4Wheel Alignment ??

[bobbob]

I have a Chrysler (RWD) and the local tire store says if I get
4 new tires I should get a four wheel alignment. I thought if
a car was RWD I would only need a front wheel alignment. Please help. Thanks

 

[beast3300]

What year is it? If it is a newer RWD 300, or Charger, or Magnum then it is rear independent suspension and should have a 4 wheel.

 

[Gary Allan]

Depends on the vehicle. Some RWD have relatively sophisticated rear suspension that can indeed be tuned.

What Chrysler do you have? I can't think of too many with RWD that could be of such distinction, but then again, I don't know it all. If it's a solid axle, I'd be interested in figuring out just what they would do to it.

 

[Papa Bear]

They would have fun adjusting the rear toe-in on a '79 New Yorker 318 ...

 

[Gary Allan]

Exactly! Now it could actually have merit if the thing had been subjected to a substantial hit. I think I recall one such car ..that after the standard alignment (only one available at the time) the driver was slightly turning left to get the car track straight down the road. The rear axle as offset about 2-3". After the alignment guy played with it a bit, the rear end was tracking out that 2-3" and the driver's rear view through the side mirror was somewhat limited.

 

[pidster]

Definitely educate yourself on what suspension design you have. More than one shop tried to upsell me from a 2wheel to 4wheel alignment on my old tercel, solid rear axle. They insisted there was an adjustment. I told them, put it on the lift and show me what you will adjust on the rear and I'll pay. The excuses about no customers in the shop etc come out and I left.

I'm waiting to hear it sometime down the road with my solid rear axle Ranger.

If it IS adjustable I'd say do it but IME shops will assume you're ignorant of such things and charge the extra on vehicles which have solid rear axles and therefore no possible adjustment.

 

[andyd]

My cars are old and only have a simple toe in adjustment for the front end. A major component of the suspension is the stock 195 70 14s. All you go fast guys with big lo profile tires are just pounding your cars to pieces. Town Faire Tire mounted, balanced, 2 Bridgestones and set the toe for just under 200$

 

[paulo57509]

I just had the front end aligned on my '03 GMC Safari. The tech attached the alignment thingies to both the front and rear wheels.

I got a print out of the before and after settings; the rear had no settings - blank.

I'm thinking the alignment equipment uses the rear end reading (what ever it may be) as a reference.

 

[bdcardinal]

The rear end is used as a reference on all the Hunter alignment racks. It simply wont take readings if you just hook up the fronts. When I worked at Sears we had a single charge for alignments on most vehicles and we would set camber and toe on the rear and caster, camber and toe on the front. Vehicles that required weight added or special procedures were higher.

 

[javacontour]

Solid axle cars can be aligned. Shims are used to adjust/correct the toe settings on the solid axle. Shims are put into place between the beam and where the rear axle knuckle bolts up.

 

[mechtech2]

java - You can shift the toe, but not really set the rear on solid rear axles.

bobbob - Get a before and after printout. Ask them directly any questions. Many RWD modern cars can be adjusted a bit.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
java - You can shift the toe, but not really set the rear on solid rear axles.

bobbob - Get a before and after printout. Ask them directly any questions. Many RWD modern cars can be adjusted a bit.


I'm thinking of beam axles on FWD cars. You can shim them where the hubs attach to the beam, If the shims are tapered, you can get some toe adjustment. But as you correctly noted, not very easy.

I wonder how many customers are charged for such work, but it's never done. Seems it might take hours to pull off such an adjustment, and that's just getting toe set in the rear.

Put the car on the rack, take the measurements, lift the car and shim the rear, drop the car, re-measure, get the front...

I doubt many four wheel alignments on such cars really happen. Of course, how often does a beam axle really go out of alignment anyway?

I'm just a shade-tree kinda guy, so I don't see this sort of thing on a day to day basis.

 

[Gary Allan]

Back in the mid 70's when I took alignment, the instructor said that we should be able to knock one out in under 30 minutes. Even with experience I've never seen one done properly in that time. Now I've seen a tech read the tires and make a slight adjustment ...and the original offerings of most FWD were "set the toe, and let it go" ...but NO WAY with a thorough checking out of the front end? Nope. That's where you're hunting for repair $$$$.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
.

I doubt many four wheel alignments on such cars really happen. Of course, how often does a beam axle really go out of alignment anyway?


A fair percentage come out of the factory out of alignment spec.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Back in the mid 70's when I took alignment, the instructor said that we should be able to knock one out in under 30 minutes. Even with experience I've never seen one done properly in that time. Now I've seen a tech read the tires and make a slight adjustment ...and the original offerings of most FWD were "set the toe, and let it go" ...but NO WAY with a thorough checking out of the front end? Nope. That's where you're hunting for repair $$$$.


Man, you're slow Gary .... when I worked at Chrysler we did the alignment in 54 seconds.

 

[Gary Allan]

There's a reason why I never pursued a career in the trade. Those who know and can do.
Those who know and cannot - teach, supervise, instruct or write it off to continuing life education

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear


Man, you're slow Gary .... when I worked at Chrysler we did the alignment in 54 seconds.



Sounds like the factory alignment GM did on my Corvette.

 

[Gary Allan]

..and on both my Wranglers. I just thought they were numb and needed frequent correction on the highway. Toe out will do that to you.

I guess they just figured if they adjusted the drag link so that the steering wheel was straight when it rolled into position ..it was good 'nuff.

 

[paulo57509]

Remember those drive-over alignment things? I think they were used to sell alignment jobs.

Drive over them 10 times and you get 10 different readings.

 

[mechtech2]

There often is NOT any other adjustments other than toe on modern cars.
And if the car is not banged up, this can work out OK for it's life.
I will slot strut mounting holes to get the camber even on both sides.
Sometimes, the sub frame can be loosened and shifted a bit to equalize camber differences side to side. It's easier than it sounds!