Failed Wheel Alignment - Weak Springs?
12-27-2007, 06:58 PM
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Failed Wheel Alignment - Weak Springs?
A couple of months ago I replaced all the struts (with Monroes), but couldn't get the wheels aligned because of a frozen tie rod. Thanks to help from the BC I was able to replace the outer tie rods (front) and try again to get an alignment. The shop (Pep Boys) couldn't align the car. Toe was fine, but Left Front Camber was 1/2 degree out and Rear Camber was more than 4 degrees off on both sides. Caster was also out of spec. The mechanic said that this was due to weak springs all around and it wasn't possible to adjust anymore to get within specs. The alignment computer wasn't able to print out a report, so they didn't charge me for the work. I was able to take a few notes of the problems described above.
I've got almost 170,000 miles on the Bonnie, original owner, it'* a 1995 SE so it has seen some usage. However this is the first vehicle I've had that couldn't be aligned due to bad springs; this includes a 64 GMC pickup that was 35 years old when I sold it and a 1986 Ponitiac 6000 STE that was 13 years old and had 250K miles when donated to charity. I've never had to replace springs on a car before even though I normally go well over 100K and several years on a vehicle before replacing. Consequently I'm thinking maybe I screwed up in the strut replacement. The rears were pretty straighforward, hard to see how that could have been screwed up; so maybe springs are the problem. The car'* due for new tires in a few thousand miles, so I'd like to due what I can before I screw up new tires. The mechanic recommended a new car; I didn't tell him that of our four vehicles, this is the new car.
-sp4149
95 Bonnevile SE (170K)
95 Porsche 968 Cab (78K)
92 GMC Sierra (70K)
84 Porsche 944 (114K)
I've got almost 170,000 miles on the Bonnie, original owner, it'* a 1995 SE so it has seen some usage. However this is the first vehicle I've had that couldn't be aligned due to bad springs; this includes a 64 GMC pickup that was 35 years old when I sold it and a 1986 Ponitiac 6000 STE that was 13 years old and had 250K miles when donated to charity. I've never had to replace springs on a car before even though I normally go well over 100K and several years on a vehicle before replacing. Consequently I'm thinking maybe I screwed up in the strut replacement. The rears were pretty straighforward, hard to see how that could have been screwed up; so maybe springs are the problem. The car'* due for new tires in a few thousand miles, so I'd like to due what I can before I screw up new tires. The mechanic recommended a new car; I didn't tell him that of our four vehicles, this is the new car.
-sp4149
95 Bonnevile SE (170K)
95 Porsche 968 Cab (78K)
92 GMC Sierra (70K)
84 Porsche 944 (114K)
12-27-2007, 07:57 PM
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hmm, that is sort of wierd...
I have never heard of anyone not being able to get an alignment becuase of weak springs. I could maybe understand if one corner, side, end of the car was sagging bad, but that'* about it.
I would honestly go to another shop and see what they say. Maybe the guy at Pep Boys just didn't know what he was talking about, or afraid to get dirty.
I have never heard of anyone not being able to get an alignment becuase of weak springs. I could maybe understand if one corner, side, end of the car was sagging bad, but that'* about it.
I would honestly go to another shop and see what they say. Maybe the guy at Pep Boys just didn't know what he was talking about, or afraid to get dirty.
12-27-2007, 09:10 PM
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That makes no sense... Generally Caster is not adjustable on these cars.... You can drill the towers if the Caster has be be reset... But on every H body I have seen this is never the case..
The Camber is another story... This is actually the amount of pitch or lean cause by the strut to knuckle, this along with the Toe should have been easily adjustable..
Sounds like the guy just didn't want to get dirty..
I'd talk to another shop and see what they have to say
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The Camber is another story... This is actually the amount of pitch or lean cause by the strut to knuckle, this along with the Toe should have been easily adjustable..
Sounds like the guy just didn't want to get dirty..
I'd talk to another shop and see what they have to say
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