WeakSauce6

When I bought my car the alignment was off so I took it to Firestone and paid for their lifetime alignment. Well 5 trips later and 2 different shops and it still pulls to the rights and drives like crap. Here is my specs, can anyone see why I'm having this problem?

Front Left
Camber -0.1
Caster +2.6
Toe +.06
SAI 14.2
Included Angle 14.1

Front Right
Camber +.2
Caster +2.8
Toe +.06
SAI 15.6
Included Angle 15.8

Front
Cross Camber -.3
Cross Caster -.3
Cross SAI -1.4
Total Toe +.12

Left Rear
-.3 Camber
-.18 Toe

Right Rear
-.2 Camber
-.18 Toe

Rear
-.1 Cross Camber
-.36 Total Toe
0.00 Thrust Angle

Mean87SS

iTrader: (21)

I'm assuming this is a 4th gen? How is the suspension set up?

Tire condition? Could be a shifted belt in a tire...

What do you mean it drives like crap?

Stippy17

iTrader: (5)

Can you scan your printouts and upload them?

Check your tire pressure in all 4 tires, and run your hands across all your tires to feel for irregular wear of any kind. Also, what all is done to the car suspension wise? Stock or aftermarket suspension?

Let me dig out my printouts and compare them to yours.

Stippy17

iTrader: (5)

Also, your car could be 100% aligned. But if your steering wheel is off center you will think its pulling because your instinctively straightening the wheel as you drive straight, which makes the car pull.


In that case you would just need your wheel straightened. And Ill let you in on a little secret. Just because your printouts say your can is 'in the green' doesnt mean it actually is. Its not hard to fudge those numbers by the tech. Your best bet is to watch the tech work, but my pet peeve is customers who treat me like Im an animal in a zoo and stare at everything I do. If you want to watch Id rather you come out into the shop and bullshit with me.

WeakSauce6

Sorry guys, I forgot to add the details on the car. 98 T/A, UMI lower A arms, Strange DA w/ 300 lbs springs, no sway bar up front. UMI adj PH bar, adj lca's, & relocation brackets out back. Tires are brand new NT555's up front and 555r's out back. Had the car aligned the 3rd time when I had the tires put on about a month ago. Basically what is going on is I can let go of the wheel and it goes to the right pretty quickly. I hold the wheel to keep the car strait the wheel is turned to the left slightly. No scanner, sorry.

WeakSauce6

Tire pressure was checked just before I dropped it off and was good all 4 corners.

1BAD02WS6

iTrader: (-1)

Amen brother! I don't mind when people watch me work on their car. But if you going to stare at me like a monkey in the zoo be prepared to see my *** crack

Stippy17

iTrader: (5)

I would take it back to get aligned again and watch the tech do the work. Have him shake the car down before the alignment is done tho. The tie rods, ball joints, wheel bearings should always be checked. Be friendly with him you dont want to come off the wrong way. Make sure none of the tie rods are frozen, and have him check to see if he sees any front end parts that are bent. Hopefully that works.

If not I know a swaybar is mainly for handling, but Id reinstall that and see if the car still pulls.

WeakSauce6

It pulled when I had the sway on. I just took it off. I know the tie rods are good b/c I replaced them maybe 2 months ago when I did the rack....2nd alignment. I just looked in the FAQ section and I seem to be pretty close to what they recommend except Caster. They're saying 4.5 I think? I'm at 2.6 and 2.8. What problems would that cause?

GrimreaperSS

Im pretty certain that youre not gonna have an effect with pulling when there isnt a large enough difference in your caster readings. Generally, you would have to see a half a degree difference from side to side to have an issue like you are describing. Just for kicks, swap your front tires and see if that makes a difference. I know they are directional, but swapping them for a short trip wont hurt anything. Also, does this only do this on one particular road or every road you are on? Roads have a built in crown so that water "flows" off to the side. If your car pulls as hard as you say it does, I dont think road crown is the issue but "pull" is subjective to each individual. You shouldnt have to drive the car with the wheel to the left of center to keep the car going straight though. Check your rear axle center line, make sure that its not crooked to the left or the right. Just measure a point on the drivers side with a tape measure, lets just say the center of the rim to the edge of wheel opening on the quarter panel. Make sure they are relatively equal on both sides. That would cause the rear to push the front in either direction. An 1/8th inch really isnt gonna make a difference there. Ride height equal side to side? same deal, measure from the center of the wheel to the top of the wheel opening.......Just trying to think of things that you could easily check on your own.

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

GrimreaperSS is rite on, try crossing the front 2 tires side to side, drive the same rosd see if any differance ( getter or worse or no change) IF no change cross the two rear side to side , any differance?
( this will not cause any problem for tires for a short time) if eather make a differance then problem is tire, if not problem May be the rack/brakes/align, I would guess rack
Johnny

gavin2005

iTrader: (8)

i've been doing alignments about ever day for the past 5 years and your alignment specs look okay.your caster is what will cause a pull but like stated above there not enough difference between 2.6 and 2.8 to cause a pull.try swapping the front tires like these guys are saying.

k0261886

iTrader: (5)

Nittos are directional so he can't do that

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

not trying to get into a pxxsing match,
CAN do for a short time will not be a problem with tires,
will help locate problem
Johnny

some_punk

you got quite a bit of positive camber on the right side, cars tend to pull to the side with more positive camaber, and pull to the side with less positive caster.
so according to that print out try putting more negative camber on the right side. And how much do you weigh?

WS.666

iTrader: (28)

Are the ball joints and a-arm bushings all good?

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Just my $0.02 worth....Camber should be equal on both sides, which the OP's isn't, and 2.6* caster isn't enough, for high speed stability. The camber should be 'zero' on both sides, and the caster should be closer to 5 degrees, with a half degree more on the right, to compensate for road crown....




He CAN, just for a short time, to verify he hasn't got a shifted belt in one of the tires...

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Dead stock specs;

Camber in degrees Front preferred 0.4---------------------------- range - 0.1 To 0.9
Rear preferred 0 -----------------------------------------------------range - 0.6 To 0.6
Caster in degrees preferred 5.0 ------------------------------------range 4.5 To 5.5
Toe-In in degrees Front preferred 0 -------------------------------range - 0.1 To 0.1
Rear preferred 0 ----------------------------------------------------range - 0.15 To 0.15
Toe-In in inches (in MM)
Front preferred 0 ---------------------------------------------------range - 0.2 To 0.2 (-2.5 To 2.5)
Rear preferred 0 ----------------------------------------------------range - 0.3 To 0.3 (-4.0 To 4.0)

GrimreaperSS

Also true about your weight situation... I have had to align cars before with the normal driver in them to solve "pulling" issues. I would suggest this the next time you have your vehicle aligned. Make sure you also have all the normal things in your vehicle that you would typically have in it on a day to day basis. This will align your car to you and your things specifically instead of a general set of parameters that change once you and your things are in the car. I know the guys at our BMW store use sand bags in specific locations on the car when performing alignments. I know some are placed obviously in the drivers seat and possibly in the front passengers seat, also in the trunk....... Not sure exactly sure where BMW specifies the locations for the weight. Also check to make sure that its not a brake caliper that is not releasing/hanging up causing your pull situation.

LS14EVR

iTrader: (3)

How do these compare to if you are lowered. Say with Strano's.
If you have that info. Thanks