alignment question

Had an 04 CRV aligned the other day and the steering wheel is off
center to the left maybe 10 degrees. And even though the car travels
straight, it feels like there is some competing pulling to keep it
straight, if that makes any sense. It doesn't feel neutral.

They provided a printout of the values which are as follows:

front left caster 1.44
front left camber .20
rear left camber -0.51

front left caster 1.82
front right camber -0.29
rear right camber -1.15

both left and right front toe 0.01
rear left 0.11
rear right 0.10

total toe 0.02

thrust angle 0.01

Any ideas about what it is that I should draw their attention to when I
take it back?

Thanks.

The alignment shop is a 'bad' one with rookies that have no clue how to
do the work by the sounds of it.

There is no excuse for not lining up the steering wheel straight except
incompetence. I would be 'very' leery of even having them 'fix' it
right...

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

al wrote:
>
> Had an 04 CRV aligned the other day and the steering wheel is off
> center to the left maybe 10 degrees. And even though the car travels
> straight, it feels like there is some competing pulling to keep it
> straight, if that makes any sense. It doesn't feel neutral.
>
> They provided a printout of the values which are as follows:
>
> front left caster 1.44
> front left camber .20
> rear left camber -0.51
>
> front left caster 1.82
> front right camber -0.29
> rear right camber -1.15
>
> both left and right front toe 0.01
> rear left 0.11
> rear right 0.10
>
> total toe 0.02
>
> thrust angle 0.01
>
> Any ideas about what it is that I should draw their attention to when I
> take it back?
>
> Thanks.

al wrote:
> Had an 04 CRV aligned the other day and the steering wheel is off
> center to the left maybe 10 degrees. And even though the car travels
> straight, it feels like there is some competing pulling to keep it
> straight, if that makes any sense. It doesn't feel neutral.
>
> They provided a printout of the values which are as follows:
>
> front left caster 1.44
> front left camber .20
> rear left camber -0.51
>
> front left caster 1.82
> front right camber -0.29
> rear right camber -1.15
>
> both left and right front toe 0.01
> rear left 0.11
> rear right 0.10
>
> total toe 0.02
>
> thrust angle 0.01
>
> Any ideas about what it is that I should draw their attention to when I
> take it back?

I assume that you mean "front *right* caster 1.82" -- fourth line
down the specs.

The angles would suggest that your car would slightly drift left. Its
too difficult to comment on the statement that competing forces seem to
be pulling it straight, I would need to experience that. If you had a
bad tire (most likely right front) that pulled the car right, and the
alignment angles pulled the car left, then you may be on to something.
But these readings aren't out enough to cause a significant pull on
their own.

As long as nothing is bent I would assume from experience that this car
could be adjusted closer to spec camberwise using the built-in slop of
the strut cross bolts. Even more adjustment can be made with special
replacement bolts that allow more movement. Caster can not be easily
changed, but with only .4 degree diference I wouldn't worry about it
anyway. I would just change the camber basically to specs, only just
slightly more positive on the right side to help counteract the minimal
effect of your .4 degree cross caster reading.

The steering wheel should have been straight when the alignment was
done. You should demand they straighten the steering wheel at the
tierod adjustments, but if their idea of an alignment is to *not*
properly align your car, it may be wise to just have someone competent
do it all over.

Toyota MDT in MO

Comboverfish wrote:
>
> I assume that you mean "front *right* caster 1.82" -- fourth line
> down the specs.

> The steering wheel should have been straight when the alignment was
> done. You should demand they straighten the steering wheel at the
> tierod adjustments, but if their idea of an alignment is to *not*
> properly align your car, it may be wise to just have someone competent
> do it all over.

Should the steering wheel have been straight naturally as a result of a
proper alignment or does a steering wheel usually require additional
straightening following a alignment?

Thanks.

al wrote:
> Comboverfish wrote:
> >
> > I assume that you mean "front *right* caster 1.82" -- fourth line
> > down the specs.
>
> > The steering wheel should have been straight when the alignment was
> > done. You should demand they straighten the steering wheel at the
> > tierod adjustments, but if their idea of an alignment is to *not*
> > properly align your car, it may be wise to just have someone competent
> > do it all over.
>
> Should the steering wheel have been straight naturally as a result of a
> proper alignment or does a steering wheel usually require additional
> straightening following a alignment?
>
> Thanks.

Basically, straightening the steering wheel is the last step, but it is
a combined operation including setting the front toe to spec *and*
making the steering wheel level when the front wheels are pointed
straight ahead.

Toyota MDT in MO

Comboverfish wrote:

> Basically, straightening the steering wheel is the last step, but it is
> a combined operation including setting the front toe to spec *and*
> making the steering wheel level when the front wheels are pointed
> straight ahead.
>
> Toyota MDT in MO

Thanks again. And by the way the car does drift very slightly left as
you suggested.

These are new tires. Before the alignment there was no pull and the
car ran straight. But 2 of the *old* tires on opposite sides were worn
on the outer edge.

Thanks very much for the input.

Most alignment shops worth their $$$$ align the sterring wheel with a
clamping holder to hold the steering straight while they do the
suspension.


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al wrote:

> Comboverfish wrote:
>
>>I assume that you mean "front *right* caster 1.82" -- fourth line
>>down the specs.
>
>
>>The steering wheel should have been straight when the alignment was
>>done. You should demand they straighten the steering wheel at the
>>tierod adjustments, but if their idea of an alignment is to *not*
>>properly align your car, it may be wise to just have someone competent
>>do it all over.
>
>
> Should the steering wheel have been straight naturally as a result of a
> proper alignment or does a steering wheel usually require additional
> straightening following a alignment?
>
> Thanks.

You can get the alignment perfect and leave the steering wheel cockeyed
on most cars. But thats a sloppy, poor, unforgivable way to do it.
Getting the wheel straight is NOT just a question of "do the alignment,
then straighten the wheel." It is an integral part of doing the toe-in
adjustment- each side should be adjusted while checking to be sure the
wheel is kept centered.

Gord_truck I'm old school lol Sounds like an improper alignment-or a
bottom balljoint weak.
My way of fixing this, lift frount off the ground chaulk the centre of
tire, go to the back side of the tire measser the distance both frount
& back of the tire .allow a 1/4 play on the frount chulk marks.Make
sure steering wheel is straight first of all.If tires do'n look
straight than adjust the one that is out of wack.While jacked up If
this doesn't fix your problem Could be play in streering box worm gear
or tie-rod end weak on ball joint. Good luck
al wrote:
> Had an 04 CRV aligned the other day and the steering wheel is off
> center to the left maybe 10 degrees. And even though the car travels
> straight, it feels like there is some competing pulling to keep it
> straight, if that makes any sense. It doesn't feel neutral.
>
> They provided a printout of the values which are as follows:
>
> front left caster 1.44
> front left camber .20
> rear left camber -0.51
>
> front left caster 1.82
> front right camber -0.29
> rear right camber -1.15
>
> both left and right front toe 0.01
> rear left 0.11
> rear right 0.10
>
> total toe 0.02
>
> thrust angle 0.01
>
> Any ideas about what it is that I should draw their attention to when I
> take it back?
>
> Thanks.

Will the tires begin to wear improperly to any significant degree if I
put a couple of hundred of highway miles on them before I can get it
back to the shop, or would it be better to limit the miles?

Thanks.