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Just got alignment, steers straight, but is touchy... 200


I just got the car aligned after doing some front end work, and now the car seems a bit touchy. It seems like I often overcorrect with very little steering input. The car tracks straight, but even slight bumps or irregularities can upset the course, it seems. This all leads to the car feeling touchy and unstable.

When at the alignment shop I had a question about the alignment (in particular why the measured value for the caster was out of spec (not by much) -- is caste radjustable on these vehicles anyway?)

Anyway, I asked a few questions, and the service manager referred me to his "alignment guy". The alignment guy turned out to be a rock who was dressed like an alignment guy - I really don't think he understood anything I was asking him. WTF?

Anyway, the point is this: New ball joints, new struts, new tie rods, new bushings, new tires, new alignment, and the car feels touchy as described above. The camber appears to be "in spec", but one side was nearly out of spec. The toe angle seems to be dead on spec, and the caster was slightly out of spec on one side (though both sides were close to each other)

I've had a car that was toed out, and it would dance around the road uncontrollably -- this feels the same, but much less so. Is it possible I need a little bit more toe? Is it possible that the alignment, done on the "old" tires was invalid? (the tires were new, but turned out to be messed up somehow - the car had a "radial pull"...)

-Steve






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New Just got alignment, steers straight, but is touchy... [200]
posted by  Stephen Webb subscriber  on Mon Aug 26 22:06 CST 2002 >


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