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

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Ugyen Namgyel

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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
 
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
Click to expand...

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.)
 
Mista Bone said:
details "lifetime rotation and alignment deal"?
Click to expand...
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.

Ugyen Namgyel said:
"Mista Bone" wrote:
oops sorry..
For as long as own the car they will do the alignments and roations free
Click to expand...
of charge.
 
Mista Bone said:
I get 2 alignments per year when racing.
Click to expand...

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
 
You need to start doing your own alignments.
Click to expand...

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.
 
|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
Click to expand...

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
 
|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
 
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