Wheel Alignment Check

[northernstar]

I'm at about 5,800 miles with the AGT ... and I realized that my steering wheel's position was slightly off-center. The vehicle was pulling to the right when the steering wheel was in the center position.

The Costa Mesa Center never answered back.. So I ended up going to a local Firestone shop.
I don't recall hitting any potholes or impacting the wheels on the road, at least not to my knowledge, but the vehicle's Toes were off.

They recommended doing this at about 6k mile intervals.
I ended up getting their "lifetime wheel alignment" service...(+ additional $100)
I figured this would be better investment than relying on Costa Mesa Center as long as I have this vehicle.

 

[A Fischman]

I'm at about 5,800 miles with the AGT ... and I realized that my steering wheel's position was slightly off-center. The vehicle was pulling to the right when the steering wheel was in the center position.

The Costa Mesa Center never answered back.. So I ended up going to a local Firestone shop.
I don't recall hitting any potholes or impacting the wheels on the road, at least not to my knowledge, but the vehicle's Toes were off.

They recommended doing this at about 6k mile intervals.
I ended up getting their "lifetime wheel alignment" service...(+ additional $100)
I figured this would be better investment than relying on Costa Mesa Center as long as I have this vehicle.

View attachment 23305

What size wheels do you have? I think the 19 inch wheels would be less prone to misalignment due to more rubber cushion.

 

[scal_air]

It's highly variable but since you paid for free lifetime alignment, every 6K miles to "check" seems a little excessive but no harm except the possibility of them "finding" things that need to be done. I would be surprised if they actually had to do any adjustments more often than every 12-20 thousand miles. The exceptions are if you hit a road hazard, have new tires installed or have any suspension work done.

 

[northernstar]

What size wheels do you have? I think the 19 inch wheels would be less prone to misalignment due to more rubber cushion.

19” actually… lol

 

[northernstar]

It's highly variable but since you paid for free lifetime alignment, every 6K miles to "check" seems a little excessive but no harm except the possibility of them "finding" things that need to be done. I would be surprised if they actually had to do any adjustments more often than every 12-20 thousand miles. The exceptions are if you hit a road hazard, have new tires installed or have any suspension work done.

Well… Southern California isn’t exactly known for smooth, perfect, no-road-hazard roads… lol
Suppose that couple hundred bucks gave me peace of mind for any future road hazard that Air has to endure across LA, SD, OC, RS, and SB roads.

 

[terrycs]

I've been thinking of getting their lifetime alignment too. I actually have it for my other cars and positive that I got my money's worth of alignments.

The only thing that's holding me back is that I'm almost certain the technician will also be "testing" my cars acceleration during the test drive after the alignment.

 

[NoseyReporter]

If you ever get a chance, have a nice tech, and a less than busy shop. Ask to have them take a reading, then get into the car, bounce in your seat and then get out.

It's very rare the numbers are the same. Just the added weight of a driver, will change your alignment.

A straight steering wheel, is one that tends to bother a lot of people. The other is road crown. In reality, most cars are aligned to address the fact the road is crowned to help drainage. The tech will purposefully impose a slight pull towards the center of the highway to counter the cars desire to follow the crown to the outside. This can be achieved with any of the alignment adjustments, camber, toe, and castor; if you can adjust it.

Personally I had aligning for a road crown, not all crowns are the same.

/Rant
I also really really hate eccentric bolts. When you hear about a car hitting a pothole and losing its alignment, it typically is because one of those bolts has slipped. On a MacPherson system, once the camber eccentric slips, toe goes to all hell as well. Not sure what Lucid does, MacPherson? Double wishbone?