A dealership tried to pull this with me a few months ago. I asked the service advisor why he felt I needed an alignment done and he said "it's standard after 20,000 miles." I decided on the spot that would be the first and last time I went to them for any kind of service. Glad to see your video confirms my suspicion -- thanks for these videos, they truly provide a great service for folks!
15:00 I had one of those old type of alignment machine scratch my rims, and the mechanic tried to lie about it. I cannot remember how much compensation money I got back from the situation after going to the Better Business Bureau. Needless to say I never went back to that company. Now it’s out of business. It was Sears Auto.
@@jimbo5635 Some tires can also cause the cause to wonder around when driving on grooved concrete freeways. When the Nissan 300ZX first came out and I had replaced the tires. One replacement set of Bridgestone tires made the wander a bit. It didn't happen when I eventually replaced them with Michelins. I would get that problem every so often as I had different cars and tires over the years.
Thank you for confirming my thoughts on routine alignments. I routinely inspect my tires for wear pattern and maintain proper air pressure. My wife’s 2011 Camry has 90000 miles and never had an alignment. Tire wear is even and drives straight just like it did when new.
It goes without saying, but needs to be said: CORRECT tire pressure is a must first, the same PSI in both front tires, otherwise it will pull. Easy fix and diagnosis.
This is a GOOD guy! I wish he could be my mechanic. I would not ask him ANY questions and allow him to maintain my vehicles and feel so comfortable. Good Bless You Car Care Nut 💙
You are one of the few mechanics not trying to sell unnecessary alignments. True honesty (especially with vehicles) is at a premium these days. Much appreciated.
As mentioned in this video, check your tire wear. My 2021 Camry hybrid LE (steel wheels 205/65 R16) is 302 K miles as of today and I'm shopping around for my 4th set of tires (yes 100K miles a set) , and I still driving on the same factory alignment.
I want to discount tire and gotta free Thai repair the other day. They used a gauge or a amp on the cell phone to measure the treadfrom each side of the tire and stuffit was kind of interesting
holy moly. at the rate you drive you'll easily hit 1 million miles in a few years. you should get on a news or post it somewhere at least, might be a world record
In Australia, it may seem that your car is pulling left when driving on most country roads, but the roads have a left camber wich helps with drainage, but is also done to prevent cars pulling right into oncoming traffic if you fail asleep at the wheel.
I live in Michigan, we are the land of pot holes, usually can avoid them if on a secondary road, but sometimes on freeway driving they come so fast can’t react fast enough and hit it, thats the only reason I get a alignment yearly
Here too, stiff suspension on my truck and rough roads mean I have it checked yearly and always corrected. Keeping those adjusters clean from rust makes repairs possible.
Back when I worked at an NTB, we would have customers come to have their tires rotated and balanced or have an alignment. Ten minutes later, they would be back at the shop saying their car was "still shaking" or was "still pulling". If they told us this in the first place, a proper diag could have been performed the first time around. Always tell the person behind the counter if your car is having an issue. It saves everyone lots of time.
Many non-car people don’t know how to describe the issue. Not their fault, they just know something is off. A good mechanic or service tech can ask a series of questions and gather information required for a correct diagnosis.
The first time I had to do an alignment at the dealership, the alignment itself was fine but the steering wheel wasn't centered (off by less than a cm from the outer diameter of the steering wheel, but still noticeable for me). I also rotated my tires to rule out a tire issue. Even after 2 more visits they didn't think it was a problem. So in the end I decided to try adjusting the toe equally on each side a tiny bit, and after hours of trial and error I was able to get the steering wheel straight. Never felt so accomplished working on a car in my life, even for something so minor! Come to think of it, there might have been a chance that i misinformed the dealership service advisor by saying it was a "pull". I definitely learned something new. Thanks for the videos as always!
Centering the steering wheel is of the utmost importance, they are supposed to take your car for a drive to make sure of that. I would have addressed it as soon as possible .
Your alignment was not complete-have them correct the steering wheel misalignment or take it somewhere else. Your signals will never correct properly and your steering angle sensor will always sense the vehicle being turned.
i had mine aligned at the dealership who used a Hunter machine. Still was pulling. i was so disgusted that i ended up developing all my own alignment tools to measure all the angles, and aligned it myself. The dealership was quite a bit off in the left rear camber, and front left camber :( Left toe was also off :( They didn't even reset the SAS :( i got both sides of the vehicle equalized and its nice and straight. My method also aligns to the body centerline.
I had a subframe deadset kit installed on my GTI. It replaced the factory subframe bolts with higher quality bolts with locking collars. This resulted in the caster correct to near identical in the front wheels. Routine alignment is well worth the cost.
Roads are terrible in my area. I need an alignment every time after hitting a pothole hard enough. Skipped it once and after 6 months noticed uneven wear on summer tires while switching to winter ones. Luckily, those are old enough and need replacement for the next season anyways.
Wheel alignments, oil change stores, brakes, ... If you don't know a reliable mechanic, and there aren't that many left, just assume they are lying. 2 recent episodes: 1 - Neighbor, who like me, does most of his mechanical work, was pulling a wheel off in his garage and I stopped by and asked. He replied rotors and pads. So, being the inquisitive type, I watched as he removed the wheel and observed that the rotor and pads were in great shape, only slightly worn. I asked why he bought the pads and rotors and he said he he had oil changed and the "mechanic" advised that the front pads and rotors were shot and they could replace them with no wait for $400. He ended up with some spares. 2 - Wheel alignment. My grandson called from a tire store "my car needs to have a camber kit" put on the rear suspension because the camber is out of specs and will wear out your new tires quickly. I told him to tell them he could not afford that immediately and bring it by. I have toe plates, camber gauge and a level floor. You guessed it, the camber was in specs for the car. I sent him a video about tire wear so he would know when to be concerned.
Good video, but I feel you missed giving a pretty good tip: You can get an idea about toe-in issues by running your fingers across both the front wheel treads left to right and right to left. They should feel identical in both directions. If you feel a little bit of a sharp edge on the tread in one direction but not the other, then that tire has been getting "dragged" slightly sideways due to poor toe-in.
Thank you for this informative video. Most car owners especially this new generation doesn't know about this. Like my daughter who brought her car to the dealership for an oil change and telling her the car needs an alignment every 30,000miles. Glad that I always give her tips and videos of yours and she knew how to avoid this kind of marketing by the dealership. Salute to your channel!
Just an fyi. Former tech. I dont know if all hunter alighment machines do this. I would see some "techs" change it manually on the computer and on the print out on the top it would say "modified". Thats how they would do some alignments when they didn't want to work on the vehicle. so just be on the look out when the service writer lets you know what was done.
Thank u! I vaguely remember my alignment place doing that. Not sure if I had larger tires or if my 97 Camry had difficult/rusty parts, but I WILL check from now on.👍🖖🇺🇸
All four original tires (General Tires) on my new 2005 Camry LE started wearing on the outer portions of the treads. The door jam sticker stated a really low PSI for the ties...I think it was 26PSI. I thought that was too low so I ran the tires at 32 PSI, then 35, then 37. No matter what I did the outer edges of all four tires were wearing first...even after rotations. There was no tire pull and I had the alignment done. Many opinions later a foreman of a tire chain speculated that the side belts of the tires were not properly supporting the tire. After the tires were replaced with another brand...problem solved and gone! Go figure! BTW...my 2020 Camry LE came with Bridgestone Tires...no problems...smooth as silk.
Man, if I was near you, I’d hug you 🙂 You can’t imagine how much your Scotty Kilmer like old school wisdom is appreciated. It becomes more and more rare these days to see professionals who prefer to both look at the big picture and dissect the issue to pinpoint the exact problem. Most people these days prefer to use “compartmentalised” thinking and offer you standard, “safe” answers. Keep up the good work, AMD!!!
Nice comment until you compared him to Scotty Kilmer. So much nonsence comes out of Kilmer's mouth that divides Americans. You'll never get that from this channel. Thank the Lord ALL Americans are safe and respected here.
@MrLuigi-oi7gm I don’t see the contradiction between AMD and Scotty. Both great mechanics who are honest. The one difference is that Scotty has a longer life and professional experience and he can allow himself to speak his mind at times. AMD, on the other hand, prefers to play it safe and not to step on any toes. That’s all there’s to it as far as I can see.
