My car got new 4 new tires a couple weeks ago. Started pulling slightly to the right, so I got it aligned. Kept pulling to the right all the same. Got it aligned a second time (printout of results enclosed), but still pulls to the right! Are these alignment settings OK? Any ideas welcome! This is driving me nuts.

 

Looks fine. Have you tried rotating the tires to see if it affects anything. I would try that if you haven't.

 

I would take out the rear toe.

But could be a tire conicity problem. Have you tried rotating the tires then seeing if it still pulls.

Also check the road force, and by check, I mean have the tire shop do that. They should have a machine to check the road force.

 

Thanks, guys. The rotation testing advice is exactly what Tirerack recommended. The mechanic who installed the tires (a Tirerack recommended shop) insists on a new alignment. The tires are Conti DWSs, and they are asymmetrical, so I think the mechanic is not happy with the idea of having to rotate them. I will have him talk to Tirerack about this when I show up there tomorrow.

 

Front to rear roatation is possible without flipping.

 

Remember too, roads are not flat. Actually I've never come across a flat road once. Interstates, highways, and other high volume roadways have a cant to drain water. Usually the cant is set for the left side of the road to be higher than the right. Two lane roads, farm to market roads, residental roads and the like are all crowned instead of canted. This means the road is slightly higher in the middle than the edges. This allows all water to drain towards the ditches and sewage systems.

If you think it's the alignment find a flat surface to drive on (such as a parking garage) and see if it pulls. It likely wont. The following is my alignment with new tires on new wheels and new suspension:

Front:
-2 deg Camber
3.8 deg Caster
0" Toe

Rear:
-1.5 deg Camber
0" Toe

(exactly equalized between sides with me in the driver's seat, it changes with me out or with passengers)

With all new items, and a *perfect* alignment I pull right on most roads due to the cant/crown that is put on them for drainage.

 

I've observed the same cant on the roads around here. I've tested the asymmetry by driving on the left side of some of the two-way country roads around here (making sure nobody's coming the other way :-)), and the car definitely pulls harder to the right than when I am driving on the right than to the left when I am on the left side of the road.

 

swap the front tires left to right yourself as a test it won't hurt anything. the whole thing will take you less than a 1/2 hour.

 

Done! Car still pulls to the right. A new alignment is being performed at this time. Hopefully it will be done correctly.

 

watch them do it if you can, temptation to cheat the machine can be very strong.

 

well - turns out they need a bolt kit of some kind to do the alignment. Will have to wait a bit for it.

 

Excuse me but that sounds like BS unless your car is way lowered. What's the reason they gave you for needing this "bolt kit"?

 

Utter BS. Alignment was fine, no areas that show issue. Camber was fine. You have camber bolts in the front already. If they try and tell you different, walk away.

Have them do a road force test on the tires.

 

take it somewhere else. PM some of us local guys for references. Chu (the second poster) can help as well as i can.

 

i didnt read all the other posts but your rear toe seems to be causing a trust angle that is making your car pull