Got Wheels Aligned & Now Steering Wheel Is Off

[MikeyC]

IMO, steering centering should never be adjusted for road grade. If your steering is slightly to the left due to a right grade, there's a reason for the steering wheel not being straight. Then if you are on the highway in the left lane and the road is sloped left, your steering would be slightly to the right. As it should be. Assuming all roads grade to the right is a bad assumption. There are plenty of roads around here that slope down to the left: it depends on where you have drainage in that area.

Mike

 

[TLLMRRJ]

IMO, steering centering should never be adjusted for road grade. If your steering is slightly to the left due to a right grade, there's a reason for the steering wheel not being straight. Then if you are on the highway in the left lane and the road is sloped left, your steering would be slightly to the right. As it should be. Assuming all roads grade to the right is a bad assumption. There are plenty of roads around here that slope down to the left: it depends on where you have drainage in that area.

Mike

100% correct! Do these same people think that oval track racecars are made to turn left with the steering wheel straight, LOL??

Always remember that almost all alignment shops charge a fixed priced. That means they get paid the same if they do it right or wrong. After an alignment tech has been doing it for a few years, they are going to be really good at telling customers stories and manipulating the machine's results vs doing an honest alignment.

I bought the tools and do my own now.

 

[holmgang]

So, no they do not use it to make the car not go straight. They use it to counter the fact that some cars turn if the road leans as the roads mostly do. I come from >20 years with Audis and their fine suspension have been more affected to the inclination of the road then some other cars. As the car starts turning downwards(right if Right hand traffic as most countries) you need to turn the sterring wheel a little bit to the left to compensate and drive straight.
My M3 is lot less sensitive to the inclination of the road then my Audis(still have two). This calls for less displaced wheel if you should use any. This time they set my stering wheel straight by the libell. Now the steering wheel is straight enough to not notice unless I actually look for any displacement so its good enough I guess.(I could/might make an own fine adjustment for the last 0,5 degree or so).

As I have been buildning/modifying cars and made the wheel alignment myself a lot of times I’m use to make sure the steering wheel is straight, and maybe more sensitive to it then the regular driver. I haven used any inclination compensation when I have made my wheel alignments and havent feelt any steering wheel of to the center. On the other hand, It have never been a swampy Volvo with 80-profile tyres either.

"they" do all sorts of things, as they are humans and prone to error. im saying "they" use road crowning as an excuse for the behavior of the car not being neutral.

i prefer my cars to track straight when the wheels are set free, and for the steering wheel to be centered in those conditions. IF the roads' roll/inclination pulls the car one way or another, so be it. but the car should NOT be pre-set to counter 1 specific bias.

its not a NASCAR and shouldnt be set so

 

[AAKEE]

"they" do all sorts of things, as they are humans and prone to error. im saying "they" use road crowning as an excuse for the behavior of the car not being neutral.

i prefer my cars to track straight when the wheels are set free, and for the steering wheel to be centered in those conditions. IF the roads' roll/inclination pulls the car one way or another, so be it. but the car should NOT be pre-set to counter 1 specific bias.

its not a NASCAR and shouldnt be set so

No, they actually set it a bit off, with the help of the libell mounted on the steering wheel. After the first alignment I asked "The steering wheel straight now?" and the answer was that "we set it just slightly to the right to be straight on the inclined road. But you can come back if youre not happy with the steering wheel position."
So. I did and this time I drove the car insode, and double checked with that(another mechanic): "Yes we allways put it slightly to the right, we set it that the bubble in the libell precise touch the line". He took the steering wheel libell and shoew me. After a short talk we agreed he would set it straight this time.

As it is a lot of posts, I say it again: I do not prefer it like this. This is how at least this company usually does it. I had Two of my Audis that got wheel alignment there before and I havent noticed any issues until now.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

No, they actually set it a bit off, with the help of the libell mounted on the steering wheel. After the first alignment I asked "The steering wheel straight now?" and the answer was that "we set it just slightly to the right to be straight on the inclined road. But you can come back if youre not happy with the steering wheel position."
So. I did and this time I drove the car insode, and double checked with that(another mechanic): "Yes we allways put it slightly to the right, we set it that the bubble in the libell precise touch the line". He took the steering wheel libell and shoew me. After a short talk we agreed he would set it straight this time.

As it is a lot of posts, I say it again: I do not prefer it like this. This is how at least this company usually does it. I had Two of my Audis that got wheel alignment there before and I havent noticed any issues until now.

What the hell is a libell? A google search brings up nothing but people's names, and that's pretty amazing.

 

[ARKEBUS]

What the hell is a libell? A google search brings up nothing but people's names, and that's pretty amazing.

Lots of bad spelling on these posts.
Libell probably means level. Hence the reference to a bubble.

 

[AAKEE]

What the hell is a libell? A google search brings up nothing but people's names, and that's pretty amazing.

Sorry, I meant like a spirit level.
I think/thought the word libelle is used for the bubble in spirit that finds the horizontal line. A search gave me this, but the actual one was more advanced and made to be fit on a steering wheel witout the risk os misalignment between the spirit level and the steering wheel.

 

[kraftg35]

I tried to ignore mine being off by about 3 degrees but I can't unsee it and it bothers me every time I'm driving. Taking it to the SC tomorrow since I believe they caused it after re-torquing the passenger front upper control arms or tie rods last week.

 

[Sasmf]

Anyone experience this? My M3 LR came brand new with the steering out of alignment -- about 2-3 degrees to the right. The car also pulled to the right. Took it to Tesla a week ago after waiting 3 weeks for an appt, and got the car back with the steering perfectly centered AND the car tracked completely straight. I was really happy.

Well, that only last for about 20 miles. The steering somehow went back to again being slightly to the right and the car is also now slightly pulling to the right again. Very frustrating.

Anyone experience this? It's as if they didn't tighten the tie rods or something and the steering has just gone back to the original right of center position. Argh!!