Toyota dealerships service departments must really be hating you. You provide honest information and education. Thank you for your channel. Just today, my local dealer tried to pull this stunt on me. Said there was a slow leak in one tire that was not repairable and quoted me a price for a new set of four tires, and of course, a price with the recommended wheel alignment. Even with their buy three and get one free, the price was several hundred dollars more than the local Discount Tires store or Costco. (p.s. They would not rotate the tires on the right side of the car, electing to keep the slow leak tire on the rear. Guess they didn't think I would ever check my tire pressure or notice the TPMS light.)
Excellent explanation on tire basics, a lot of us get this very wrong because we've been handed the wrong information down from generations. I now understand the distinction 👍
My car just turned 10 years old. It's never had an alignment, but all my tires wear equally. Rear tires aren't worn in the middle. Front tires aren't worn on the sides. I try not to hit potholes, that might bend parts.
Something I think would have been valuable to touch on is a “tire rotation” every service. Move the fronts to the backs and the back to the fronts. I have 63,000 miles on my current set of tires, they probably still have another 20,000 miles left in them. Tire rotations go a long ways to help even tire wear.
We have a 2016 Tacoma we bought new, and a Lexus RX350 we bought new in 2017. I had been thinking that we may need to get alignment due to new tires and ago. But both drive beautifully and no evidence of abnormal wear. Thank you for this video!
Good evening, I also enjoy watching your videos and agree with alot of your experienced view points. Also being a professional technician and shop owner for 16 years can't agree more with Toyota being the best buy for your $$. Having worked for "mom and pops", "chain stores" and Ford at 2 dealers in my youth, past and getting Ford certified then becoming a Master ASE tech Plus L1 ect.. (I only own Toyotas now in my older age) Just wanted to add to your view in my opinion on the alignment chat. I have extensive back ground in Suspension, Tires, Steering and Brakes ect.. I believe it is very important to know where and how your customer drives and what the vehicle is used for. Highway (smooth)more, to city (pot holes, rough) more, owners who have rims / hub caps damaged from curb rubbing {toe}. Snow/Salt belt to Arizonia or even off road ect.. does effect wear and tear on vehicle. Not to mention towing, hauling heavy loads (Van/Trk) or even people who have cars with exessive weight in back seat or trunk always. "Not to be off base" but even if a driver is of the large size in a small vehicle and or a vehicle that see 3 or more passengers always compared to only driver. Weight distrubution does effect handling, steering & vehicle stance. Areas of possiblilty that can effect drift, pull to be added in my opinion would also be incorrect air pressure all around and difference between tires, not to mention owners not following door jam OEM specs and following only the tire sidewall for PSI. Incorrect type of load and speed rated tires put on vehicle, miss matched tread patterns, and AWD vehicles having 2 tires different in tread depth { more than 2/32} from other 2 tires and so on, 2 new, 2 old ect.. From a few weeks ago in your video on motor mounts. Transverse engine vehicles also can have a touque steer condition from worn loose or sagged mounts on the transmission and engine that missalign axle angles under take off or even cruising speed. And off the top of my thoughts - living in the snow/salt belt, Brake drag - Caliper pins not releasing, seized causing front & rear drag to drum brakes being missadjusted / uneven, one adjusted tighter than other, to actual parking brake cable corrosion that causes cable to slighly apply. Cables on older automatic transmission vehicles seem to never get attension or used and even on the rear caliper ratcheting type can just corrode and not allow piston adjustment, not to mention actual brake pad rust, hang up in slides {wheel drag}. Exellent video and continue the path, If you ever do come up to Road America again you are always welcome at our house as we live a few miles away from track. Anyway take care and God Bless.
The first thing to check if your car is pulling is tire pressure. Buy a good gauge and check your tires regularly. If your car has a tire pressure monitor that actually reads pressure (not all do), then checking is very easy. A tire with low pressure will cause a pull in the direction of the low tire. This can happen before you get an actual tire pressure warning. I got a 2008 Honda CRV, and the steering wheel did not center correctly. Toe was off only two tenths of a degree. After an alignment, centering was perfect. It doesn't take much to throw alignment off. One average sized Illinois pothole can do it.
My local Toyota dealer just tried to upsale a 4 wheel alignment today when I took my Venza with 15,500 miles for its 15K maintenance. They said my front toe was out, and I needed an alignment. I do not drive aggressively, I have never been in an accident or hit any potholes. Total BS, man!
A quick mention for cars with automatic lane centering: When driving, the car may require you maintain a light, but steady, pull on the steering wheel while driving on a STRAIGHT road. If you release the steering wheel the car may dart to one side. This reaction is NOT steering pull. Instead, it is the car's automatic lane centering system testing if you have your hands on the steering wheel. So, be sure to turn off any automatic lane centering before feeling for, or diagnosing, steering pull. In many cars this is the method the steering computer uses to tell if you have your hands on the steering wheel as required for safety regulations.
After my Forrester was struck behind the passenger rear wheel while parked by someone driving over 30mph it mas moved over 6 feet. I had to fight the driver's insurance to have a rear end alignment. The insurance company told me it was impossible to cause alignment issues. The repair shop found damaged parts, my muffler was damaged and I was told without the alignment my new tires would have been damaged and needing replacement within 6000 miles.
I worked briefly in a tire store. Their customers were farmers with their three ton trucks. The tires weren't high quality. The solution was that we shaved the tires to take care of out-of-round. We were told to balance them, then shave them. Then balance them again. When we were shaving the tires it was common to see one side of the face higher than the other even when the out-of-round condition wasn't bad. I don't know what the customers thought about all this, if they knew. These trucks rarely saw speeds above 55 mph.
At 95,000 miles, my 2017 Tacoma 4wd tires began a slight feathering. I measured the toe and found it toed out slightly. I used the parallel string method and corrected the toe back within spec. When finished aligning each wheel with the centerline, my wheel was off because the rear thrust angle. I corrected the toe on both wheels to bring the steering wheel to center and all is good. My camber is correct.
No, slight feathing is the result of wheels pulling against each other, chopping or flat spots can be caused by worn shocks but there is no shock leakage, nor is there any wheel bounce on bumps.@@johnnyblue4799
I have been my own mechanic for the last 15 years (mostly Toyotas) and I wish I had AMD when I started. Most things he teaches here cost me lots of time and money over the years. Best wishes AMD you are the best!
So glad you mentioned the road crown. Its amazing how many people go for a alignment because of that. Its also amazing how many alignment shops don't bother with centering the wheel.
Check your front tires for wear for camber wear. That will determine if u need an alignment or when u let go of the steeering if it goes to the side or not
Great info, thank you. I have fallen for the alignment when I get new tires; sounded like right thing to do, but going forward, I will not do that if car is operating correctly. On another note, When my 2021 Rav4 Prime was in for free oil change etc. at 10K miles, the dealer said Toyota recommends an alignment; I had a photocopy of my my manual page; I said, "no they don't". Plus, I have not hit any bad potholes, not hit any curbs, car drove straight as can be. Now I always take a copy of maintenance manual for that milage with me, no matter where I go; so I have info on hand and don't fall for anything. Glad to know how to test myself now! I wish more shops realized they are only hurting themselves long term. Dealer did my my services as it was free for first 2 years, but I'll go other places for oil changes now that I'm past the free stuff; for trying to rip me off. Only will go to dealer for something complicated, or warranty/recall stuff.
My dealer said I needed 4 new tyres, which i knew, and the first time I've ever seen that they charge for a wheel alligment. It's a 2021 model car with 40,000kms. I said no all good I'll get tyres from somewhere else.
I used to align every year, and before any long distance trip; after the pandemic and economic circumstances I could not afford to do it as often and on every trip I felt discomfort from the rupture of habit of doing it. Thank you sir for this info!
Push a bicycle forward and it's very stable. That's positive caster. Push it backwards and the front wheel will keep turning making it impossible. That's negative caster. Shopping carts have negative caster to make them easy to turn in the aisles.
Yes to all, except that shopping carts can (and do) have positive camber, when you rotate the front wheels 180 degrees. As soon as you push forward, they flip around to negative camber. I don’t think they chose negative camber in designing a shopping cart. I think it’s unavoidable in the design if you want the wheels to move freely for maneuverability.
