Car still pulling after alignment. Help

danman132x · Post by **danman132x** » Fri May 11, 2007 3:55 pm

I just had new tires put on my car and balanced. I also had an alignment done because my car always pulled to the right slightly. After I had my new tires installed, the tire place did an all wheel alignment, and I told them that it pulls to the right slightly. They said they would fix it, but even after the alignment it still pulls right. I called them to get it re-aligned, but said all numbers are within spec ( I grabbed the sheet when I went there and made a quick copy ) when I went, they refused to put it on the machine again and said it might be tire pull/push. They swappd the tires front to back (directional tires) and it still does it. What else could cause the car to pull? Never been in a wreck

My old neon used to pull right too when I first bought it, but a different place fixed that neon.

Here is the sheet I copied with all the numbers:

-Devil- · Post by **-Devil-** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:20 pm

most of the number they set it to .. look barely higher then what mine is at .. and i don't have any kind of pull to one direction when driving / braking ...

only other thing besides tire wear i can think of .. would be brakes .. or road condition

danman132x · Post by **danman132x** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:27 pm

All four brakes are new, along with new rotors in the front. It pulls on any road no matter where I drive. Even with a very slight left bank, it will go right slowly. I do not have brake pull, unless you count the 'normal' right pulling.

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:49 pm

curvature of the road? usually roads aren't flat and slope downwards towards the edges (the right)...???
I notice very mild pull on my car based on this (either left or right depeneding on the road.)

danman132x · Post by **danman132x** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:52 pm

It does not matter which road I'm on. If I'm in the left lane with a left lean in the road, it still pulls right some. Same on a flat road. My old Neon always went straight, but this one doesn't like to

Wenuden · Post by **Wenuden** » Fri May 11, 2007 5:04 pm

nobody told you the R/T stands for (constant) right turn?

-Devil- · Post by **-Devil-** » Fri May 11, 2007 5:40 pm

has it ever been in a wreck or hit a major pot hole?

2003silverneonsxt · Post by **2003silverneonsxt** » Fri May 11, 2007 6:21 pm

maybe a bent rim..or a strut going bad..? tire pressure, if one has a few lbs of air less it will cuase it to pull as well

ewetho · Post by **ewetho** » Fri May 11, 2007 6:53 pm

I do not like the combination of camber and caster splits.
You need to have a camber bolt put in the right side and have them set it to about -0.3 and all should be well, might even pull a little left at that point.

Also recheck you front end thoroughly. Bushing wear being a primary concern in the front control arms. If that is OK then Do the above treatment.

How to check your front end
Raise vehicle as described below ---

Ball joints - Lift vehicle front end off ground with the subframe or chassis behind wheels. The using a prybar (or equivelant) and pry up on bottom of tire while watching the ball joint (Pivot point on lower control arm/ mounting point for knuckle/spindle) If it moves you have bad ball joint.

Tie rod ends (inner and outer) - with vehicle lifted as above shake tire front and rear and see if any play is felt. If so then look at outer tie rod and if you can see it move it is real bad if you can feel it shift not rotate it is bad. Inners are more fun look for the opposite tire not moving and outer tie rod being tight and feel with you hand through the boot and see if you can feel it shift in and out. If so bad.

Control arm bushings - While shaking the tire observe mounting point of lower control arm and check bushings for movvement (It is designed to rotate with control arm but if control arm is not going up and down and moving elsewise then bingo you have a problem.). If any are bad change them. Also look for severe wear and cracking and deformation.

Sway bar end links - Most of the time our design if broken its bad. If not it is good. Obviously if mising a bushing and moving it is bad too.

Wheel Bearing - Shake wheel top and bottom for play. If some you have a problem.

Springs & Struts - Make sure they are not broken or the struts leaking, if so bad.

if no problems found so far you are NOT done yet
Check other side sometime you have transmitted noise
Still no then continue below

Lower vehicle ----

Now have someone preferably light shake the steering wheel while observing on the front suspesion.....
This will load the vehicle suspension more truthfully

Tie rod ends -- any play as described above BAD.

Control arm bushings -- Any movement other than roatating the control arm up and down BAD.

Strut mounts -- Turn wheel back and forth lock to lock and see if you feel any popping from the upper mount by placing hand on top nut and rubbber mount area. If so you have a problem. Now jounce (bounce) the vehicle and check the same way. Same as before clicking shifting binding feeling bad.

Hopefully at this point you have found you issue/s and can correct.

With a little knowledge and effort you can make a car with all green readings make a left turn. Green is not necessarily GOOD. You splits have both front tires leaning to the right and thus a pull. So if you lean in the right front from the current leaning out position you should be OK. Then reset toe.

danman132x · Post by **danman132x** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:40 pm

I hope I can go back to the shop and have them recheck it on the machine without charging me for it. I want to see if setting the camber on the right to -0.3 would help. When I went back the other day, they gave me a hard time on putting it back on the machine and said everything is within a certain range (as shown in pic) this certain range seems way to forgiving in my case.