wheel alignments, how much do they ussually cost and how important are they?

Hi,
I just replaced my front two tires because I noticed the treads on
them were really worn out. (came to my attention after I had tonnes of
trouble getting out of my parking spot with this weekend's snow
storm).
The guy at Firestone talked me into aligning my wheels and tried to
sell me the lifetime rotation and alignment deal for $140. I am
wondering if its really worth it. Other than preventing uneven
treadwear what else does an alignment do? Thank in advance

 

It also keeps the tires on the road.

As well, it keeps the steering wheel centered, so that you don't have
to fight the steering wheel to keep the car rolling straight. This
saves tires (for what, $400 a set?) and it also saves gasoline (one
study suggested that going 50 miles on a mis-aligned tire was
equivalent to dragging it one full mile).

No, an alignment is not essential services, but I certainly value the
net savings. There is another post in a thread starting with "1990
Honda Prelude SI..." that gives the pros and cons of such a deal.
Think about it. In the space of a year, I've hit potholes about 5
times (in a beater, mind you). What is 5 times the cost of an
alignment ($50 - $70) versus the lifetime deal for $140.

YMMV

Vuarra

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound.)

 

details "lifetime rotation and alignment deal"?



--
Charles Tague
93 Honda Civic DX HB
1.6L SOHC VTEC 14.85 @ 89 mph,1.98 60 ft.
With ZEX 85 hp ZEX 13.09 @ 103 mph, 1.81 60ft.
86 Pontiac Trans Am
225/50/15 GForce Drag Radials
305 peanut cammed 15.29 @ 88 mph
http://home.cinci.rr.com/mistab0ne/

 

oops sorry..
For as long as own the car they will do the alignments and roations free of charge.

 

Damn, that would save alot of money for me!!!!!

I get 2 alignments per year when racing.

--
Charles Tague
93 Honda Civic DX HB
1.6L SOHC VTEC 14.85 @ 89 mph,1.98 60 ft.
With ZEX 85 hp ZEX 13.09 @ 103 mph, 1.81 60ft.
86 Pontiac Trans Am
225/50/15 GForce Drag Radials
305 peanut cammed 15.29 @ 88 mph
http://home.cinci.rr.com/mistab0ne/

of charge.

 

I have the lifetime alignment, but my Firestone shop will not set the
alignment outside of the manufacturer's specifications. For example, I
would like to have zero rear toe (for autocross), but the best they will
do is set it to the least toe-in that Honda recommends. Plus, I have to
put up with the lecture about how my tire won't last, and how my
half-worn Azenis "ain't got no tread left," etc.

It's hard to actually get them to hit a spec; I think they're normally
happy if the values are all somewhere within Honda's allowed range.

 

|In article <5YABb.6$>,
|
|> I get 2 alignments per year when racing.
|
|I have the lifetime alignment, but my Firestone shop will not set the
|alignment outside of the manufacturer's specifications. For example, I
|would like to have zero rear toe (for autocross), but the best they will
|do is set it to the least toe-in that Honda recommends. Plus, I have to
|put up with the lecture about how my tire won't last, and how my
|half-worn Azenis "ain't got no tread left," etc.
|
|It's hard to actually get them to hit a spec; I think they're normally
|happy if the values are all somewhere within Honda's allowed range.

You need to start doing your own alignments.

Rex in Fort Worth

 

I agree, in principle. I live in an apartment and the lease prohibits
automotive work on the premises, so it's a little inconvenient. I do my
real work at my girlfriend's place, but it's more than 2 hours away, and
the only paved work area is too small to get all four wheels on it.

If I just did it once, properly, by myself, I could probably figure out
how many turns of the tie-rod adjuster are necessary to change the toe
from the desired street to autocross settings, and then do it "blind" at
each autocross (and turn it back at the end).

Camber, unfortunately, is not adjustable on my car, but at least that's
one less thing to worry about.

 

Always been curious about this.. In the old days... (Pre-Computers)
How did they align cars?

__________________
Note: To reply, replace the word 'spam' embedded in return address with 'mail'.
N38.6 W121.4

 

google "DIY Alignment".........

4 jackstands and some string.

--
Charles Tague
93 Honda Civic DX HB
1.6L SOHC VTEC 14.85 @ 89 mph,1.98 60 ft.
With ZEX 85 hp ZEX 13.09 @ 103 mph, 1.81 60ft.
86 Pontiac Trans Am
225/50/15 GForce Drag Radials
305 peanut cammed 15.29 @ 88 mph
http://home.cinci.rr.com/mistab0ne/

 

|On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 22:29:21 GMT, (Rex B)
|wrote:
|
|>On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 17:48:12 +0000 (UTC), (Matthew Hunt)
|>wrote:
|>
|>|In article <5YABb.6$>,
|>|
|>|> I get 2 alignments per year when racing.
|>|
|>|I have the lifetime alignment, but my Firestone shop will not set the
|>|alignment outside of the manufacturer's specifications. For example, I
|>|would like to have zero rear toe (for autocross), but the best they will
|>|do is set it to the least toe-in that Honda recommends. Plus, I have to
|>|put up with the lecture about how my tire won't last, and how my
|>|half-worn Azenis "ain't got no tread left," etc.
|>|
|>|It's hard to actually get them to hit a spec; I think they're normally
|>|happy if the values are all somewhere within Honda's allowed range.
|>
|>You need to start doing your own alignments.
|>
|>Rex in Fort Worth
|
|Always been curious about this.. In the old days... (Pre-Computers)
|How did they align cars?

Pre-computer used optical alignment systems, using lights and mirrors.
Before that it was trammel bars for toe and bubble gauges for camber & (with
turn plates) caster.
Before that precision was less of an issue.

Grassroots Motorsports had a good article on DIY alignments at home in a recent
issue.
Rex in Fort Worth