I have a 1981 Toyota 2wd pickup. Mostly driven on gravel roads. Never needed an alignment. Last year I changed some of the worn out steering components and did my own alignment. No problems with steering or irregular tire wear.
When I lived up north - Canada - in very cold environment, -40 at night was common for ~2 months I had alignment done late spring after pot holes were filled. Lived 30 years now in USA and have never had alignment, currently own car I’ve had for 12 years and 135,000 miles.
Got burned on 2 front tires on my sons car. They lasted 8? months from a shop in my town. No alignment done, but it was not offered or recommended. My son noticed his tires wearing badly on the inside. Got 1 of 2 tires free from the place, but had to rebuy the other. Went to firestone for alignment and to have them redo the tires. I got the lifetime alignment. The same place did my wifes vehicle, a pathfinder. I dont guess they did an alignment or even checked? I got worried about it and took it to firestone as well. They checked the alignment first. They have a very graphic chart/system that showed it was out of alignment in 3 places. I felt I should get the alignment. They offer a 1 time for 129ish and lifetime for 189. I went with lifetime on this as well. I hope I made the right decision. Now I can get an alignment check/alignment each time i have the tires rotated if I want or need every 6 months or 6000 miles.
Just proves that a good, honest mechanic does not need tricks to have a successful business. If my 20+ year Toyota (inherited with 22K miles) ever needs service - I know where I am going 😊
Here in Malaysia, people around me advise to do alignments every 3 months, and it helps to make the tires wear out more evenly. Also, if we're working in the e-hailing sector, every driver is required by the government to enter an official car health test every year. And one of the things they test us on is the alignment, where the tires go on a huge treadmill and gets tested. And i've failed the whole course many times just because of this one alignment test.
Hello and God bless! I have a little (big) problem. I bought a lexus is250 v6 (I live in Spain) With 3350€ with around 388.657km and it runs like a Swiss watch. In town going to work fuel consumption was 9.8L to 100km. With full tank (53L) I belive. I was doing around 650 to 730km driving quite not so soft, floor it and such here and there. My huge problem is: I changed the spark plugs oem Toyota (iridium with 3 heads or fingers to make the spark better) Changed oil with: Motul 8100 X-clean+ C3-SAE 5W30 100% synthetic Changed all filters OEM Toyota. I noticed the car was X2 even x3 more response way way faster and much much more power BUT I don't like it. It's not as smooth as before. It goes really fast and the problem is that it burns 13L+ to 100km... Now I do 375km with a full tank. I'm so sad, I'm really sad because I don't know which may be the problem. Also after 2 3 days I added an engine anti friction product metal lube and the car indeed it runs 7 to 9db less. Any idea why it burns more fuel now? Please help and thanks!
Thanks for the video, good basic info for car owners that saves us cash. I think I have a good mechanic, my car was pulling a little and I told him I wanted an alignment.. He told me probably not? He rotated the tires for free and told me the car was fine. No more pulling.
In the 20 years I've owned my 2003 4R I've never had a wheel alignment and never rotated the tires and all of my tires wore evenly and it drove just great.
Excellent. One other reason that a wheel alignment is mandatory is if you replace the steering rack. Otherwise I have replaced tyres before without alignment and no issues. Best thing to do to extend the life of tyres is check tyre pressures and rotate them every 10000 miles or so.
Thank you sir for this education. Recently I did go to dealer to get alignment. Because, Costco, where I bought tires told me that if I don't do alignment, they will not honor the warrant on tires.. listening to your explanation, I don't understand why Costco has this policy
Thank you. I was reading everyone and hearing from my friends that you have to get an alignment when you get new tires. I felt crazy knowing my car doesn’t pull and old tires had even tread wear. You are one of few people online that seems to know how to use common sense and isn’t trying to take money from people.
Thank you... very sound information and advice. My Toyota service always wants me to do a alignment even after I got one done. Everytime I drive in... supposedly there is a laser that measures it.
Thankyou for being truthful, God bless. Over the years of owning a vehicle Ive learned that shops will scam and I'm much more careful about getting things worked on.
Thank you so much man! One of my tires a had an irreparable flat, it was under warranty shop gave me a new one. I wasn't sure if the car needed an alignment after 1 new tire was swapped in. You saved me money $ and the car works great 👍 I'd buy you a beer if you were here!
I have an MR2 Spyder that I bought used. The rear tires were set up with camber in them, for better handling is what I was told. The tires did not last long before the inside edge started cupping. I had it set back to factory settings. Hope that helps on my new tires. Thank you for all the great info you give. You are a blessing to many people.
Money maker and preventative maintenance item for my dealership. Just did one on my RX350. Guessing it was not needed but service writer needed his quota. I will know better next time. A big thank you for educating me.
@TheCarCareNut I was questioning myself on this subject when I saw my Front Driver Side tire at the very top, Toe Inward. I know if the tire at the very top toed inward it means negative camber, but the internet said when that happens it can be worn control arm bushing and ball joints. All of my bushing and ball joints are fine, and it still have negative camber. I did find a very loose sway bar link on the driver side. So hopefully when I replace that my negative camber might get better. Sway Bar Links also have ball joints on the end of those links. My new tires were $1,200 so I am going to fix whatever is broke and rattling first before making an alignment assumption like you just explain in this video for everyone to learn from.
Thank you. I had struts replaced and I was told to go have an alignment done and since I had a major component changed I will go get an alignment done. The avalon has 102,000 miles on it.
Are your tires wearing unevenly? Is your wheel straight and the car drives straight? Does it pull? If no, to pull and yes to straight wheel, sound tires, and drives straight...you don't need an alignment. I would think an alignment would have been done, or at least a site alignment.
@@CollegeRecruitsNW The shop that replaced the struts obviously didn't have an alignment rack; after replacing front struts, an alignment should be done and yes, I'm a mechanic.
I've done this for decades. New tires + alignment check Rotating your own tires and measuring the wear Alignment only when needed. I think I've done an alignment once, maybe twice on my cars throughout their life.
Literally going Saturday to have my tires installed. I haven't been seeing some of the new uploads so I was catching up on videos and saw this. Man the timing is perfect because I just told myself I was going to wait because i didn't think I have a problem and I don't want to spend 200 bucks for nothing on top of tires. You are totally right though all my young life I was told when you get new tires you have to get an alignment. I don't know any different until I started working on my own cars and noticed that they are almost never out of spec. The only time I really needed one was when I installed and new sub frame and suspension on a SUV. I'm happy that I found this channel It' s made a huge difference in how I approach taking care of my cars.
and you know your wheels are put of spec HOW?!? I guess you have an aligmnent machine that measures your camber, caster and toe down to the hundred degree inciuding your runout in your driveway hunh?!? I hate how people use their emotions to try and make things logical...what dummy would spend HUNDREDS on tires and NOT check their wheel alignment?! I started in 2004 out of school as a tire guy then an alignment guy and was ASE Certified in Suspension and Steering BEFORE I ended up at the Toyota Dealer...alignment should be check and tires rotated every 5 months or 5,000 miles if you want the maximal life from your tires....anything else that is said is idiotic....when I got to the dealer I noticed that even Dealership technicians are absolutely CLUELESS about alignment machine in the corner..let alone suspension theory... I made tons of money doing alignments for technicians who spend hours trying to do an alignment and have ZERO understanding of them...ALWAYS CHECK yoru alignment when buying tires...alignments are thrown off NATURALLY from potholes, rough roads, etc. There is no such thing as"always in spec"...that is just dumb...KEEP that attiotude and Just Tires wil lOVE to see you coming
You are,my friend not the only one of the best mechanics ever you are an amazing,very humble man, very oriented to every and each aspects of a problems. I am amazed with your videos and truly enjoyed them.
