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Question about computerized wheel alignment

I took my sentra '94 for the CV boot change and I got computerized wheel alignment with the CV boot job... After the job was done I got the printout as follows:

Initial Specification Final Primary Angles Min Max

Front Caster Left 2.3' 0.7' 2.2' 4.2' * Right 1.6' 0.7' 2.2' 3.7' *

Camber Left -0.1' -1.0' 0.5' -0.2' Right -1.7' -1.0' 0.5' -1.3' *

Toe Left 0.10' 0.05' 0.15' 0.05' Right -0.10' 0.05' 0.15' 0.10' Total 0.00' 0.10' 0.30' 0.15'

Rear Camber Left -0.3' -1.7' -0.2' -0.6' Right -2.3' -1.7' -0.2' -1.9' *

Toe Left 0.05' -0.05' 0.15' 0.05' Right 0.10' -0.05' 0.15' 0.15' Total 0.15' -0.15' 0.25' 0.20'

Trust Angle -0.0' -0.1'

Initial Specification Final Secondary Angles Min Max

SAI Left 14.6' 14.0' 14.0' 14.6' * Right 15.3' 14.0' 14.0' 15.3' *

Included Angle Left 14.5' 14.4' Right 13.6' 14.0'

Toe Out On Turns Left 1.7' 1.7' Right 1.7' 1.7'

Maximum Turns Left Right

Toe Curve Change Left Right

Setback Front 0.3" 0.3" Rear -0.0" -0.0"

Track Width Diff. 1.2" 1.2" Wheel Base Diff. 0.3" 0.3"

Am I right suspecting that something is not right with lines I marked with (*) ? Final readings do not fit into the specs! I do not know how important is to be inside the specs, but it looks to me Pepboys did not do a good job... Should I bring the car back to them to fix the alignment for me ?

Reply to
Pszemol
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I may be way off base (it's been many years since I had a Nissan on the rack back in the shop days...) but I *think* the only thing adjustable on your '94 model Sentra is the toe adjustment. Perhaps someone else here can confirm or sink my theory on that?

Wil

Reply to
Truck

How often should they calibrate the machine ?

Do I understand this printing correctly as Initial value is read before adjustment and Final value is read after adjustment? If so, my "before" readings were little better than the "after" readings...

If the only thing is toe, how does it influence other angles like Caster or Camber ? Is there a way for them to set them correctly or not ?

Should I just consider it not-alligned and take my money back ? I do not want to piss the guy off since I will be going to this shop more often with my cars going older, but if they did not do the job right I will not feel bad not paying for it.

Reply to
Pszemol

$100 says their machine is out of calibration. Ask them to see the certification of the last calibration on their machine, I bet it's NEVER be checked since it was installed.

BTW the only thing adjustable it the toe.

Reply to
Steve T

Front normally only has toe in adjustable. Only way to get front caster and camber set right is to buy adjustable suspension links, shims, bolts and/or offset bushes. Rear multi link suspension may have camber and toe in but on FWD it's usually only toe in.

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like 2002 Altima has rear camber. May find caster sorts itselfwhen the camber is right but it could become worse.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Reply to
Peter Hill

Toe measures how close the two wheels come to pointing in exactly the same direction. Camber measures how close each wheel is to perfectly vertical along the side of the car - in other words, is the top of the wheel angled in or out from the bottom of the wheel. Caster measures the angle from vertical between the top and bottom mounts of the wheel as it rolls.

Changing any one of the settings can have some effect on the others, but you can't fix camber by setting toe, etc.

You either have to replace suspension components until the un-settable settings are in spec or, (the easier way) take it to a frame shop (the people who straighten cars after accidents). They will bend back whatever has been knocked out of alignment and usually charge less for the service than the brand name alignment places get for setting the toe.

It will be eating tires faster than it should if you don't get it fixed.

He really didn't do you any favors here. Why will you be going back? I'll bet if you read the fine print on the sales slip, the alignment only covered adjustable settings.

Reply to
E. Meyer

Anytime someone drops one of the heads and that happens quite often. I've worked in shops with those "computerized" machines and after a while a tape measure becomes WAY more accurate than those fancy machines are. The management knows people believe and are impressed with a "printout" and they could care less if the printout is what is really going on or not.

Because of the idiot operating the machine.

It doesn't. Espcially caster. The camber might change a touch (.1-.2 degrees if the toe was WAY out) but nothing like that you posted.

Don't bother.

Why would you. I hope this isn't a "goodyear" or some other chain tire store. They are the LAST people you want working on your car.

Reply to
Steve T

So it does not mean the caster/camber changed, they just took the reading incorrectly ?

So all the numbers on my printing are worthless?

Ok, but I will try to search for my other printing from the past... I have SEARS put the tires on and they did alignment as well. I wonder how SEARS numbers will match numbers from PepBoys.

No, it is very popular chain

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Reply to
Pszemol

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