Only Tesla can do the alignment??

[TacoSteve]

If you have some patience and willing to learn a bit, a string alignment can be an option in your own garage. Couple it with a camber gauge and you can you have your alignment done in house. Obviously not for everyone, but good for the people that like to tinker.

Here's a decent video on how its done:

 

[Sam1]

If you have some patience and willing to learn a bit, a string alignment can be an option in your own garage. Couple it with a camber gauge and you can you have your alignment done in house. Obviously not for everyone, but good for the people that like to tinker.

Here's a decent video on how its done:

View attachment 733648

for track use, that's not a terrible idea, but be danged if I'm doing daily driving on a set of $1500 tires with a string alignment.

 

[jackmott]

for track use, that's not a terrible idea, but be danged if I'm doing daily driving on a set of $1500 tires with a string alignment.

Probably get better results with string if you have the patience for it unless you have a shop where you can demand they get it perfect. Quite a bit of wiggle room within "spec". People think of these as hacks but the pyramids and pantheon were built with string, they still standin.

 

[Sam1]

Probably get better results with string if you have the patience for it unless you have a shop where you can demand they get it perfect. Quite a bit of wiggle room within "spec". People think of these as hacks but the pyramids and pantheon were built with string, they still standin.

perfect is easy. my bmw from the a few weeks ago, drag configuration, not setup for turns.

 

[jackmott]

I mean, that you have a shop willing to get it perfect is great. That doesn't indicate how easy it is! On cars with eccentric bolts you sometimes have to try over and over.

Also you are off by 1 degree on camber

 

[Sam1]

I mean, that you have a shop willing to get it perfect is great. That doesn't indicate how easy it is! On cars with eccentric bolts you sometimes have to try over and over.

Also you are off by 1 degree on camber

0.1 which is compensation for the weight of the ice box that was not installed at the time. Unless you're saying it should be an actual 1.8, which it should not be because camber is bad for load transfers and rebounds on launch.

 

[TacoSteve]

for track use, that's not a terrible idea, but be danged if I'm doing daily driving on a set of $1500 tires with a string alignment.

You are kinda backwards here, race teams use string alignment because it is accurate and fool proof. Your average alignment shop just cares if the numbers are green, *in spec*. And that spec usually has a lot of wiggle room. The main reason alignment shops don't use string is because it is slow, not because it isn't accurate.

 

[Sam1]

You are kinda backwards here, race teams use string alignment because it is accurate and fool proof. Your average alignment shop just cares if the numbers are green, *in spec*. And that spec usually has a lot of wiggle room. The main reason alignment shops don't use string is because it is slow, not because it isn't accurate.

We use string on dirt cars and motorcycles because it can be done anywhere and easily, not because it's more accurate than computerized systems.

 

[subieworx]

We use string on dirt cars and motorcycles because it can be done anywhere and easily, not because it's more accurate than computerized systems.

Agreed! I do a lot of alignments...a lot. I own a performance shop where we focus on street and track performance as well as race car prep. We have a Hunter alignment machine and do roughly two performance alignments per day. I also do a lot of racing and support customers' race cars at track where I do string alignments for them to alter the handling of the car. String alignments work when at the track and done well can come very close to a good alignment machine, but the precision is never as good as when I am back at the shop in a controlled setup space. I have crewed for Indycar teams as well who all do string alignments at the track, but they will also do a full setup at the shop with more precise means.

 

[Motion122]

for track use, that's not a terrible idea, but be danged if I'm doing daily driving on a set of $1500 tires with a string alignment.

No, not at all. It's quick and easy to double check and fine tune it at the track or home. With machines you just need to make sure it is calibrated correctly.

 

[GringoViejo]

That's BS, nothing special about aligning these cars. I've done many. In fact it's the first mod anyone should do on a brand new Tesla. Take delivery and go straight to an alignment shop to preserve your tires and improve range. Rarely have I ever seen a properly aligned Tesla come out of the factory and my shop is across the street. The only thing you have to do is remove the rear under paneling so some shops get lazy but just know you should be paying extra to align these cars. We charge $120 in Fremont for just toe but we are a specialty race shop. If someone thinks getting a lifetime alignment from Firestone pays off then more power to you. I have not experienced that. In fact I avoid franchise alignment shops at all costs. I'd rather support local race oriented mom and pop shops.