Solid advice all around! My general rule of thumb is just align the car with a new set of tires to CYA. Otherwise, if it's driving perfectly straight, I don't bother messing with it. It's also kind of a pain because I'm pretty picky and my car is lowered on coilovers with adjustable camber plates and control arms, and most shops won't touch it lol
I changed the front springs on my car after one of them broke. I had just a few months before that had a wheel alignment, and after the spring change I did another one. There was no adjustment needed. Money down the drain, but I needed to know as I had just put new tyres on the car. For the peace of mind it was worth it. 😝
Alignment CHECKS and tire rotations every 5 months/5,000 miles are the #1 preventers of premature tire wear..people psychologically look to WHINE about things because they dont want to PAY..its a psychological "cop out" excuse. Majority of alignement CHECKS are FREE after tire service or replacement. Ive worke din tire shops as an alignment guy sfor at least 5 years of my 20 in the industry...people are just DUMB... I see them come into the shop with inner tire wear nearly BALD with excellent outter wear..and these are the SAME PEOPLE who claim "alignment is a lie"...GOOD!! Fork over another 450-600 bucks for new tires now and maybe THIS time you will take the FREE alignment check, pay the 60 bucks for alignment and rotate those tires every 5 months..even as a 19 year mechanic who started as an alignment/tire guy I HAVE neglected alignments and tire rotations on some of MY cars..and guess what I got!>>! You guessed it!!
I usually get a lifetime alignment plan from Firestone when I buy my first new set of tires. It is about $200 bucks, but then I get it done 10x (about every 20k miles) and the ride is subtly smoother.
Quick tip for alignment pulling issues. When you think your car is pulling one side before you take it to mechanic shop or dealer,do quick test your self. Drive the car different streets see if the car pulls other streets and pulls same direction like first you feel? If not or it now pulling opposite direction don’t west your time or money. That’s road crown. Don’t forget to correct all tire pressure before doing this self testing very important.
I have not watched the video yet, but the title says it all. I'm a 30 year alignment tech. And yes,wheel alignments do matter. Suspension fatigue, and other wear factors come into play. Also any component changes effect the geometry. 1/64 inch of change can affect everything. Even a simple strut change can mess things up.Toe in is the most influential factor, for tire wear. Caster ,Camber can influence vehicle stability. And don't forget the rear. Alignment also influences fuel economy. And tire wear.
Perhaps you can help: I have a 2014 370z - I bought new in 2014. I don't drive it like a Prius... so - every single time I have changed tires - since the day I bought the car - the front right tire has strange wear on it. I have had alignments but recently I am told that the front right has abnormal tire wear due to camber - and that I need to replace the upper control arms. Oddly - (this is why I am asking) - It's not typical negative camber wear - where - the inner part of the tire is abnormally worn. It's all over the entire tire - as if it's scrubbing. Funny enough (laugh at me!) - I have always felt that if I am going faster around turns - the car always feels more confident around right turns for some reason. I have had some nice tires on the car: PS4's, and now some comfortable vredenstiens for winter use. I do plan to make some changes to the suspension with adjustable coilovers, and some NICE forged upper control arms ( I don't buy junk! ) - so it's going to be about $2500-$3000 in parts alone - to maybe drop the car about a half inch, and refresh the now 110,000 worn suspension. My question to you is this: What would cause this strange tire wear? why would this happen since day one? The 370z in general just eats through tires - so I have never gotten > 18 months / 15,000 miles out of set of tires... other than stupid tires - it's a pretty low maint vehicle, and fun to drive... Most of the miles on the car a highway/long distance travel - I don't drift the car or do any stupid chit... Have never hit a curb or anything like that... Generally speaking - I am the slow driver that all the tourists are passing!! Until we hit some fun corners and then it's game on!
@@07wrxtr1 370Z shares the same platform as the Altima,s. Biggest problem is the rear aluminum, subframe. It causes alot of rear camber sag. Stock specs are about 1.2 negative camber and almost .05 degrees toe in. Good handing, but compromising tire wear. I found my tears always wore faster than the front. 350s are rear wheel drive. Altimas are front drive. I've still experienced the same problems.
@@iamredrunt172 Yeah I thought the 370z was merely an updated 350z with a longer wheelbase? I do plan to update the rear subframe bushings - Z1 sells a number of various upgrades - everything from the subframe collar inserts - to the rear differential bushing.
My 2012 Venza pulled very hard to the right. We began hearing a knocking sound when hittting bumps. I found that the right rear strut was worn out. I replaced both rear struts...car tracks straight now. This video helps that situation make sense.
Thank you for some backing up to what I have always said. You do an alignment if needed not as a maintenance item. People always looked at me funny when I said that. If nothing is wrong what are you fixing besides nothing. Love the channel. Thank you for tips as always.
There are many things the can cause a vehicle to need an alignment...such as replacement of components like the struts, tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. Striking objects or going through potholes might cause bending which is enough to disturb the correct alignment. When the car is aligned to factory specifications, your tires last longer and you have better control over your vehicle at highway speeds.
I have a 2012 Lexus ES350 and it's like one of those boats you described perfectly but it never had an alignment issue. Just replaced the tires on it and after balancing the wheels the car drives like it always did. No alignments necessary. The only time I would consider one is if the wheel pulls to one side agressively or if I notice the tires not wearing out evenly. That hasn't happened yet and the car's 12 years old.Thank you for making awesome videos.
you are the best mechanic an human being, I done 10 alignments on my Rav 2019 and still steering wheel is not straight and the car is pulling left, I am dying because no one is able to do it. in UK i can't find a proper mechanic to help me with alignment. thanks
Thanks for the information this will save me a lot of money. I just got a new set of tires today and declined the alignment and now I'm super glad I did. The other tires had worn beautifully.
I have a 2007 yaris sedan that tramlined like crazy on the factory Goodyear Eagle LS tires. Horrible on concrete highways, the car would follow every crack on the road. It had a mind of it it's own! I was constantly correcting the steering. Finally, took off the GYs at 930 miles, replaced by Kumho. Much better!
You need a wheel alignment when/after: -replacement of worn suspension parts -removal of subframe(s) -if tires do not wear even -car does not seems to track right (nervous behaviour) - can be personal preference
The world needs more mechanics like you.
Seriously! I love this channel!
Right - this guy does a good job
Not only a mechanic, also a gentleman.
I did nothing but wheel alignment, brakes and suspension, for 25 years! Everything this man is saying is absolutely the truth!
Wow how engine not blow up from lack of oil?
@@efremendezthey worked in a shop and specialized, cmon man
@@efremendezyeah he means he worked in those areas, not that he did those for his car.
How many miles
No! Calm down 😂
A dealership tried to pull this with me a few months ago. I asked the service advisor why he felt I needed an alignment done and he said "it's standard after 20,000 miles." I decided on the spot that would be the first and last time I went to them for any kind of service. Glad to see your video confirms my suspicion -- thanks for these videos, they truly provide a great service for folks!
These Dealerships and Shops out here really gouge you and they have no conscience! They legally rob people without a gun..So disgusting.
It’s a quick $100, pure profit, non- inventory able item
I drove a 2006 Sonata over 12 years with no alignment
Caster is an angle dumb ass
@@juniormoore3953 - manufacturers need to bring back those cars! That was even before TPMS sensors were mandatory!
That would explain all the trouble I had last Tuesday with my shopping cart at Walmart.
Lo😂
Walmart has terrible carts. You have to test the one you get to make sure it will roll straight.😩
Time to change the wheels
Did you tell them to do an alignment on it
Must have been a Toyota Shopping Cart .... never happens with a Lexus Shopping Cart 😅
15:00 I had one of those old type of alignment machine scratch my rims, and the mechanic tried to lie about it. I cannot remember how much compensation money I got back from the situation after going to the Better Business Bureau. Needless to say I never went back to that company. Now it’s out of business. It was Sears Auto.
so close to 1 million subs dude, this channel deserves it!
Something we can All get behind. Honesty and integrity is a rare commodity these days. I’m for supporting it.
Great info. I wish your shop was nearby. A competent trustworthy mechanic is hard to find.
But for that to be the case, you would have to be living in Chicago.
I find that sometimes a pull can be resolved by checking for uneven tire pressure...
I want add a pull can be caused by bad wheel bearings , dragging, stuck brake or tire tread separation
That’s right! I believe a very low pressure tire,can cause a small pull..correct tires pressures all around are just as important..
@@jimbo5635 Some tires can also cause the cause to wonder around when driving on grooved concrete freeways. When the Nissan 300ZX first came out and I had replaced the tires. One replacement set of Bridgestone tires made the wander a bit. It didn't happen when I eventually replaced them with Michelins. I would get that problem every so often as I had different cars and tires over the years.
