Question About Alignment: PLEASE HELP! 89 GTA
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 562
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From: New Port Richey, Florida, USA
Car: 1989 Pontiac GTA Hardtop.
Engine: ZZ4 - 350
Transmission: Garbage
Question About Alignment: PLEASE HELP! 89 GTA
I Posted this in the suspension board, but didn't get any help yet. I figured more people would see it here. Thanks and sorry it is long!!
Hey Guys,This is long, but please read. some of you may not know, but I spent About $1200 on new tires, shocks, struts, springs, bushings and an alignment. Well the place I took it for the alignment & tires is very reputable. The car was done and it pulled to the right, so I took it back and it still pulled a little bit. I took it back again and they said that did a special alignment called a SAI alignment. They said they do this on cars that have been wrecked, frame damage, etc. Well My car was never wrecked. I had it checked by the Vin # on Carfax, and to a dealership body shop that a friend works at. The only thing done was the drivers fender was creased and changed. No hood or door damage (Very Minor). Well after they did this alignment they said that the rear right wheel toe was out. It was Neg-0.30, and that there is no way to adjust this. He said that is what is causing the pull to the right. He said as far as he knows, that the only way to fix this is to put it on a frame machine and have it fixed. He said that it most likely is from torque over the years. The left wheel toe was 0.12. He said the right wheel is off about a half inch. Is there any way to adjust this???????? Sorry this is long, but this is bothering me!! What gets me, is after they aligned it today again, it really doesn't pull at all anymore. But they go ahead and tell me this stuff. If it has to go on to a frame machine, about how much should it cost me, and will they be able to get it right to factory specs?? Please help Guys!!!!
Thanks
Mike
Hey Guys,This is long, but please read. some of you may not know, but I spent About $1200 on new tires, shocks, struts, springs, bushings and an alignment. Well the place I took it for the alignment & tires is very reputable. The car was done and it pulled to the right, so I took it back and it still pulled a little bit. I took it back again and they said that did a special alignment called a SAI alignment. They said they do this on cars that have been wrecked, frame damage, etc. Well My car was never wrecked. I had it checked by the Vin # on Carfax, and to a dealership body shop that a friend works at. The only thing done was the drivers fender was creased and changed. No hood or door damage (Very Minor). Well after they did this alignment they said that the rear right wheel toe was out. It was Neg-0.30, and that there is no way to adjust this. He said that is what is causing the pull to the right. He said as far as he knows, that the only way to fix this is to put it on a frame machine and have it fixed. He said that it most likely is from torque over the years. The left wheel toe was 0.12. He said the right wheel is off about a half inch. Is there any way to adjust this???????? Sorry this is long, but this is bothering me!! What gets me, is after they aligned it today again, it really doesn't pull at all anymore. But they go ahead and tell me this stuff. If it has to go on to a frame machine, about how much should it cost me, and will they be able to get it right to factory specs?? Please help Guys!!!!
Thanks
Mike
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Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Loveland, OH, US
Car: 4
Engine: 6
Transmission: 5
What that means, is that the axle tubes don't stick perfectly straight out of the rear end housing's center section. This is fairly common, since the factory only uses 2 spot welds to hold it together. A frame shop can sometimes fix it, then weld all the way around the tube to hold it in better.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
From: New Port Richey, Florida, USA
Car: 1989 Pontiac GTA Hardtop.
Engine: ZZ4 - 350
Transmission: Garbage
Thanks RB83L69! I will take it to the Body shop and get it checked out. I am glad to hear that it is kinda common.
Later
Mike
Later
Mike
Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 153
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From: Middle TN USA
Car: 89 FORMULA 350 / 1991 RX7
Engine: 5.7 L98 / LT1
Transmission: 700R4 / 6 speed manual
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi / 4.11 posi
before you take it to a frame shop. switch the two front tires. if the car pulls the opposite side you just might have a radial tire pull. let me know how it turns out
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,392
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From: orlando, fl usa
Car: 1986 pontiac TA
Engine: 360 HSR
Transmission: 700r4 3300 yank converter
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt
Re: Question About Alignment: PLEASE HELP! 89 GTA
Originally posted by West Coast GTA Man
I Posted this in the suspension board, but didn't get any help yet. I figured more people would see it here. Thanks and sorry it is long!!
Hey Guys,This is long, but please read. some of you may not know, but I spent About $1200 on new tires, shocks, struts, springs, bushings and an alignment. Well the place I took it for the alignment & tires is very reputable. The car was done and it pulled to the right, so I took it back and it still pulled a little bit. I took it back again and they said that did a special alignment called a SAI alignment. They said they do this on cars that have been wrecked, frame damage, etc. Well My car was never wrecked. I had it checked by the Vin # on Carfax, and to a dealership body shop that a friend works at. The only thing done was the drivers fender was creased and changed. No hood or door damage (Very Minor). Well after they did this alignment they said that the rear right wheel toe was out. It was Neg-0.30, and that there is no way to adjust this. He said that is what is causing the pull to the right. He said as far as he knows, that the only way to fix this is to put it on a frame machine and have it fixed. He said that it most likely is from torque over the years. The left wheel toe was 0.12. He said the right wheel is off about a half inch. Is there any way to adjust this???????? Sorry this is long, but this is bothering me!! What gets me, is after they aligned it today again, it really doesn't pull at all anymore. But they go ahead and tell me this stuff. If it has to go on to a frame machine, about how much should it cost me, and will they be able to get it right to factory specs?? Please help Guys!!!!
Thanks
Mike
I Posted this in the suspension board, but didn't get any help yet. I figured more people would see it here. Thanks and sorry it is long!!
Hey Guys,This is long, but please read. some of you may not know, but I spent About $1200 on new tires, shocks, struts, springs, bushings and an alignment. Well the place I took it for the alignment & tires is very reputable. The car was done and it pulled to the right, so I took it back and it still pulled a little bit. I took it back again and they said that did a special alignment called a SAI alignment. They said they do this on cars that have been wrecked, frame damage, etc. Well My car was never wrecked. I had it checked by the Vin # on Carfax, and to a dealership body shop that a friend works at. The only thing done was the drivers fender was creased and changed. No hood or door damage (Very Minor). Well after they did this alignment they said that the rear right wheel toe was out. It was Neg-0.30, and that there is no way to adjust this. He said that is what is causing the pull to the right. He said as far as he knows, that the only way to fix this is to put it on a frame machine and have it fixed. He said that it most likely is from torque over the years. The left wheel toe was 0.12. He said the right wheel is off about a half inch. Is there any way to adjust this???????? Sorry this is long, but this is bothering me!! What gets me, is after they aligned it today again, it really doesn't pull at all anymore. But they go ahead and tell me this stuff. If it has to go on to a frame machine, about how much should it cost me, and will they be able to get it right to factory specs?? Please help Guys!!!!
Thanks
Mike
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
From: New Port Richey, Florida, USA
Car: 1989 Pontiac GTA Hardtop.
Engine: ZZ4 - 350
Transmission: Garbage
Thanks GTA007, I will try it this weekend, and let you know. And thanks Mrr23, I e-mailed you. Thanks again guys!!
Mike
Mike
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