What's the name of your shop? I ran over some obstacles with my Model 3 and would like to get a proper re-balance and alignment.

 

[Ddawkins196]

That's BS, nothing special about aligning these cars. I've done many. In fact it's the first mod anyone should do on a brand new Tesla. Take delivery and go straight to an alignment shop to preserve your tires and improve range. Rarely have I ever seen a properly aligned Tesla come out of the factory and my shop is across the street. The only thing you have to do is remove the rear under paneling so some shops get lazy but just know you should be paying extra to align these cars. We charge $120 in Fremont for just toe but we are a specialty race shop. If someone thinks getting a lifetime alignment from Firestone pays off then more power to you. I have not experienced that. In fact I avoid franchise alignment shops at all costs. I'd rather support local race oriented mom and pop shops.

Any suggestions for Dc Maryland Virginia area

 

[akhnoukh]

I got new tires and asked for an alignment. The tire shop said they can't do the alignment because they need the OEM scanner specific to the Tesla, which they don't have. They said to do the alignment at the Tesla SC. Anyone know anything about this? My model 3 is from Sept, 2018, VIN 059xxx.

I have alignment problem in Tesla y 2020 lost 1 summer tire and winter tire uneven wearing, alignment done st Tesla mobile service, not fixed and all care shake and uncomfortable.

 

[jackmott]

I have alignment problem in Tesla y 2020 lost 1 summer tire and winter tire uneven wearing, alignment done st Tesla mobile service, not fixed and all care shake and uncomfortable.

If the car is shaking that is likely an unbalanced tire/wheel, not alignment.

 

[akhnoukh]

If the car is shaking that is likely an unbalanced tire/wheel, not alignment.

I did tire balance at Costco and tech person report that uneven tire wear, from mechanical or alignment issue, I removed every thing from the car and tested, car bumping and crack noise when make turns. I have appointment with Tesla

 

[Occhis]

I have alignment problem in Tesla y 2020 lost 1 summer tire and winter tire uneven wearing, alignment done st Tesla mobile service, not fixed and all care shake and uncomfortable.

You say “lost” 1 summer tire. Does that mean you have one summer and one winter tire on the same axle?

 

[P3D-R]

In addition to what was said above, you can now enter service mode and clear the offset the vehicle creates to compensate for the crown in the road. If your vehicle is pulling in one direction or the other it likely needs this offset to be cleared. Almost like resetting the steering angle sensor. This will then sort out whatever torque vectoring the vehicle does. I've done plenty of alignments on 3's/Y's that should drive straight as an arrow but still pull in one direction. It would self calibrate over time but now we can finally access service mode to manually reset it. First time I did it my mind was BLOWN!!!!! I will start releasing youtube videos soon with all the cool stuff we do over here.

 

[Tripod]

I will start releasing youtube videos soon with all the cool stuff we do over here.

Please post a link here or your channel so I can take a look.

 

[P3D-R]

Please post a link here or your channel so I can take a look.

working on it. Trying to build up enough content to get a handful of videos published at one time.

 

[Koolio46]

In addition to what was said above, you can now enter service mode and clear the offset the vehicle creates to compensate for the crown in the road. If your vehicle is pulling in one direction or the other it likely needs this offset to be cleared. Almost like resetting the steering angle sensor. This will then sort out whatever torque vectoring the vehicle does. I've done plenty of alignments on 3's/Y's that should drive straight as an arrow but still pull in one direction. It would self calibrate over time but now we can finally access service mode to manually reset it. First time I did it my mind was BLOWN!!!!! I will start releasing youtube videos soon with all the cool stuff we do over here.

Wait, so would this also fix how every 3 and Y has to have the steering wheel turned to the right by 3-4 degrees in order to drive straight?

That would be awesome…