Wheel Alignment

Metallo · Post by **Metallo** » 06 Sep 2016, 18:38

Hi guys,

One month ago I replaced the right inner tie rod end and then I took the car to a mechanic for the wheel alignment.
After a few days I noticed that the steering wheel was not aligned, I took the car back to the mechanic, he fixed that.
The day after my car passed the MVI at the dealer.

Now, the problem is that the car tends to go to the right, so I went to one of those garages where they do a free alignment check and attached are the results I got.
Their printer did not print colors correctly, but the front wheels passed (Green) while the rear wheels did not.
I immediately noticed that for the front wheels it shows a +0.55 and a -0,50 , therefore I could not understand how it passed.
The rear wheels -0.30 and +0.35, in fact it did not pass.

So the question is:

1) Front wheels, how can they pass the test with such a big range?
2) What can be causing this big difference?
3) How to resolve this without further deteriorate my tires?

Both front and rear right tires tend to wear more on the outer side, while both tires on the left side seems to wear evenly.

I am concerned and your expertise is the only thing left so far.

Thank you!
Alex

Post by **tryingbe** » 06 Sep 2016, 18:47

Metallo wrote: I took the car to a mechanic for the wheel alignment

Did that alignment have a warranty on it? If so, get it done again.

Ask for printed sheet for before AND after.

If not, do not ever go to that shop again.

Metallo · Post by **Metallo** » 06 Sep 2016, 19:06

They have never provided a printed sheet, neither before nor after, I trusted because they have done it before of my 940 and no issues.
I am afraid I will have to search for somebody who has modern equipment, but I really hope the alignment is the issue and nothing else.

Thank you
Alex

Post by **vtl** » 07 Sep 2016, 03:03

Individual front wheel toe does not matter, it only affects steering wheel position. Total toe is somewhat ok, I'd set it a bit more. Also camber should be equal on both sides, 0.3 degree of difference is way more than you can do yourself in garage.

Rear toe is wrong for both wheel. No wonder the car pulls to the side with such large trust angle. It's a bit hard to get toe even into the recommended range because of cheaply made Volvo trailing arm, but, again, nothing impossible even in garage.

Tonyx · Post by **Tonyx** » 07 Sep 2016, 08:00

Your front toe setting are way off. Have the alignment shop set for zero thrust angle and go from there. Camber difference on front right is little off(still in spec) will cause the vehicle to drift to left.

If the car is really pulling to right(and not just the steering is crooked) then your caster or tire is of suspect. Easy thing is swap front tires; L to R and R to L. If that doesn't correct it, you need to have the caster checked and possibly adjusted which involve moving the front subframe(not easy to do).

Post by **vtl** » 07 Sep 2016, 08:04

How his rear toe can't be wrong if one wheel is 0.3 degree in and other - 0.3 out?

Tonyx · Post by **Tonyx** » 07 Sep 2016, 15:56

The alignment print out show systemic issue with the alignment rack. They should not have released the car with that much thrust angle out of spec. Theoretically the rear toe can stay as is and the front toes can be adjusted to where the car will track straight albeit crab down the road. Thrust angle would be zero with that condition and the customer may just as be happy.

As is now, there is huge offset to thrust angle so steering is off and car wants to trace an arc to right side.

Simply put, the car wasn't aligned properly. The alignment shop should do over, correctly.

Post by **vtl** » 07 Sep 2016, 16:37

Front toe can't compensate trust angle - it will simply center itself with equal toe for individual wheel. With steering wheel off center, of course.

Crab down the road is usually a problem with misaligned/tilted front or rear subframe.

Post by **chrism** » 08 Sep 2016, 08:54

I think I've only had one professional alignment in my entire life. Yet I've always been fortunate to have straight running cars - checked toe with a tape measure and adjusted tie rods to center the steering wheel. Even wearing tires. Never messed with camber (unless by accident when replacing struts, etc.) However my current ride, 2003 V70 base, suffers from a very very faint pull to the left. So I'm curious.....

How/why would the alignment machine give separate toe angles for each front wheel? Does the rack have a "zero" (center) position that it wants to be in when driving straight ahead? And how does the machine come to the conclusion that one wheel is out and one is in?

I'm also thinking about making some sort of apparatus to measure camber in the garage. I hate taking the car to someone and paying them to do some quick and shotty alignment and then telling me I need more repairs than the car is worth. The car is 13 years old, and has 225,000 miles on it. I don't need someone reminding me of that.

Post by **vtl** » 08 Sep 2016, 09:01

You can measure camber with a vertical level (some weight on a string), measure distance from upper rim end and lower end, then subtract one from another, that will be one of your cathetus. The other one is a distance between measuring points on the rim. Then take arctg and convert radians to degrees.

Not sure completely how laser alignment machines work, but I think it knows the center line of the car. With known center line it can figure out individual toe.