Alignment question

If the rack was worn, the loose feeling would be present at all speeds, not just highway speeds. I forget what year the OP's Camry is but AFAIK, Camry racks have always used crush collars to set pre-load.

Loose ball joints and tie rod ends would probably cause a loose feeling at all speeds and also usually make noise.

You could probably run the tires up to at least 40 psi without making the car handle adversely. In fact, the higher tire pressures would probably improve handling because the sidewalls are a little stiffer. Competition driving schools usually boost tire pressures to around 40 psi before taking the cars on the track to improve handling, reduce tread squirm, and keep the tires from rolling off the beads. The downside to having hard tires is a harsher ride and the possibility of wearing the center of the tread more quickly than the shoulders. I keep tire pressures at 36 psi in our Avalon and LS 400 and have not experienced any excessive center tread wear and have reduced the shoulder wear that we usually get.

Back to my original response, positive caster aids straight line stability.

The Camry has speed sensitive power steering, I don't know if it is regulated by engine RPM or road speed. At higher speeds, the amount of power steering assist is supposed to be reduced to improve road feel. At lower speeds, more assist is provided to make low speed maneuvering easier. If whatever regulates the amount of assist is not working properly, then the car can seem to be over sensitive at highway speeds.

: I keep tire pressures at 36 psi in our Avalon and LS 400...

Hi Ray. Is this the cold, morning pressure and you would leave it to rise to whatever it rises to in the sun and during driving?

Or, do yo uactually strive to actually maintain 36 as much as practical, eg, bleeding some air suring a long drive?

Always measure tire pressures with cold tires - tires that have not moved for at least 4 hours. That is how I measure and set tire pressures.

The higher pressures make the ride a little harsher but the Avalon and LS400 both have a pretty mushy ride to start with. The slightly stiffer ride doesn't bother me.

On Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:03:47 GMT, Ajanta , said the following in rec.autos.driving...

Check your owners manual. It might give some indication of whether or not this needs to be done regularly. As a rule, I don't worry about it unless I notice a handling problem or have had an particularly jarring encounter with some road obsticle/defect.

Less.

Beware of these "lifetime," deals. They are a means of getting you into the shop inorder to sell you something else.

: Beware of these "lifetime," deals. They are a means of getting you into : the shop inorder to sell you something else.

For a practice supposedly beneficial to dealers, such offers are surprisingly difficult to find. Most service garages I asked don't offer lifetime alignment.

Well I guess I would consider them, assuming I won the lottery first.

Sears, the place where a relative took his car for brakes, and was charged $1500. True need was pads, nothing more.

Sears, the place where they pay commission to increase sales. Doesn't matter if you need it or not.

Sears, the place that decided to buy batteries from mexico, and now requires you to change your battery cables every time you buy a battery.

Yep, I wouldn't mind taking my car there at all.

I guess you are new to this. It isn't a board, and you obviously haven't read many of the posts.

I have been participating on this and other "newsgroups" for a number of years.....

I HAVE read a number of the posts, and I STILL contend that I could have MOST of the participants here - virtually anybody who can grasp the concept of "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey" - satisfactorily setting up a four-wheel computerized alignment rack in an afternoon......it's THAT easy.

Now, if the question were to concern having them do a quality alignment, or troubleshoot a problem beyond the specifications in the machine's database, then all bets are off.......

Dont believe what tire dealers and your service shop says. My tire dealer told me to do it every 6 months , I laughed and said I would by my tires elsewhere. My 90 camry 100000m has maybe been aligned once. My Michelin tires wear fine and smooth, and no pulling. Tire wear is the proof. I live in Chgo and Indiana. The key is what you drive on and what you hit. Chgo has alot of pot holes, if you hit em you could be aligning it every 6 mo, but Camrys are tough and hold alignment well. Poor Tire wear patterns and pulling are what would have my consider an alignment, not what any mechanic says to generate $

Well either you have not read the posts, or you have too much faith in idiots. I, and probably every non troll here, would PAY to see you try to teach judy, carl, and some of the other idiots, to operate heavy machinery. They can't even operate a car.

Sorry for the delay, got married just after the post. At our shop (and I believe this comes from dealerships and tire manufactures, ill check) an alignment CHECK is suggested every 5000 miles, I generally round it up to 6000 to coincide with the oil changes. Now that is there policies, not mine. I think cars should have alignment checked at least once a year. I see allot with the toe off, but just by a small bit. I am a perfectionist, I like my alignment numbers to be as close to specs as possible. Having a alignment shop you trust is key. I see allot of cars going to another chain and I know most of the techs set the toe and call it good. Sometimes our shop does things that piss me off, but I can only do so much and still keep a job...

I try to give advise based on what the manufactures suggest, not always what I feel.

Take care

Sheesh, put my foot in my mouth... My mind was thinking alignments, but I was referring to tire rotation... I will get back with the paper on time recommendations for alignment checks.

Steve