alignments more often?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DuraYuk

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2022
Posts
809
Reaction score
578
The vehicles do not get a full fledged alignment when they are manufactured. It is by far the quickest, "set the toe and let it go" adjustment. My brother works for Ford at the KC, Mo. assembly plant and he has had that job before. He sits down in a pit. The vehicle drives over the top. Stops and he adjusts tie rod sleeves tighten down as needed and it rolls off.
Sure they do in the sense that's it's put together properly. It should be perfect unless tweaked in shipping.
 

DuraYuk

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2022
Posts
809
Reaction score
578
MY dealer has this and it showed my rear driverside wheel to be out of alignment - at 2800 miles. I don't recall hitting anything that would have done this, so I'm a bit wary about how calibrated and accurate these machines are. I saw a worker cleaning the sensor of the machine with a towel while I was there, which also has me scratching my head. Dealer wanted 199 for the alignment, and I felt sort of coerced to do it because then if I don't, and something happens that requires a fix, I won't hear the end of it with them.

I was at the dealer for the first service, so I had them do the alignment there. Service took 6.5 hours and I was livid. They brought in other vehicles ahead of mine (I was one of the first at the dealer that morning) and were just generally slow. Then, after the service, they performed the alignment, and now my steering wheel isn't properly centered to the vehicle. I noticed this while leaving the dealer and driving it around the block a few times. I drove back to the dealer to have it fixed and still the same thing. After spending 7 hours that day, i just drove it home and called the service advisor to bring it in another day. First service and just the dealer in general has got me pretty pissed so far.
The crooked steering wheel is always a danger because it's tech specific. And up north they align for the stronger road crown so down south they drive crooked.
 

Blueinterceptor

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Posts
949
Reaction score
529
I thought is was just me. I realigned every truck when new. They've all had crooked bow ties. (I like that phrase). I find myself wanting an alignment at every oil change. But I do drive to nyc a lot.
I find myself setting how I perceive straight and asking the dealer to use my perception as their starting point.
 

Joseph Garcia

Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
Posts
6,530
Reaction score
8,548
A good alignment is 50% spec driven and 50% experience driven. Take the truck to a local shop that specializes in front end and/or suspension work, that has experienced Techs doing the alignment work.
 
OP
OP
S

steiny93

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Posts
400
Reaction score
340
Are folks seeing more frequent alignments necessary on the 2021+ suv's?

Asking as the wife's '21 denali was aligned at delivery when we swapped tires and now at 30k the rear is out of spec. Dealer's drive through system caught it (no odd tire wear or driving characteristics), dealer is saying they are seeing a fair number needing alignments.

Is this a thing with the independent rear in GM land?
We've been doing the align at delivery during tire swap for quite sometime, this is the first vehicle to come out of a alignment prior to needing tires. Or maybe the drive through systems are getting much better.

thoughts?
update
Had a different shop do an alignment, rear was quite a bit out of spec and the front was slightly out of spec.
Large volume shop, I asked if they are seeing IRS's with this, nope
how lucky am I
 

Forum statistics

Threads
129,265
Posts
1,813,027
Members
92,368
Latest member
agmanw8n
Top