@@jimbo5635 You just named every issue in my car 😅
Thank you for confirming my thoughts on routine alignments. I routinely inspect my tires for wear pattern and maintain proper air pressure. My wife’s 2011 Camry has 90000 miles and never had an alignment. Tire wear is even and drives straight just like it did when new.
It goes without saying, but needs to be said: CORRECT tire pressure is a must first, the same PSI in both front tires, otherwise it will pull. Easy fix and diagnosis.
AMD, I don't think my car needs an alignment but I am really enjoying these little chats . 😁
@@Azaelult he seems to prefer it over Ahmed
This is a GOOD guy! I wish he could be my mechanic. I would not ask him ANY questions and allow him to maintain my vehicles and feel so comfortable. Good Bless You Car Care Nut 💙
Calm down 😂
You are one of the few mechanics not trying to sell unnecessary alignments. True honesty (especially with vehicles) is at a premium these days. Much appreciated.
As mentioned in this video, check your tire wear. My 2021 Camry hybrid LE (steel wheels 205/65 R16) is 302 K miles as of today and I'm shopping around for my 4th set of tires (yes 100K miles a set) , and I still driving on the same factory alignment.
I want to discount tire and gotta free Thai repair the other day. They used a gauge or a amp on the cell phone to measure the treadfrom each side of the tire and stuffit was kind of interesting
It really depends on the life the car has lived and the roads it drives on.
What,100k of driving a year? I am considering buying the same car, can you give me the pros and cons?
That is a ton of driving! My back hurts just thinking about 100K per year!!!
holy moly. at the rate you drive you'll easily hit 1 million miles in a few years. you should get on a news or post it somewhere at least, might be a world record
In Australia, it may seem that your car is pulling left when driving on most country roads, but the roads have a left camber wich helps with drainage, but is also done to prevent cars pulling right into oncoming traffic if you fail asleep at the wheel.
I live in Michigan, we are the land of pot holes, usually can avoid them if on a secondary road, but sometimes on freeway driving they come so fast can’t react fast enough and hit it, thats the only reason I get a alignment yearly
Here too, stiff suspension on my truck and rough roads mean I have it checked yearly and always corrected.
Keeping those adjusters clean from rust makes repairs possible.
Back when I worked at an NTB, we would have customers come to have their tires rotated and balanced or have an alignment. Ten minutes later, they would be back at the shop saying their car was "still shaking" or was "still pulling". If they told us this in the first place, a proper diag could have been performed the first time around. Always tell the person behind the counter if your car is having an issue. It saves everyone lots of time.
Many non-car people don’t know how to describe the issue. Not their fault, they just know something is off. A good mechanic or service tech can ask a series of questions and gather information required for a correct diagnosis.
The first time I had to do an alignment at the dealership, the alignment itself was fine but the steering wheel wasn't centered (off by less than a cm from the outer diameter of the steering wheel, but still noticeable for me). I also rotated my tires to rule out a tire issue. Even after 2 more visits they didn't think it was a problem. So in the end I decided to try adjusting the toe equally on each side a tiny bit, and after hours of trial and error I was able to get the steering wheel straight. Never felt so accomplished working on a car in my life, even for something so minor!
Come to think of it, there might have been a chance that i misinformed the dealership service advisor by saying it was a "pull". I definitely learned something new. Thanks for the videos as always!
Centering the steering wheel is of the utmost importance, they are supposed to take your car for a drive to make sure of that. I would have addressed it as soon as possible .
Your alignment was not complete-have them correct the steering wheel misalignment or take it somewhere else. Your signals will never correct properly and your steering angle sensor will always sense the vehicle being turned.
i had mine aligned at the dealership who used a Hunter machine. Still was pulling. i was so disgusted that i ended up developing all my own alignment tools to measure all the angles, and aligned it myself.
The dealership was quite a bit off in the left rear camber, and front left camber :( Left toe was also off :( They didn't even reset the SAS :(
i got both sides of the vehicle equalized and its nice and straight.
My method also aligns to the body centerline.
I had a subframe deadset kit installed on my GTI. It replaced the factory subframe bolts with higher quality bolts with locking collars. This resulted in the caster correct to near identical in the front wheels. Routine alignment is well worth the cost.
Roads are terrible in my area. I need an alignment every time after hitting a pothole hard enough.
Skipped it once and after 6 months noticed uneven wear on summer tires while switching to winter ones. Luckily, those are old enough and need replacement for the next season anyways.
Wheel alignments, oil change stores, brakes, ... If you don't know a reliable mechanic, and there aren't that many left, just assume they are lying.
2 recent episodes:
1 - Neighbor, who like me, does most of his mechanical work, was pulling a wheel off in his garage and I stopped by and asked. He replied rotors and pads. So, being the inquisitive type, I watched as he removed the wheel and observed that the rotor and pads were in great shape, only slightly worn. I asked why he bought the pads and rotors and he said he he had oil changed and the "mechanic" advised that the front pads and rotors were shot and they could replace them with no wait for $400. He ended up with some spares.
2 - Wheel alignment. My grandson called from a tire store "my car needs to have a camber kit" put on the rear suspension because the camber is out of specs and will wear out your new tires quickly. I told him to tell them he could not afford that immediately and bring it by. I have toe plates, camber gauge and a level floor. You guessed it, the camber was in specs for the car. I sent him a video about tire wear so he would know when to be concerned.
Good video, but I feel you missed giving a pretty good tip: You can get an idea about toe-in issues by running your fingers across both the front wheel treads left to right and right to left. They should feel identical in both directions. If you feel a little bit of a sharp edge on the tread in one direction but not the other, then that tire has been getting "dragged" slightly sideways due to poor toe-in.
Thank you for this informative video. Most car owners especially this new generation doesn't know about this. Like my daughter who brought her car to the dealership for an oil change and telling her the car needs an alignment every 30,000miles. Glad that I always give her tips and videos of yours and she knew how to avoid this kind of marketing by the dealership. Salute to your channel!
Just an fyi. Former tech. I dont know if all hunter alighment machines do this. I would see some "techs" change it manually on the computer and on the print out on the top it would say "modified". Thats how they would do some alignments when they didn't want to work on the vehicle. so just be on the look out when the service writer lets you know what was done.
Thank u! I vaguely remember my alignment place doing that. Not sure if I had larger tires or if my 97 Camry had difficult/rusty parts, but I WILL check from now on.👍🖖🇺🇸
All four original tires (General Tires) on my new 2005 Camry LE started wearing on the outer portions of the treads. The door jam sticker stated a really low PSI for the ties...I think it was 26PSI. I thought that was too low so I ran the tires at 32 PSI, then 35, then 37. No matter what I did the outer edges of all four tires were wearing first...even after rotations. There was no tire pull and I had the alignment done. Many opinions later a foreman of a tire chain speculated that the side belts of the tires were not properly supporting the tire. After the tires were replaced with another brand...problem solved and gone! Go figure! BTW...my 2020 Camry LE came with Bridgestone Tires...no problems...smooth as silk.
Man, if I was near you, I’d hug you 🙂 You can’t imagine how much your Scotty Kilmer like old school wisdom is appreciated. It becomes more and more rare these days to see professionals who prefer to both look at the big picture and dissect the issue to pinpoint the exact problem. Most people these days prefer to use “compartmentalised” thinking and offer you standard, “safe” answers. Keep up the good work, AMD!!!
I love the comment but let's not pull Scotty into this channel, lol
Nice comment until you compared him to Scotty Kilmer. So much nonsence comes out of Kilmer's mouth that divides Americans. You'll never get that from this channel. Thank the Lord ALL Americans are safe and respected here.
Don't compare this man to that Scotty kilmore click bait hack
I like ol Scotty 😂. He tells the truth about Toyota and other car brands. A bit over the top, perhaps, but he's ok😊
@MrLuigi-oi7gm I don’t see the contradiction between AMD and Scotty. Both great mechanics who are honest. The one difference is that Scotty has a longer life and professional experience and he can allow himself to speak his mind at times. AMD, on the other hand, prefers to play it safe and not to step on any toes. That’s all there’s to it as far as I can see.
Toyota dealerships service departments must really be hating you.
