I am starting to look at all the threads I can find but I wanted to ask specifically about my situation also.
I just rotated the rear tires to the front (keeping on same side) after noticing during a full tranny flush that my front passenger tire was split open about a foot long on the inside corner, or inner seam between the tread and sidewall. Something seems wrong with this car's alignment. I align it once a year after driving rough snowy roads. The alignment the shops do doesn't seem to last long, maybe 4-6 months, and then it's out again. Pulls to the right. As well, each alignment seems nothing like the last. The last was at Pep Boys and it seemed like they did nothing at all. There really has only been one shop out of five or six alignments that has got it running straight down the road. To add to all of this I think the car has been rear-ended before I bought it. I see indications of body work in the rear of the car. It has always had a decent pull to the right requiring to hold the wheel straight a few inches from it's natural resting point. About the point where it resists. I replaced front struts (both sides) about two years ago and just now did the rears. When we did the front struts we didn't take notice of the markings on the top mount. Now I am reading in the service manual and see those have to do with camber and caster adjustment. Didn't know that. I was more cautious to remember the rear setting so I know they are correct. Here's what's happening. From the front of the car looking into the engine bay the front left tire will wear unevenly to failure on the inside (back side of tire) corner, or seam as I said before. Likewise on the right front tire it wears on the outside (front side of tire) corner or seam. The tires in the rear aren't wearing in this way. They seem to be flat to the ground or as they should be. They have normal wear. I have never tried to do an alignment myself but I do have the manual with specs. I'm looking for things to check before having it put on a machine again. I'm wondering if I should rotate the front strut mounts to their default indicator position and measure from there. Problem is I don't know what the default is? Can someone tell me where the indicators should be from the point of view of looking into the engine bay from the front of the car? Also, any other advice would be fantastic. I feel like something else is wrong here and I'm wasting my money on alignments and chewing up tires. The front tire that was separated and showing cords on the inside probably still had six months or so of life left in it.
Thanks a bunch,
John
I just rotated the rear tires to the front (keeping on same side) after noticing during a full tranny flush that my front passenger tire was split open about a foot long on the inside corner, or inner seam between the tread and sidewall. Something seems wrong with this car's alignment. I align it once a year after driving rough snowy roads. The alignment the shops do doesn't seem to last long, maybe 4-6 months, and then it's out again. Pulls to the right. As well, each alignment seems nothing like the last. The last was at Pep Boys and it seemed like they did nothing at all. There really has only been one shop out of five or six alignments that has got it running straight down the road. To add to all of this I think the car has been rear-ended before I bought it. I see indications of body work in the rear of the car. It has always had a decent pull to the right requiring to hold the wheel straight a few inches from it's natural resting point. About the point where it resists. I replaced front struts (both sides) about two years ago and just now did the rears. When we did the front struts we didn't take notice of the markings on the top mount. Now I am reading in the service manual and see those have to do with camber and caster adjustment. Didn't know that. I was more cautious to remember the rear setting so I know they are correct. Here's what's happening. From the front of the car looking into the engine bay the front left tire will wear unevenly to failure on the inside (back side of tire) corner, or seam as I said before. Likewise on the right front tire it wears on the outside (front side of tire) corner or seam. The tires in the rear aren't wearing in this way. They seem to be flat to the ground or as they should be. They have normal wear. I have never tried to do an alignment myself but I do have the manual with specs. I'm looking for things to check before having it put on a machine again. I'm wondering if I should rotate the front strut mounts to their default indicator position and measure from there. Problem is I don't know what the default is? Can someone tell me where the indicators should be from the point of view of looking into the engine bay from the front of the car? Also, any other advice would be fantastic. I feel like something else is wrong here and I'm wasting my money on alignments and chewing up tires. The front tire that was separated and showing cords on the inside probably still had six months or so of life left in it.
Thanks a bunch,
John
