Topic: new tires - alignment required?

[Troublemaker]

Just took the AV in to install a set of Nitto Terra Grapplers (265/70/16R's) on my stock rims.

Installer (Goodyear shop) noticed some uneven wear on the old tires, and suggested an alignment, but would check for free.

Turns out the left front tire is 0.1% out of "toe", and 0.4% out of "camber".  Passenger tire is within spec.

They want to charge me $80 for the alignment.  I know I can get it cheaper elsewhere, but with it being so close to "spec", is it even necessary?  I've gotten almost 50K miles on the old tires, and have never done an alignment on it.

Thanks in advance!

[oHIobellboy]

Hmmmm,,,Pot hole season will upon us in a few months. If they're not wearing that badly I'd wait til spring. You'll need one by then for sure.

[Enkei]

This is why you stay away from Goodyear,Firestone and Sears shops..  You will always need a front end work from there out dated machines..Weather you need it or not..

  20/20 and some of the other News shows will say the same thing...  Go to someone you trust...

[Troublemaker]

yeah, I told them I would hold off on it for now.  I figured 50K on the stock tires and the tire wear was even on the inside and outside, but a little "less worn" in the middle isn't really anything to be concerned about.

I drove the old tires pretty much to the wear indicators anyway.  No steel was showing (like the tires on my last car), so I'm doing good...   And by spring time, I'll have a new set of tires and rims anyway (these ones are just my winter tires).

[Donnie1]

yeah, I told them I would hold off on it for now.  I figured 50K on the stock tires and the tire wear was even on the inside and outside, but a little "less worn" in the middle isn't really anything to be concerned about.

I drove the old tires pretty much to the wear indicators anyway.  No steel was showing (like the tires on my last car), so I'm doing good...   And by spring time, I'll have a new set of tires and rims anyway (these ones are just my winter tires).

Sounds like it could have just been tire pressure as well.

[Troublemaker]

Sounds like it could have just been tire pressure as well.

Exactly what I was thinking...   the wife was always complaining that the tires looked low, but every time I checked them, they were set to the mfgr specs (not to what was rated on the tire).

[MyBigToy]

If your tires were less worn in the center, it was definitely not front end alignment but underinflated tires.

IIRC, I think the tire inflation pressure recommended on the inside of the driver's door was 30 psi. I always felt this was too low and ran 35 psi. I had 17" Goodyear Wrangler AT/S on my Z71 and they had, I believe, a 44 psi max inflation pressure.

[Donnie1]

If your tires were less worn in the center, it was definitely not front end alignment but underinflated tires.

IIRC, I think the tire inflation pressure recommended on the inside of the driver's door was 30 psi. I always felt this was too low and ran 35 psi. I had 17" Goodyear Wrangler AT/S on my Z71 and they had, I believe, a 44 psi max inflation pressure.

I run our Bridgestone Dueler's at around 40 as well. The DIC will show the tires as low at around 32.

[Troublemaker]

found out when mounting them, I don't have TPMS sensors...   no biggie, just gotta monitor them manually...

[msdinsp]

Worn in center means tire pressure was too high most of the time.
Worn on both edges about the same means tire pressure too low.
Drive it for awhile, then run your hand across them, if it feels rough in one direction but not the other, toe might be off.
Worn only on either inside or outsid eof tire, camber would be off.
If it wanders or doesn't straighten out by itself on a level road, could be caster.

[Troublemaker]

Worn in center means tire pressure was too high most of the time.
Worn on both edges about the same means tire pressure too low.
Drive it for awhile, then run your hand across them, if it feels rough in one direction but not the other, toe might be off.
Worn only on either inside or outsid eof tire, camber would be off.
If it wanders or doesn't straighten out by itself on a level road, could be caster.

They actually showed me the readout, and the front left tire (driver's side) was (allegedly) slightly off on toe, caster, AND camber...   but the passenger tire was OK.

With 50K miles (on 50K stock tires), I doubt anything was too far out of whack anyway.  They were just looking for an extra $80.