You provide honest information and education. Thank you for your channel.
Just today, my local dealer tried to pull this stunt on me. Said there was a slow leak in one tire that was not repairable and quoted me a price for a new set of four tires, and of course, a price with the recommended wheel alignment. Even with their buy three and get one free, the price was several hundred dollars more than the local Discount Tires store or Costco. (p.s. They would not rotate the tires on the right side of the car, electing to keep the slow leak tire on the rear. Guess they didn't think I would ever check my tire pressure or notice the TPMS light.)
Excellent explanation on tire basics, a lot of us get this very wrong because we've been handed the wrong information down from generations.
I now understand the distinction 👍
I had a 1993 Toyota pickup with 286,000 miles when I sold it. I never had any alignment issues. Tires life was great.
My car just turned 10 years old. It's never had an alignment, but all my tires wear equally. Rear tires aren't worn in the middle. Front tires aren't worn on the sides. I try not to hit potholes, that might bend parts.
A lot of times when you replace bad parts. You don’t need an alignment anymore more.
Still have my 1996 Camry, bought new. Never had a wheel alignment. Never have had any front end work needed done.
2005 Camry, 210,000 miles. Never had alignment. Still drives like a champ.
You are the most qualified and honest mechanic on youtube!! I do not trust my dealership.
Something I think would have been valuable to touch on is a “tire rotation” every service. Move the fronts to the backs and the back to the fronts. I have 63,000 miles on my current set of tires, they probably still have another 20,000 miles left in them. Tire rotations go a long ways to help even tire wear.
We have a 2016 Tacoma we bought new, and a Lexus RX350 we bought new in 2017. I had been thinking that we may need to get alignment due to new tires and ago. But both drive beautifully and no evidence of abnormal wear. Thank you for this video!
Where I live, drivers hit an average of 1700 major potholes a year though
That means some one is hitting 3000+ and someone else is hitting very few...see it every day 😊
Good evening, I also enjoy watching your videos and agree with alot of your experienced view points. Also being a professional technician and shop owner for 16 years can't agree more with Toyota being the best buy for your $$. Having worked for "mom and pops", "chain stores" and Ford at 2 dealers in my youth, past and getting Ford certified then becoming a Master ASE tech Plus L1 ect.. (I only own Toyotas now in my older age) Just wanted to add to your view in my opinion on the alignment chat. I have extensive back ground in Suspension, Tires, Steering and Brakes ect..
I believe it is very important to know where and how your customer drives and what the vehicle is used for. Highway (smooth)more, to city (pot holes, rough) more, owners who have rims / hub caps damaged from curb rubbing {toe}. Snow/Salt belt to Arizonia or even off road ect.. does effect wear and tear on vehicle. Not to mention towing, hauling heavy loads (Van/Trk) or even people who have cars with exessive weight in back seat or trunk always. "Not to be off base" but even if a driver is of the large size in a small vehicle and or a vehicle that see 3 or more passengers always compared to only driver. Weight distrubution does effect handling, steering & vehicle stance.
Areas of possiblilty that can effect drift, pull to be added in my opinion would also be incorrect air pressure all around and difference between tires, not to mention owners not following door jam OEM specs and following only the tire sidewall for PSI.
Incorrect type of load and speed rated tires put on vehicle, miss matched tread patterns, and AWD vehicles having 2 tires different in tread depth { more than 2/32} from other 2 tires and so on, 2 new, 2 old ect..
From a few weeks ago in your video on motor mounts. Transverse engine vehicles also can have a touque steer condition from worn loose or sagged mounts on the transmission and engine that missalign axle angles under take off or even cruising speed.
And off the top of my thoughts - living in the snow/salt belt, Brake drag - Caliper pins not releasing, seized causing front & rear drag to drum brakes being missadjusted / uneven, one adjusted tighter than other, to actual parking brake cable corrosion that causes cable to slighly apply. Cables on older automatic transmission vehicles seem to never get attension or used and even on the rear caliper ratcheting type can just corrode and not allow piston adjustment, not to mention actual brake pad rust, hang up in slides {wheel drag}.
Exellent video and continue the path, If you ever do come up to Road America again you are always welcome at our house as we live a few miles away from track. Anyway take care and God Bless.
It’s unfortunate that some auto repair places are still giving the industry a BAD name…..
Thank you Car Care Nut !
The first thing to check if your car is pulling is tire pressure. Buy a good gauge and check your tires regularly. If your car has a tire pressure monitor that actually reads pressure (not all do), then checking is very easy. A tire with low pressure will cause a pull in the direction of the low tire. This can happen before you get an actual tire pressure warning.
I got a 2008 Honda CRV, and the steering wheel did not center correctly. Toe was off only two tenths of a degree. After an alignment, centering was perfect. It doesn't take much to throw alignment off. One average sized Illinois pothole can do it.
My local Toyota dealer just tried to upsale a 4 wheel alignment today when I took my Venza with 15,500 miles for its 15K maintenance. They said my front toe was out, and I needed an alignment. I do not drive aggressively, I have never been in an accident or hit any potholes. Total BS, man!
A quick mention for cars with automatic lane centering: When driving, the car may require you maintain a light, but steady, pull on the steering wheel while driving on a STRAIGHT road. If you release the steering wheel the car may dart to one side. This reaction is NOT steering pull. Instead, it is the car's automatic lane centering system testing if you have your hands on the steering wheel. So, be sure to turn off any automatic lane centering before feeling for, or diagnosing, steering pull. In many cars this is the method the steering computer uses to tell if you have your hands on the steering wheel as required for safety regulations.
After my Forrester was struck behind the passenger rear wheel while parked by someone driving over 30mph it mas moved over 6 feet. I had to fight the driver's insurance to have a rear end alignment. The insurance company told me it was impossible to cause alignment issues. The repair shop found damaged parts, my muffler was damaged and I was told without the alignment my new tires would have been damaged and needing replacement within 6000 miles.
I worked briefly in a tire store. Their customers were farmers with their three ton trucks. The tires weren't high quality. The solution was that we shaved the tires to take care of out-of-round. We were told to balance them, then shave them. Then balance them again. When we were shaving the tires it was common to see one side of the face higher than the other even when the out-of-round condition wasn't bad. I don't know what the customers thought about all this, if they knew. These trucks rarely saw speeds above 55 mph.
At 95,000 miles, my 2017 Tacoma 4wd tires began a slight feathering. I measured the toe and found it toed out slightly. I used the parallel string method and corrected the toe back within spec. When finished aligning each wheel with the centerline, my wheel was off because the rear thrust angle. I corrected the toe on both wheels to bring the steering wheel to center and all is good. My camber is correct.
Isn't feathering caused by worn out shocks? At that mileage I'd change them anyways.
No, slight feathing is the result of wheels pulling against each other, chopping or flat spots can be caused by worn shocks but there is no shock leakage, nor is there any wheel bounce on bumps.@@johnnyblue4799
I have been my own mechanic for the last 15 years (mostly Toyotas) and I wish I had AMD when I started. Most things he teaches here cost me lots of time and money over the years. Best wishes AMD you are the best!
My man just saved me 200.00 on a lifetime alignment deal, now I'm just getting checked and will keep my eyes open, great advice
So glad you mentioned the road crown. Its amazing how many people go for a alignment because of that. Its also amazing how many alignment shops don't bother with centering the wheel.
Check your front tires for wear for camber wear. That will determine if u need an alignment or when u let go of the steeering if it goes to the side or not
Man I am so grateful for you making this kind of content available for everyone. Good video
Great info, thank you. I have fallen for the alignment when I get new tires; sounded like right thing to do, but going forward, I will not do that if car is operating correctly. On another note, When my 2021 Rav4 Prime was in for free oil change etc. at 10K miles, the dealer said Toyota recommends an alignment; I had a photocopy of my my manual page; I said, "no they don't". Plus, I have not hit any bad potholes, not hit any curbs, car drove straight as can be. Now I always take a copy of maintenance manual for that milage with me, no matter where I go; so I have info on hand and don't fall for anything. Glad to know how to test myself now! I wish more shops realized they are only hurting themselves long term. Dealer did my my services as it was free for first 2 years, but I'll go other places for oil changes now that I'm past the free stuff; for trying to rip me off. Only will go to dealer for something complicated, or warranty/recall stuff.
