Here's how you can tell We demystify this commonly recommended car service . Since the car was invented it has been important that all four wheels point in the same direction! Did you know? Joined: Nov 6, 2009 Member: #25531 Messages: 502 Gender: Male First Name: Corey Ohio Vehicle: 98 extended cab TRD Off Road. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about modern wheel alignment services before booking in yours with Tyrepower. There is a difference in price between a "check alignment" and a "do an alignment". Hi All, I have a 2004 Hyundai Sonata 2.7 6 cyl with about 160K. The modern car is built for comfort, performance and handling. Like the title says. if it passes, i wont do an alignment on the car, and i'll tell the customer to stop worrying. How much does it cost to have it done? A wheel alignment service actually involves adjusting the vehicle’s suspension – not actually the tyres or wheels. Yes, the car can drive straight and not pull to one side or the other, and be out of alignment. My experience was with a NON saturn, my wife is driving a honda element her car was pulling bad and needed new tires. It adjusts the angles of your vehicle’s wheels to original specs for best gas mileage, proper road contact, a smooth ride, and the longest tire life. Yes, the majority of vehicles today (cars, small SUVs, and vans) require a four-wheel alignment. Common Signs of Wheel Misalignment. . Go with all four if you don't know how to align a CLK . I THOUGHT only 4-wheel and all wheel drive cars got 4 wheel alignments, but now I am not sure. You could do two yourself ! Have you noticed difficulties with steering, or your vehicle pulling to one side? if you go in saying you adjusted your rear camber they will assume you are a complete idiot. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive are easily confused. so I have all new tires put on and when I was asked "2 or 4 wheel alignment? " Tell me why I need a 4 wheel alignment on a vehicle with rear leaf springs. Best Answer Mark helpful. Do I need a two-wheel or four-wheel alignment? I know that if I don't go in there with the correct info, they are going to try to screw me over the best they can. These symptoms are classic signs of wheel misalignment. In my experience, the rear is more of a multi-link configuration. If you don’t do it often enough, you risk wasting precious time and money replacing your car tyres prematurely. I can not see why the rear needs to be aligned when the work was on the front end. Just put new inner and outer tie rods on my 2000 Suburban 1500 (4x4) so today I had the wife make an appointment for an alignment. Usually, the latter is not necessary on a big SUV or truck with a solid rear axle, unless it has been in an accident and it might pick up on a bent frame where the rear axle is out of line, causing the vehicle to dog track. http://autosquad.com Wheel Alignment - How often has a tire shop tried to sell you an Wheel Alignment with the purchase of new tires? Some cars with solid rear axles can only have their front wheels aligned. Over time as the car and its components have evolved, so has the way cars steering and suspension set up or geometry is measured. do I need a 4 wheel alignment on my car after changing the front struts, strut mounts and two brand new tires? The independent garages, which mostly don't offer it, are saying that unless the car is pulling to one side (it isn't) then I don't really need it. The common alignment angles are camber, caster and toe. She calls me and says they asked if we wanted a 2 wheel or 4 wheel alignment done. It will help, if not fix the problem. Before answering this question, let’s take a quick look at what a wheel alignment is and how it affects your car. All four wheels/tires can have an effect on the way the car drives and the tires wear, so if you're going to get an alignment I would recommend a 4-wheel alignment. This is a smaller dealership, and needless to say, I don't quite trust them so far. Until about 13 - 14 years ago, you never heard of a 4 wheel alignment. Please help! Do I need wheel alignment? Do I Really Need an Alignment? All of a sudden, every alignment shop around was trying to convince people they needed 4 wheel alignments on vehicles that had been on the road for years. unless they are using a alignment machine from the stone age you need to put the alignment head as on all 4 wheels and compensate each one. I am getting ready to move to Las Vegas, and its going to be a cross country trip (from Orlando, FL) I want to have an alignment done on my car before I leave, do I need a front end or 4 wheel alignment? 4 wheel align will check caster/camber/toe and all 4 wheels and adjust front settings while taking rear settings into account. Wheel Alignment: An alignment corrects the angles of the tires so that they come into contact with the road in just the right way. my answer is "do everything needed to make my car drive straight and correct". . I think truck owners just have to get a front wheel alignment … Sep 29, 2010 at 9:12 AM #1 #1. . Do I need 2 or 4 wheel alignment? But how do you know when to check the wheel alignment on your vehicle? When you get the new tires have the alignment done while you're there(if they do alignment). 4 or 2 wheel alignment? by Brian Turner | October 1, 2015. Wheel alignment is one of the crucial regular maintenance tasks of any vehicle, big or small. Are your tyres wearing on one side more than the other? 