Originally Posted By: johnnyh55
Originally Posted By: jjjxlr8
How would you know that "nothing is bent?" Slightly bent components are difficult to detect., except with alignment rigs. There can also be measurement errors caused by the tech setting up the equipment that could be causing the change.
Well if the tech at the alignment shop says the alignment is out so it needs to be aligned but he doesn't mention any components needing to be replaced, wouldn't that mean nothing is bent? Or that would mean something is bent but he can get it back to spec without changing whatever componnent that is bent? So the alignment will be in spec with a bent componenent.
No, the tech won't be able to tell if some component is 'tweaked' slightly. Yes, it is possible to get the alignment back with slightly bent components. Yes, the alignment that is measured on the alignment rigs can be adjusted to be in spec with slightly bent components.
Sometimes new cars come with out of spec alignments. I've seen "non-adjustable" rear suspensions that are out of spec on a new vehicle. Camber bolts or other suspension kits are required to get them back in spec in those situations. Assuming that the car was built with non-bent components, it might have been just a stack up of tolerances during manufacturing or just a defect. It doesn't take much to change the alignment!