Alignment

Alignment

As everyone knows I have just changed my rear spring&struts. Question is: How late can I put off alignment? Is it possible to just align the rear?

I plan on doing the front springs&struts in a month, 2 months at the most. I will also change the inner/outer tie rods soon.

I know bad alignment causes uneven tire wear. I don't travel much. Maybe 100 miles a week more or less...

most shops will only do a 4 wheel alignment. it's cheap for a Corolla - just get it done.

Long time no hear. How have you been?

Thanks. Oh and why is it cheap on a corolla? Just curious...

I'd suggest you get it done. Replacing very old parts has a tendancy to jack up alignment because the parts are no longer sagging and in their original factory positions. But an alignment is dirt cheap anyways. The guys who align my truck do it by hand, and he only charges me about $35 to do it.

Wow by hand? Ill get it done on Monday then. I think I was quoted 100 for it a while back...

because a Corolla isn't AWD. "normal" alignments generally cost less than those for AWD cars (just based on local research, since i need to get one).

i've been busy. fine, but busy.

Ares, if you only drive about 100 miles a week, and say you wait a month and a half, that's about 600 miles. Your tires aren't going to wear that much, and when you replace the front you're going to need to get another alignment.

I always hear people saying that an alignment is $35. If someone can tell me where I can get an alignment for that price in Miami, that would be great. You can't find one here for less than $65

the guys who do my alignment do it by hand also. i think its better that way. normally charge me 50 dollars flat

Get it done dude, you want your parts setting in right and all and you don't want to go through tires every 2 months lol. Corolla alignments are dirt cheap compared to AWD vehicles

Exaggerate much?

Yes obviously but just saying that why not spend a bit more dough and save yourself hassle in the long run

I get my car aligned for 35 bucks just for the front

its more like 3 months.

Normal price over here is $35 for 2wheel alignment and $60 for 4wheel. There is also a lace called wheel works that does a lifetime alignment so you pay a one time charge (around $75 i think) and you can come back whenever to get realigned for freezies.

I drove all day today looking for quotes. Cheapest one I got was for 55.xx I will most likely just order the parts for the front and do a 4wheel alignment when everything is done.

Hopefully front struts will be installed next week (depending on shipping.) Im still contemplating if I can change the inner/outer tie-rods myself. My repair manual only has directions for replacing outer tie-rods

iirc the reason w hy it only has outers is because you need some kind of special machine to change the inners? that costs like 5132312321535343 x10^5 dollars. (well not that much, but more than it should)

at least thats what i was told. i could be wrong.

wow, that has to be a very expensive machine... I could tell that even if I cant do math just with all those numbers. :ninjastea

well, the only quote I got for changing front inner/outer is 500$ and thats a bit steep for me :/ Good thing is, I think alignment is free after that.

tie rods are a pain in the ass.

o damn. I was looking at just replacing outer tie-rods. looks easy...

1. mark the end of the outer tie rod (where it screws on)
2. take out pin
3. take bolt out
4. disconnect tie rod end (using a "puller" or something to pop it out with)
5. unscrew.

I am looking at a pic of the entire assembly atm. It looks very similar to this.


If i Remove the ends, only thing left would be the inner tie rods. I wonder whats inside those boots. Would I just use an open end wrench to twist it out? Is there fluids inside the boots?

I also heard autozone has an "inner tie rod" tool too...

i don't know what's inside them. all i know is when i put my Corolla in for a tie rod replacement, it took the tech a good half hour just to get them loosened - he was banging like hell on them, apparently.

could be. and knowing that my car is ancient it will probably be the same.

Hell, it took me 5 mins worth of exerting 100% of all my strength trying to remove the control arm-to-spindle bolt to take off my rear struts. Ill be sure to use the entire can of that penetrating oil on the front ones.

Ill get another quote from a Filipino tech that my uncle knows... Hopefully its a little better than 500$.

you can rent the tool for like 250/hr or something

damn. might as well have them do it. what's the tool's name?

just go ask them. im sure its not that expensive...but they were going to charge me 50/hr for spring compressor which i can buy for less than he price id pay to rent them

^ thats bs. autozone loans tools for free... i loaned the spring compressor from them...

It also helps to make friends with people in shops. I had an 4 wheel balance, and rotation, and they polished my wheels for $30 just yesterday. And if you know anything about tires, BFG 285's are heavy and shit, and the guys complain about balancing them cuz it takes so long. So yeah, go places, make friends, it does pay off.

Amen. I get my oil change w/ synthetic and rotation free at the dealership :ninjastea

On another note, some of the parts came in today. Im just waiting on 1 of the struts and both strut mounts to come in. Ill probably work on it on Monday and get it aligned on Tuesday. The car's probably had 100 miles already since changing the rear struts/springs.