didn't matter what car it was. she called the local STS and they, shockingly, admitted that their alignment machine has been out of calibration and they had to re-do 80+ cars!!! the only question, as of today--still waiting for the call, is how they will handle the replacement of the two tires that wore unevenly due to their alignment. i told her she should insist on the exact brand tires (even if that means they have to order through tire rack). i have a feeling they will try to slap on two tires from their inventory.

[nuQ]

ps----STS will be ordering two new tires from tirerack for her, so she is happy. good to know the STS in nazareth pa is run by honest guys

[xmateo]

I just had my 99Q aligned - or maybe not. It pulled to the right originally - now pulls too the left. I am taking my car elsewhere to have done correctly. What has been the common problem in resolving a Q's alignment when all of the parameters are set to specs? New struts? New alignment bolt? The tires haven't been an issue (Pirellis). I know some shops use the lame excuse that it must be the tires. I don't want to sink a lot into correcting this.

[elwesso]

I just had my 99Q aligned - or maybe not. It pulled to the right originally - now pulls too the left. I am taking my car elsewhere to have done correctly. What has been the common problem in resolving a Q's alignment when all of the parameters are set to specs? New struts? New alignment bolt? The tires haven't been an issue (Pirellis). I know some shops use the lame excuse that it must be the tires. I don't want to sink a lot into correcting this.

You must post your before/after alignment specs for us to be able to tell you whats goin on!!!!!!

[xmateo]

I took my Q to an independant shop in Phoenix. Here are the readings:Left / Right Camber: ¼- / ½- (pulls to + side)Left / Right Caster: 5 ½ / 6 ¼ (pulls to - side)

It was recommended that I take the car to a body shop, and have them put it on their $80k rig to straighten it. They assume I hit a curb or something pretty hard to bend some metal. The control arms look fine though. What do you think about this method?