My brother got me 4 new tires and an alignment done for Christmas. Now the car wobbles back and forth. It wasn't like this before I got the new tires/alignment. It's not too bad going slow, but it's really bad going highway speeds.

Can someone read the report I got? TIA

 

I have no skill here but there is more red ink now than there was before.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I'm thinking I'm going back and telling them to put the alignment back to what it was before.

 

I wouldn't say that, i'd say "do it right this time!". If you look at the specified range that is acceptable, in half the places, they didn't even put it in that range, i don't know much about alignments, but i know it should be in that range. Some things may not be fixable within reason, i'm not sure, but some of those specs are either FURTHER out of the specified range after the alignment (if i'm reading it right?). I would also verify their range #s are correct for the crossfire. Which i'm sure someone else here can do. Just my thoughts.

 

I owned tire stores for over 10 years---I say this to let you know that feel that the problem is in the tires---The alignment could have been done BETTER-for sure, and should be redone---FIRST make sure ALL the tire have the same pressure, before taking ANY readings---An alignment will not cause the "wobble"---Alignments will cause a pull, a drift, even poor tire wear, but not a shake, a bounce, or a back and forth in the steering wheel; not with the numbers that you have---I guess you could knock it out so bad that you could create a problem, but your numbers are no where near that bad---Fix them, but you have something else going on here---Your present numbers are not that far from the pre-alignment numbers---Check to see if the either front tire "wobbles" on the balance machine---bad belts, or just a plain bad build of the tire would be what I would be looking for first---Check the rears too, you would feel them MORE in the seat than the wheel, but still check---BTW, what brand of tires do you have now and what did you take off?---Good luck, Jimmy

 

I just had mine done on Tuesday.... at some point I need to get the K-mac camber kit for the front to get it in the middle of the spec... right now I just have the MB bolts in front.... and TVT adjustable camber arms in back.... (funny that the tech complained about the rear camber arms not having flats to put a wrench on... I guess I should replace them with mine... )

 

It appears you have two problems. First get the tires (wobble) fixed. That could be a number of problems, but start with the simple things. Are the lug nuts tight? Check ASAP. I have seen wheels fall off from sh***y installations. What you describe sounds exactly like loose lug nuts. Sorry if I sound paranoid or frightening, I work for consumer affairs handling complaints on auto repair facilities in CA. I see crappy repairs all day.

Anyway after the lug nuts are checked have the alignment re-checked by a reliable store. I deal with Les Schwab both personally and professionally. They are good people and will take care of you. There are many in Seattle, but good work is not cheap, just at a fair price.

If the alignment was done right the alignment heads are attached to the wheels not the tires so the alignment angles are a comparison of the frame to wheels. Which is a solid connection excluding the tires to ground angles. If the wheels are out of wack they didn't perform the installation correctly! DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY, IF YOU MUST DRIVE IT! The problem you discussed sounds dangerous!

If you need further explanation of the angles let me know. I can go over what they mean in relation to the frame.

Good Luck and let us know the results.

Richard B.

 

WOW---Richard B is right---The lugs would cause this and be very dangerous---I never did this but I have seen it too---Good luck and be safe!!!

 

Thanks for all the replies. I did check the tire pressure, they were all either over inflated or underinflated. The fronts are now 32psi, the rears 33psi. I checked the lug nuts and retightened them all. I don't remember what brand tires the new ones are. The old ones were stock tires. It's at pepboys right now. Just talking to the guy there, he thinks it might be a separated tire.

 

Glad to hear the lug nuts were tight and you got it to a facility safely. A separated tire could be the problem, but usually the symptoms are a reverse of what your described, wobbly at low speeds and okay to hiway speeds. A defective tire is still a possibility, however. Be sure to get Pep Boys to commit to diagnose the problem and solve it in one step, not just continually throwing parts at it until they hit the problem. They have been known to do that a lot here in Sacto.

Good luck,
Richard B.

 

GREAT news!!! I would bet on a bad tire like I said---Now the car WILL need to be aligned---You can not have tire pressure like you descried and have a good alignment---The different pressures will have the heads all wrong---and when you are working with fractions of a degree this pressure difference will kill the chance of a proper alignment---Good luck!!!

 

I got a call from pepboys, I don't remember the names he used, but its something like front arm? $500 to repair. Is this a DIY project or should I have them do it? I'll write down the names when I go later.

 

HOLD THE PHONE---You said that you DID NOT have this problem before the tires were put on---RIGHT?---He is talking control arms, and these would not have gone bad overnight---NO HOW; NO WAY (well minus a crash)---If you had this problem before, it would be a different story, but going from okay to problem AFTER the tires IS the tires or a tire---NOT parts---You are being SOLD and/or they are lost and do not know what is going on---IF (and this is a big if since I am not there) you did not have this before, then this is a BAD diagnoses!!! Think about it---You said it was not like this before, and tires and the alignment were all that was done---Must be these---Right?---Not new parts!---Alignments are NOT wobbles---Tires, bad rims, bad parts, etc cause wobbles, but you did not have the wobble before the tires, so stay with the tires---Put them on a balance machine and watch them spin---If they go back and forth (wobble) you found the problem.

 

I get off work in 20mins, ill take it home and look at the parts they claim needs repair. Pepboys probably isnt the best place to have it checked out, but its next door to where I work.

 

Good luck---See the tire on a balance machine if you can---Jimmy

 

Here is what they wrote down for me. ($214)Replace F Ball Joint lower, ($500 each side)L & R Tie Rods, Inner tie rod ends loose.

I haven't looked at them myself. Before the new tires/alignment, it felt very safe and comfortable driving at speeds upwards of 120mph, but now it doesn't feel safe driving 30mph. Hoping I'll have time over the weekend to look at everything under there.

 

So, rebuild the front end---First, how many miles?---I had my guys on commission which was good and bad---I had to make sure they were not just writing tickets---Sounds like this is happening here---If this car "felt good" at 120 mph, and now AFTER the tires it feels bad-it's in the tires---Plain and simple---Your alignment numbers are not that far off to make the car "feel" unsafe---So it must be in the tires---Again, good luck, and good move getting it out that shop!

 

Have U got this right?
Car drives good.
Get tires and alignment from Express
Car drives bad.
Go to Pepboys and now you need front end rebuilt.

Did Express get the opportunity to correct problem?

The alignment is unacceptable. The front suspension joints may be loose. But the information here says the drive issue is TIRES!

 

I think this is correct too, go back and tell them the tires moght have a problem. If you have to get another opinun go to the nearest Les Schwab dealer in the Seattle area, tell them what happen and let them tell you what is wrong with the new tires. They can redo the alighnment and balance the tires for min charge if they charge you at all....

KJ

 

Thanks. I have 61000 miles.

Correct. I have not had the opportunity to take it back to Express Tire yet. I'll check and see if they are open tomorrow, if not I'm off work on Monday. Thanks

I'll take it to Les Schwab if Express Tire doesn't solve the problem. Thanks