Consensus: Alignment before or after getting new tires?

[Twisted1]

Interested to hear your take on this topic.. Does it make a difference if you have new tires before alignment? Would old tires affect alignment results once you get new tires on? Thoughts?

 

[oil pan 4]

I say after unless you know it's chewing up tires.

 

[CarDoc66]

Assuming the old tires were all at the same tread depth it shouldn’t make a difference.

 

[pbm]

I wouldn't get an alignment before or after buying new tires if the old tires were wearing evenly.

 

[Rand]

after new tires if the old tires werent evenly worn.

 

[Soft Cars]

Get your alignment after that way you're not trashing expensive new tires.

And don't go to a tire store for alignment !

 

[eljefino]

I got an alignment on my first saturn, way back in the day, and although it got better, it still pulled.

It was a radial pull from the old tires. Switched to new ones and they were perfect!

I vote for "do it on the old tires."

 

[totegoat]

After new tires, if it actually needs an alignment.

 

[Taildragger]

Do it with old tires, the tech can see the numbers and also 'read' the old tires. Two sources if information are better than one!

 

[emmett442]

Doesn't matter.

It's a wheel alignment, not a tire alignment.

Ever see an alignment target clamped to the tire itself?

 

[Twisted1]

Get your alignment after that way you're not trashing expensive new tires.

And don't go to a tire store for alignment !

I steer clear from big box tire shops that do alignments.. I always take my vehicles to frame/alignment shops

 

[Kantaro]

I fail to understand why someone would prefer an alignment on old tires before replacing them? But my opinion doesn't matter, here's what Hunter says in their operation manual:

Do not perform the procedure on a vehicle that has uneven or out-of-round tires.
Changing to "Live Planes" within WinAlign software will compensate for
uneven tires during the alignment. The vehicle's on-road performance
will still be adversely affected by uneven tires.

 

[Soft Cars]

I fail to understand why someone would prefer an alignment on old tires before replacing them?

Because if it costs $5000 to get your chassis in good enough shape to where it will hold an alignment, you might have to hold off for a while. In the meantime while you're saving up your money, you're not destroying new tires.

 

[Warstud]

It's a wheel alignment, not a tire alignment.

Bingo

 

[svtrit]

WHILE getting new tires……

 

[Creekside]

I would get it checked when the new tires are installed. If it's driving good and not wearing tires I generally don't have any adjustments made.

 

[hrv]

Always after for me....If the tires have worn even and the car tracks straight I want to new tires installed first and drive on them to see if something has changed like a pull or something....If no change I might have it checked...and tell them if it is within specs leave it alone...

 

[4WD]

We have a 35 year guy - he prefers at first rotation …

 

[John105]

I wouldn't get an alignment before or after buying new tires if the old tires were wearing evenly.

Alignments are a myth.

Take it from someone who has 2 lifetime alignments from Firestone.

There are a couple ways of looking at it, from the machine’s report.

My BMW pulled in at the BMW dealer, and all green.

The tech set every angle to the middle of the accepted range (they changed from before and after).

With Firestone, the car pulls in green. Nothing done, it’s backed out and ready for pickup.

Pre-pandemic the first one cost $150 and the second one $60. Both are more today.

I feel the same about tire rotations. And costco does this. If all 4 tires are the same for wear by tread depth, what is the purpose of changing their positions? They’ll slap a new sticker on and add miles to the current odo.

To your point, unless an alignment means changing the settings (normally it does not), then why do it.

 

[PontiacHO]

Alignments are a myth.

Take it from someone who has 2 lifetime alignments from Firestone.

There are a couple ways of looking at it, from the machine’s report.

My BMW pulled in at the BMW dealer, and all green.

The tech set every angle to the middle of the accepted range (they changed from before and after).

With Firestone, the car pulls in green. Nothing done, it’s backed out and ready for pickup.

Pre-pandemic the first one cost $150 and the second one $60. Both are more today.

I feel the same about tire rotations. And costco does this. If all 4 tires are the same for wear by tread depth, what is the purpose of changing their positions? They’ll slap a new sticker on and add miles to the current odo.

To your point, unless an alignment means changing the settings (normally it does not), then why do it.

Finally. Someone that has a realistic experience and view of alignments and rotations. If tires aren’t wearing, then why throw away money, your time, and vehicle downtime? Recreational tire rotations will warp rotors thus creating premature brake work. Like all of us have one, this is my opinion. Municipal first responder fleet management career created my realistic view. If patrol cars can hold an alignment (as long as no suspension damage) over a lifecycle then John H. By-George Public’s vehicle can also…