Bad alignment
12-17-2008, 01:37 AM
#1
Bad alignment It seems whenever I get the car aligned it will be good for a few days but if I hit a bump in the road it get all out of wack. I have chewed up a few sets of tres becasue of this. I have done some research and talked with a few people about it and they said it could be my ball joints or tie rods or even both. These are the modifications I have done to my suspension
- DMS Lowering Springs
- Bilstien HD Shocks
- Suspension Tech. 35mm Front Sway Bar
- BMR Subframe Connectors
- BMR Relocation Brackets
- BMR Lower Control Arms
- BMR Adjustable Panhard Rod
- Spohn Shock Tower Brace
I am running 275/35-18 tires up front and the car does have alittle over 102k miles on it. The shocks are fairly new and the DMS springs have atleast 60k+ miles on them.
- DMS Lowering Springs
- Bilstien HD Shocks
- Suspension Tech. 35mm Front Sway Bar
- BMR Subframe Connectors
- BMR Relocation Brackets
- BMR Lower Control Arms
- BMR Adjustable Panhard Rod
- Spohn Shock Tower Brace
I am running 275/35-18 tires up front and the car does have alittle over 102k miles on it. The shocks are fairly new and the DMS springs have atleast 60k+ miles on them.
12-17-2008, 08:38 AM
#2
TECH Regular
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: tampa
Posts: 443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i would throw in some balljoints and tie rod ends. those usually dont wear out at 102k miles.
i know its not always the best to throw parts at a car, but ball joints and tierod ends are alot cheaper than the tires you are eating up.
side note: have you gone to more than one allignment place? if not i would get it alligned next time and find a place that does a free 'allignment check' and see if it is out of whack.
also, next time you get it alligned, go to a place that has a 1 year warranty so you can actually see if it is indeed out of allignment without having to pay out the *** every few months if thats the case.
i know its not always the best to throw parts at a car, but ball joints and tierod ends are alot cheaper than the tires you are eating up.
side note: have you gone to more than one allignment place? if not i would get it alligned next time and find a place that does a free 'allignment check' and see if it is out of whack.
also, next time you get it alligned, go to a place that has a 1 year warranty so you can actually see if it is indeed out of allignment without having to pay out the *** every few months if thats the case.
12-17-2008, 12:19 PM
#5
Teching In
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma U.S.A.
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think he's refering to upper or lower control arm bushings. The deflection created by worn bushings could cause you to burn tires but it would be pretty noticeable. Those could probably wear in 100k depending on how the car has been driven and the local climate. Jack the car up on one side and pull out on the front and back then top and bottom of the front tire on each side to see if anything is loose or if you feel too much slack.
Last edited by ss346ci; 12-17-2008 at 12:20 PM. Reason: left out word
12-17-2008, 12:26 PM
#6
Are you LCA's stock in front too? Your list doesn't say front or rear. If you have non stock front arms:
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And when the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires more than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And when the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires more than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
12-17-2008, 01:22 PM
#7
11 Second Club
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: SILSBEE TX
Posts: 1,782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Are you LCA's stock in front too? Your list doesn't say front or rear. If you have non stock front arms:
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires morewhen than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires morewhen than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
SIR, (Mr. Sam) I am sure you have forgotten more than I know, but I did only alignments for a little over 30 years and 9 months and were still learning when I retaired a year and 1/2 ago, while I 100 precent agree with
"toe eats tires more than anything " I respectily ? disagree
>when control arms slip camber and caster change. BUT TOE DOESN'T< I
think movement in the control arm will change the toe setting
just my .02' Johnny, I may stand to be corrected if I am wrong
Trending Topics
12-17-2008, 01:39 PM
#8
I guess I could have been more concise... 
The toe does change due to camber slipping because the ball joint is moved in or out and but the tie rod is still fixed at the original setting. What I was driving at is that the toe adjustment doens't change, but the actual amount can if the camber is slipping.
You are absolutely right, and I wrote the original post pretty poorly. My bad.
The toe does change due to camber slipping because the ball joint is moved in or out and but the tie rod is still fixed at the original setting. What I was driving at is that the toe adjustment doens't change, but the actual amount can if the camber is slipping.
You are absolutely right, and I wrote the original post pretty poorly. My bad.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
12-17-2008, 10:42 PM
#9
Are you LCA's stock in front too? Your list doesn't say front or rear. If you have non stock front arms:
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And when the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires more than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
I bet the LCA's are slipping in the k-member. Stock bushings have teeth on the bushings. Aftermarket bushing and bushing adapters don't.
Tie-rods and bad ball joints can't make the alignment go that screwy. They have play that means things have slop. But he's describing a slipping alignment, which is different. And when the control arms slip the camber and caster change. But toe doesn't, and toe eats tires more than anything.
If the arms are stock, the biggest culprit will be trashed bushings (primarily the rear one on in the front lower arm).
I was hoping you would chime in on this Sam. I have BMR rear LCA's. The front LCA's are stock. It is always the inner part of my tire that gets warn down first
12-18-2008, 04:47 PM
#11
Look at them and see if they are torn up. No tricks involved.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