This man speaks the TRUTH.
My dealer said I needed 4 new tyres, which i knew, and the first time I've ever seen that they charge for a wheel alligment. It's a 2021 model car with 40,000kms. I said no all good I'll get tyres from somewhere else.
I used to align every year, and before any long distance trip; after the pandemic and economic circumstances I could not afford to do it as often and on every trip I felt discomfort from the rupture of habit of doing it. Thank you sir for this info!
Push a bicycle forward and it's very stable. That's positive caster. Push it backwards and the front wheel will keep turning making it impossible. That's negative caster. Shopping carts have negative caster to make them easy to turn in the aisles.
Yes to all, except that shopping carts can (and do) have positive camber, when you rotate the front wheels 180 degrees. As soon as you push forward, they flip around to negative camber. I don’t think they chose negative camber in designing a shopping cart. I think it’s unavoidable in the design if you want the wheels to move freely for maneuverability.
I have a 1981 Toyota 2wd pickup. Mostly driven on gravel roads. Never needed an alignment. Last year I changed some of the worn out steering components and did my own alignment. No problems with steering or irregular tire wear.
God bless you Brother, and thank you for all that you do for us car people! ❤
When I lived up north - Canada - in very cold environment, -40 at night was common for ~2 months I had alignment done late spring after pot holes were filled. Lived 30 years now in USA and have never had alignment, currently own car I’ve had for 12 years and 135,000 miles.
This is the best explanation of tyre wear, alignment and pulling I have ever heard. Thank you sir, for such wonderfully complete information.
Got burned on 2 front tires on my sons car. They lasted 8? months from a shop in my town. No alignment done, but it was not offered or recommended. My son noticed his tires wearing badly on the inside. Got 1 of 2 tires free from the place, but had to rebuy the other. Went to firestone for alignment and to have them redo the tires. I got the lifetime alignment. The same place did my wifes vehicle, a pathfinder. I dont guess they did an alignment or even checked? I got worried about it and took it to firestone as well. They checked the alignment first. They have a very graphic chart/system that showed it was out of alignment in 3 places. I felt I should get the alignment. They offer a 1 time for 129ish and lifetime for 189. I went with lifetime on this as well. I hope I made the right decision. Now I can get an alignment check/alignment each time i have the tires rotated if I want or need every 6 months or 6000 miles.
Just proves that a good, honest mechanic does not need tricks to have a successful business. If my 20+ year Toyota (inherited with 22K miles) ever needs service - I know where I am going 😊
Here in Malaysia, people around me advise to do alignments every 3 months, and it helps to make the tires wear out more evenly. Also, if we're working in the e-hailing sector, every driver is required by the government to enter an official car health test every year. And one of the things they test us on is the alignment, where the tires go on a huge treadmill and gets tested. And i've failed the whole course many times just because of this one alignment test.
Hello and God bless!
I have a little (big) problem.
I bought a lexus is250 v6 (I live in Spain) With 3350€ with around 388.657km and it runs like a Swiss watch. In town going to work fuel consumption was 9.8L to 100km. With full tank (53L) I belive. I was doing around 650 to 730km driving quite not so soft, floor it and such here and there.
My huge problem is: I changed the spark plugs oem Toyota (iridium with 3 heads or fingers to make the spark better)
Changed oil with: Motul 8100 X-clean+ C3-SAE 5W30 100% synthetic
Changed all filters OEM Toyota.
I noticed the car was X2 even x3 more response way way faster and much much more power BUT I don't like it. It's not as smooth as before. It goes really fast and the problem is that it burns 13L+ to 100km... Now I do 375km with a full tank. I'm so sad, I'm really sad because I don't know which may be the problem. Also after 2 3 days I added an engine anti friction product metal lube and the car indeed it runs 7 to 9db less. Any idea why it burns more fuel now? Please help and thanks!
Thanks for the video, good basic info for car owners that saves us cash. I think I have a good mechanic, my car was pulling a little and I told him I wanted an alignment.. He told me probably not? He rotated the tires for free and told me the car was fine. No more pulling.
I wish I watched this video like 5 days ago. Could've saved $130 and not gotten an alignment when getting new tires. Good info as always!
In the 20 years I've owned my 2003 4R I've never had a wheel alignment and never rotated the tires and all of my tires wore evenly and it drove just great.
Excellent. One other reason that a wheel alignment is mandatory is if you replace the steering rack. Otherwise I have replaced tyres before without alignment and no issues. Best thing to do to extend the life of tyres is check tyre pressures and rotate them every 10000 miles or so.
Thank you sir for this education. Recently I did go to dealer to get alignment. Because, Costco, where I bought tires told me that if I don't do alignment, they will not honor the warrant on tires.. listening to your explanation, I don't understand why Costco has this policy
A honest mechanic is a needle in the haystack. I wish AMD was in my neighborhood.
Me too !!!
Thank you. I was reading everyone and hearing from my friends that you have to get an alignment when you get new tires. I felt crazy knowing my car doesn’t pull and old tires had even tread wear. You are one of few people online that seems to know how to use common sense and isn’t trying to take money from people.
Another good point is that when you have a pull under acceleration it could mean there’s an issue with an axle
The most intelligent discussion on wheel alignment ever! Thank you, sir.
Car care nut guy is so honest. This is the kind of mechanic everyone needs to find.
🤔🤔🤔
Thank you... very sound information and advice. My Toyota service always wants me to do a alignment even after I got one done. Everytime I drive in... supposedly there is a laser that measures it.
Thankyou for being truthful, God bless. Over the years of owning a vehicle Ive learned that shops will scam and I'm much more careful about getting things worked on.
Thank you so much man! One of my tires a had an irreparable flat, it was under warranty shop gave me a new one. I wasn't sure if the car needed an alignment after 1 new tire was swapped in. You saved me money $ and the car works great 👍 I'd buy you a beer if you were here!
I have an MR2 Spyder that I bought used. The rear tires were set up with camber in them, for better handling is what I was told. The tires did not last long before the inside edge started cupping. I had it set back to factory settings. Hope that helps on my new tires. Thank you for all the great info you give. You are a blessing to many people.
Money maker and preventative maintenance item for my dealership. Just did one on my RX350. Guessing it was not needed but service writer needed his quota. I will know better next time. A big thank you for educating me.
@TheCarCareNut I was questioning myself on this subject when I saw my Front Driver Side tire at the very top, Toe Inward. I know if the tire at the very top toed inward it means negative camber, but the internet said when that happens it can be worn control arm bushing and ball joints. All of my bushing and ball joints are fine, and it still have negative camber. I did find a very loose sway bar link on the driver side. So hopefully when I replace that my negative camber might get better. Sway Bar Links also have ball joints on the end of those links. My new tires were $1,200 so I am going to fix whatever is broke and rattling first before making an alignment assumption like you just explain in this video for everyone to learn from.
‘12 Prius V. Owned since new. I’ve had 3 sets of tires on it and have never had anything but even wear. At 125K, I’m super impressed with this.
If your car is pulling slightly to one side, FIRST check tire pressure.
Thank you. I had struts replaced and I was told to go have an alignment done and since I had a major component changed I will go get an alignment done. The avalon has 102,000 miles on it.
Are your tires wearing unevenly? Is your wheel straight and the car drives straight? Does it pull? If no, to pull and yes to straight wheel, sound tires, and drives straight...you don't need an alignment. I would think an alignment would have been done, or at least a site alignment.
@@CollegeRecruitsNW The shop that replaced the struts obviously didn't have an alignment rack; after replacing front struts, an alignment should be done and yes, I'm a mechanic.
Thank you for your hard work delivering these educational videos.
I've done this for decades.
New tires + alignment check
Rotating your own tires and measuring the wear
Alignment only when needed.
I think I've done an alignment once, maybe twice on my cars throughout their life.
