alignment, still pulls left - am I missing something?

[turbowop]

503 has a slightly tweaked unibody. It can be fixed, but the motor would have to come out to pull her straight, so I don't worry about it for now. Car aligns and tracks perfectly, but I had to install coilovers to get the thing to sit level.

 

[iceman69510]

Rear settings look good to me. The caster difference concerns me. The lower caster on the left would generally affect the car to the left. I would run just a bit more toe in but that is my preference. Might help a little with the caster though.

 

[bmxkid415]

That caster is concerning me also. It is possible to adjust the camber also. Don't let them fool you by saying its non adjustable angle. I will check in the AM on the alignment procedure that Hunter has.

 

[turbowop]

Camber is not adjustable in the front unless you use aftermarket cam-bolts or adjustable camber plates at the top.

Does the car have one DSM front control arm and one GVR4 arm? Aren't they different by about one degree regarding caster?

 

[marvinmadman]

The total caster difference being that far off is what is probably causing the pull. By general rule of thumb the passenger side should/could be +.5*, anything more than that is not ideal. Could also be a radial pull/bad tire. Try swapping the two front tires and drive it again. If it is the tires, it should track straight or pull the other way.

 

[marvinmadman]

Also forgot to mention that the driver wheel is too far backwards and the passenger wheel is too far forward. Just a little visual if somebody doesn't know. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[bmxkid415]

Quoting turbowop:
Camber is not adjustable in the front unless you use aftermarket cam-bolts or adjustable camber plates at the top.


There are ways to do it with out aftermarket cam bolts. Do it all the time on the Malibu's and Impala's. Just E-longated the bolt holes in order to get some play out of them.

 

[turbowop]

Elongating holes isn't exactly a factory adjustment method. That, and it's really hard to reproduce accurate settings when loosening/tightening the bolts.

 

[DR1665]

Appreciate the feedback, gents. I wouldn't be surprised if the car was bent.

Decided to go it easy today, so rechecking the alignment will have to wait until after the rally in California next weekend.

Thanks, though.

 

[bmxkid415]

Quoting turbowop:
Elongating holes isn't exactly a factory adjustment method. That, and it's really hard to reproduce accurate settings when loosening/tightening the bolts.

Nope, Thats why its a "non adjustable" angle. Just saying its possible, Thats all.

 

[prove_it]

It looks like you need to correct your alignment angles to me. However I do want to add that sometimes a car can pull for three reasons,

1) Alignment angles are off
2) A defective tire can pull to one direction
and a commonly over looked source
3) Having the brakes dragging on one side.

Make sure you cross rotate the tires, redrive. Also check that your wheels spin freely when in the air. If those check out, then I'd say head to a frame shop and have the frame checked.

 

[AnotherNewb]

Quote:
3) Having the brakes dragging on one side.


This is so true... After a drive feel the center of your wheels and see if you have one that is hotter than the rest.

 

[DR1665]

Good feedback, gents. I'll do the cross-rotate for sure, and see if I can't find my thermocouple to take a temp reading after a drive.

If the unibody is bent, however, nothing I can do about that. Not gonna put a grand into a $2500 car with a twice salvaged title.

I'm also thinking about spray painting it. Hood is now white. Grill is green. Wheels are black. Hmmm...

 

[GVR-4]

A couple things I've learned about alignments:

1) Sadly, any monkey can do one with the modern equipment of the sensors, computer and the CRT display. Doesn't mean it will be done well.

2) There is enough play in the factory interfaces for a good tech to get some camber adjustment without camber bolts or slotting anything. The tech that aligned my Mirage was able to get one side in spec and the car has been lowered significantly.

The key to a good alignment is a tech who knows what he is doing and is motivated to take the time to do a good job.

 

[BoostedAWD91]

Have you tried rotating ur tires