1999 Prostar West Super Gas … The process of wheel alignment consists of adjusting the wheels in a way that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. I bought it used and all has been fine till yesterday. Alignment assures your tires meet the road at the proper angle, your wheels are pointing straight and your tires are centered in the wheel wells. The official Toyota recommendation is that the rear wheels cannot be aligned and that new suspension parts must be installed if the rear wheel alignment is off spec. A wheel alignment service can consist of a front wheel, thrust angle, or a four wheel alignment. Caster is only set on the front suspension of your car. I need to take mine in for a alignment Apparently 4 wheel allignment haha and always feel like the dealers will charge a arm and leg. Four-wheel drive, meanwhile, is usually disengaged — that is, until you flip a switch or pull a lever to engage it. I am being told by the Belle Tire Sales person I should have a 4 wheel alignment done on my car after putting two new front tires and replacing strut towers and strut mounts. 320 Posts #2 • May 27, 2015. DaytonLax14 [OP] Well-Known Member. I also always wonder if I put the level kit and tires on. you do need to do a 4 wheel alignment. SHARE STORY. Now, if you go in and say do an alignment (2 or 4 wheel) they will undoubtedly charge you for an alignment even if they did diddly squat. Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by DaytonLax14, Sep 29, 2010. #1 Tookiewana, Oct 25, 2010. Also, should ALL dealers provide a printout of the alignment when they are done? Therefore, a wheel alignment could help you conserve fuel and fill up less often. I'm buying 4 new tyres and when calling round for quotes the big suppliers are trying to get me to include wheel alignment on top of balancing, tracking and valves. It is regarded as a suspension tuning tool, which influences and resolves tire wear and handling issues. Wheel rim run-out compensation is taken into account, which gives accurate and repeatable readings. Post Reply . Do I need a 2 or 4 wheel alignment? While driving home the throttle suddenly started to surge wildly. you need to remove your front left wheel to undo the brake line. Whether you can adjust the alignment on just two wheels or all four wheels depends on your vehicle’s drivetrain and suspension type. Two-wheel alignment aligns the front wheels, while four-wheel alignment aligns all four wheels. The easiest way to tell them apart is that all-wheel-drive systems are always on, and they use electronic sensors to determine which wheel should get a car’s power. Cleaned the spark plugs, it doesn't need replacement but the spark plug wires sure does, 1994 wires! I would go with a four wheel alignment. I did a level kit and 33" tires. Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast. We all know our vehicles need a wheel alignment from time to time. Wheel Alignment Basics. Not all vehicles need it, usually the front wheels are adjusted to the rear (2-wheel alignments are 'thrust' alignments), but on vehicles that allow adjustment to the rear a 4-wheel alignment gives you more options for adjustments. Then all four wheels turn at the same time. I have a 2003 Nissan Altima with 75k on the odometer. thats my test. Caster angle: Caster is the angle in which the front suspension is positioned in reference to the vertical position. Hello miss Stranger #2, I finally had the chance to bring my car to the car shop and do some cleaning/adjustments. Should I drive it a day or 2 to let it get "out of allignment" or is that not how it works? Wheel Alignment – All You Need To Know. Proper alignment ensures a smoother ride for you and a … Yes, there is a 4-wheel alignment. Four Wheel Alignment measures a minimum of 12 angles and compares them to the alignment data specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Do I need to get all four tires aligned at once? My initial thought is that there is nothing to adjust on the rear wheels so a 4 … I have a 2001 lincoln town car cartier, just got 4 new tires do I need a 2 or 4 wheel alignment, thanks the alignment of your front wheels is directly ralated to the rear of the vehicle. If they don't do alignment, go get the alignment done first, then get the new tires. With such accurate readings, Four Wheel Alignment allows toe adjustments of individual wheels which ensure the steering wheel is set straight. 4 wheel alignment is the only way to go. Joined: Mar 8, 2008 18,144 6,186 0 Location: Green Valley, AZ Vehicle: 2015 Prius Model: Two. 6 people found this helpful. 2009 Hyundai Sonata V6 Limited FWD-Maintenance & Repair. Rotated my tires, so the whole shaking of my steering wheel sorta disappeared, at least now i know that a major alignment is recommended. Vehicle pulls to one side, rapid tire wear, squealing tires, or crooked steering wheel when driving straight. There's no adjustable components in the rear. However, all modern wheel alignment is designed to be performed as a four wheel system. Do you need a wheel alignment? You might very well not need any adjustment so the charge will be just for the check. to the original poster: you shouldnt need an alignment unless your steering wheel is crooked, your tires have been wearing badly in the past, or your car doesnt drive straight down the highway in the middle lane for 6-8 seconds after you take your hands off. 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