VolVette

I had my car aligned less than a week ago. It drove like it never had before. Now, it's pulling to the left just like it did before I brought it. I admit I'm not experienced with suspension or front ends. But what do you know from experience that causes this? Ball joints? Tie Rods?

Thanks for your help.

:cheers:

Stephen

98RKC

control arm bushings?

TedH

Does it pull all of the time or does the behavior vary? If it varies, I'd guess a worn ball joint that is moving on you. If it is persistent, and you are certain the front and rear alignment settings are correct, you may want to have the frame looked at (or try a different alignment shop).

VolVette

The slight pulling is only at speeds of greater than 70mph, does that change anything?

Thanks again.

Stephen

Jvette73

Check underneath to see if lower control arm bolts have come loose. I have had to retighten mine twice so far. i have the poly bushings and im lucky I havnt lost one yet.

Jvette73

Also , unequal tire pressure up front can definatly cause a pull. The softer tire will have more rolling resistance causing a pull to that side.

73 LS-4

It very possibly could be a tire pull, a simple check is to swap the front tires left to right, if the pull is gone or pulls the other way then the tires are at fault. If this isn't the case then you probably have something moving under there on you.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

Big Fish

All great suggestions, maybe check the calibration of your power steering control valve if so equipped. :cheers:

Jvette73

Also keep in mind the roadway. Most roadways have a crown in the middle and others slope slightly to one side or the other to get the rain water to run off. If yur alignment is perfect but you are driving on a road with crown or slope, and you let go of the wheel the car will usually drift off the road in the direction of the fall. In order to feel a perfect alignment going perfectly straight, you would need to be driving on a perfectly level surface, which there are practically none of such. Just another thought to rattle yur brain. :D

norvalwilhelm

Stock specs call for very little caster. I go for 2.75 caster. I set camber at -minus .75 and toe at 1/16th. I also want both side equal. Stock specs are very low and just because they are in specs side to side doesn't mean both sides are equal.
Go with these specs and ask them to make them equal side to side and you want a final printout and the car will steer alot better.

Frank75

Have you brought the car back? It's possible (but unlikely) that they didn't properly tighten something. Also, has anyone mentioned possible frame cracking or other structural problem? Any good shop will check components for wear before aligning but may not see frame cracks. Another thought: did they do a 4-wheel alignment? Are the trailing arm bushings worn? Could be something in the rear suspension...

good luck!

ddecart

What are the suspension settings that the car was set to?

I'd bring the car back to the shop where it was aligned and have them check it. Unless you really whacked something in the past week, there's no good reason anything should be different now than then.

Dave