Literally going Saturday to have my tires installed. I haven't been seeing some of the new uploads so I was catching up on videos and saw this. Man the timing is perfect because I just told myself I was going to wait because i didn't think I have a problem and I don't want to spend 200 bucks for nothing on top of tires. You are totally right though all my young life I was told when you get new tires you have to get an alignment. I don't know any different until I started working on my own cars and noticed that they are almost never out of spec. The only time I really needed one was when I installed and new sub frame and suspension on a SUV. I'm happy that I found this channel It' s made a huge difference in how I approach taking care of my cars.
and you know your wheels are put of spec HOW?!? I guess you have an aligmnent machine that measures your camber, caster and toe down to the hundred degree inciuding your runout in your driveway hunh?!? I hate how people use their emotions to try and make things logical...what dummy would spend HUNDREDS on tires and NOT check their wheel alignment?!
I started in 2004 out of school as a tire guy then an alignment guy and was ASE Certified in Suspension and Steering BEFORE I ended up at the Toyota Dealer...alignment should be check and tires rotated every 5 months or 5,000 miles if you want the maximal life from your tires....anything else that is said is idiotic....when I got to the dealer I noticed that even Dealership technicians are absolutely CLUELESS about alignment machine in the corner..let alone suspension theory...
I made tons of money doing alignments for technicians who spend hours trying to do an alignment and have ZERO understanding of them...ALWAYS CHECK yoru alignment when buying tires...alignments are thrown off NATURALLY from potholes, rough roads, etc. There is no such thing as"always in spec"...that is just dumb...KEEP that attiotude and Just Tires wil lOVE to see you coming
You are,my friend not the only one of the best mechanics ever you are an amazing,very humble man, very oriented to every and each aspects of a problems. I am amazed with your videos and truly enjoyed them.
Solid advice all around! My general rule of thumb is just align the car with a new set of tires to CYA. Otherwise, if it's driving perfectly straight, I don't bother messing with it. It's also kind of a pain because I'm pretty picky and my car is lowered on coilovers with adjustable camber plates and control arms, and most shops won't touch it lol
Love this guy. Explain things very well. I'm going for an alignment because i will be doing some control arm and tie rod replacement.
I changed the front springs on my car after one of them broke. I had just a few months before that had a wheel alignment, and after the spring change I did another one. There was no adjustment needed. Money down the drain, but I needed to know as I had just put new tyres on the car.
For the peace of mind it was worth it. 😝
Alignment CHECKS and tire rotations every 5 months/5,000 miles are the #1 preventers of premature tire wear..people psychologically look to WHINE about things because they dont want to PAY..its a psychological "cop out" excuse. Majority of alignement CHECKS are FREE after tire service or replacement. Ive worke din tire shops as an alignment guy sfor at least 5 years of my 20 in the industry...people are just DUMB...
I see them come into the shop with inner tire wear nearly BALD with excellent outter wear..and these are the SAME PEOPLE who claim "alignment is a lie"...GOOD!! Fork over another 450-600 bucks for new tires now and maybe THIS time you will take the FREE alignment check, pay the 60 bucks for alignment and rotate those tires every 5 months..even as a 19 year mechanic who started as an alignment/tire guy I HAVE neglected alignments and tire rotations on some of MY cars..and guess what I got!>>! You guessed it!!
Please 🙏🏻 show us your newest LS project!!!! The suspense is killing me! 😊
I usually get a lifetime alignment plan from Firestone when I buy my first new set of tires. It is about $200 bucks, but then I get it done 10x (about every 20k miles) and the ride is subtly smoother.
Quick tip for alignment pulling issues. When you think your car is pulling one side before you take it to mechanic shop or dealer,do quick test your self. Drive the car different streets see if the car pulls other streets and pulls same direction like first you feel? If not or it now pulling opposite direction don’t west your time or money. That’s road crown. Don’t forget to correct all tire pressure before doing this self testing very important.
I have not watched the video yet, but the title says it all. I'm a 30 year alignment tech. And yes,wheel alignments do matter. Suspension fatigue, and other wear factors come into play. Also any component changes effect the geometry. 1/64 inch
of change can affect everything. Even a simple strut change can mess things up.Toe in is the most influential factor, for tire wear. Caster ,Camber can influence vehicle stability. And don't forget the rear. Alignment also influences fuel economy. And tire wear.
So, would you do an alignment check when you change the tires? And why yes, or no?
Perhaps you can help: I have a 2014 370z - I bought new in 2014. I don't drive it like a Prius... so - every single time I have changed tires - since the day I bought the car - the front right tire has strange wear on it. I have had alignments but recently I am told that the front right has abnormal tire wear due to camber - and that I need to replace the upper control arms. Oddly - (this is why I am asking) - It's not typical negative camber wear - where - the inner part of the tire is abnormally worn. It's all over the entire tire - as if it's scrubbing. Funny enough (laugh at me!) - I have always felt that if I am going faster around turns - the car always feels more confident around right turns for some reason. I have had some nice tires on the car: PS4's, and now some comfortable vredenstiens for winter use.
I do plan to make some changes to the suspension with adjustable coilovers, and some NICE forged upper control arms ( I don't buy junk! ) - so it's going to be about $2500-$3000 in parts alone - to maybe drop the car about a half inch, and refresh the now 110,000 worn suspension.
My question to you is this: What would cause this strange tire wear? why would this happen since day one? The 370z in general just eats through tires - so I have never gotten > 18 months / 15,000 miles out of set of tires... other than stupid tires - it's a pretty low maint vehicle, and fun to drive...
Most of the miles on the car a highway/long distance travel - I don't drift the car or do any stupid chit... Have never hit a curb or anything like that... Generally speaking - I am the slow driver that all the tourists are passing!! Until we hit some fun corners and then it's game on!
Yes . For me always. Different tires behave differently. If you can afford it, do it
@@07wrxtr1 370Z shares the same platform as the Altima,s. Biggest problem is the rear aluminum, subframe. It causes alot of rear camber sag. Stock specs are about 1.2 negative camber and almost .05 degrees toe in. Good handing, but compromising tire wear. I found my tears always wore faster than the front. 350s are rear wheel drive. Altimas are front drive. I've still experienced the same problems.
@@iamredrunt172 Yeah I thought the 370z was merely an updated 350z with a longer wheelbase? I do plan to update the rear subframe bushings - Z1 sells a number of various upgrades - everything from the subframe collar inserts - to the rear differential bushing.
My 2012 Venza pulled very hard to the right. We began hearing a knocking sound when hittting bumps. I found that the right rear strut was worn out. I replaced both rear struts...car tracks straight now. This video helps that situation make sense.
Thank you for some backing up to what I have always said. You do an alignment if needed not as a maintenance item. People always looked at me funny when I said that. If nothing is wrong what are you fixing besides nothing. Love the channel. Thank you for tips as always.
There are many things the can cause a vehicle to need an alignment...such as replacement of components like the struts, tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. Striking objects or going through potholes might cause bending which is enough to disturb the correct alignment. When the car is aligned to factory specifications, your tires last longer and you have better control over your vehicle at highway speeds.
Isn't that the long and the short of what AMD said?
@@Cocora22 That only means that two professional mechanics agree with each other. I have Ahmed's video marked to watch later.
I have a 2012 Lexus ES350 and it's like one of those boats you described perfectly but it never had an alignment issue. Just replaced the tires on it and after balancing the wheels the car drives like it always did. No alignments necessary. The only time I would consider one is if the wheel pulls to one side agressively or if I notice the tires not wearing out evenly. That hasn't happened yet and the car's 12 years old.Thank you for making awesome videos.
You have to be one of the best mechanics ever!! I’m a gear head and love cars. I agree that Toyota makes some of the best cars ever built
you are the best mechanic an human being, I done 10 alignments on my Rav 2019 and still steering wheel is not straight and the car is pulling left, I am dying because no one is able to do it. in UK i can't find a proper mechanic to help me with alignment. thanks
Thanks for the information this will save me a lot of money. I just got a new set of tires today and declined the alignment and now I'm super glad I did. The other tires had worn beautifully.
I have a 2007 yaris sedan that tramlined like crazy on the factory Goodyear Eagle LS tires. Horrible on concrete highways, the car would follow every crack on the road. It had a mind of it
it's own! I was constantly correcting the steering. Finally, took off the GYs at 930 miles, replaced by Kumho. Much better!
You need a wheel alignment when/after:
-replacement of worn suspension parts
-removal of subframe(s)
-if tires do not wear even
-car does not seems to track right (nervous behaviour) - can be personal preference
I like your way of explaination