# Alignment help needed



## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

Just got back from getting my Cruze aligned and the tech told me there isn’t anything he can do to help the rear since it’s non adjustable. I have been searching online and it seems they sell shims to get it closer to where it’s supposed to be. Looking at the printout he gave me what sized shims should I order? I am thinking .20 for the right and .25 for the left? Am I wrong to assume it should be as close to zero??


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## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

I’m referring to the toe adjustment as seen in the photo. Also to note the car goes hard right (letting go of the steering wheel) after the alignment which he says is because of the rear pulling the car in that direction


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

juavos said:


> (letting go of the steering wheel)


Never do that.

Does it pull you when you are actively driving?


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## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

JLL said:


> Never do that.
> 
> Does it pull you when you are actively driving?


Not that I can tell. It used to pull slightly to the left and I was having to hold it to the right to drive straight. I was concerned that I would eat up the front left tire so I took the car to the shop. Leaving I tried letting go and I darn near went into the curb because it pulled hard right


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

It's all in spec according to the printout so you'll most likely be good.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

JLL said:


> It's all in spec according to the printout so you'll most likely be good.


Yeah, any car that pulls hard right when you let go of the wheel is not "good."


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## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

Barry Allen said:


> Yeah, any car that pulls hard right when you let go of the wheel is not "good."


Exactly why I am asking about the shims as the tech was referring to. I’m placing an order for .20’s on each side and that will get it a lot closer. Next jump is .30 which would put it the other way and I’m not sure what the car is supposed to be set at


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## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

I will update the post later but just for future reference I ordered two of the MS500154 on rock auto which are toe shims +/- .20


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

Barry Allen said:


> Yeah, any car that pulls hard right when you let go of the wheel is not "good."


Look at the printout. Everything in the adjusted alignment is in spec. It drives good for him when he's actively driving. That's my definition of a good alignment, and obviously the technician who did the alignment agrees.

We all know that letting go of the steering wheel of a moving vehicle is unintelligent and potentially dangerous. Realistically, that method of "checking" alignment is an invalid test because people don't drive like that. And if they do, in my opinion, they shouldn't hold a driver's license.


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## BadBowtie (Apr 18, 2015)

Check brakes on all 4 wheels.
Also might be a bad tire / wheel.
Warped or bent Steel belts in a tire can cause serious pull on steering as well as a bad wheel / rim.
Don't rule out suspension either.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

You can't adjust the toe without messing with the camber.

Rear would pull the back. Not the front.

Rotate your steer tires and I bet the car pulls left again. You need new tires.

Your car is within spec.

Cancel the order.

Your rear tires are setup that way for handling stability.


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## ForgedCrank (Mar 18, 2021)

juavos said:


> Not that I can tell. It used to pull slightly to the left and I was having to hold it to the right to drive straight. I was concerned that I would eat up the front left tire so I took the car to the shop. Leaving I tried letting go and I darn near went into the curb because it pulled hard right


from the looks of the printout (if it's correct) and adding in the behavior, sounds to me like you are describing a stuck brake.
Drive you car around and then get out and see of the front right wheel is hot and stinky.

edit:
also, I agree with a couple of other posts, this could also be tire related, or even road surface.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

JLL said:


> We all know that letting go of the steering wheel of a moving vehicle is unintelligent and potentially dangerous. Realistically, that method of "checking" alignment is an invalid test because people don't drive like that. And if they do, in my opinion, they shouldn't hold a driver's license.


I, myself, find it enjoyable to let go of the steering wheel in the middle of a turn!

But in all seriousness, you'd need to have a perfectly flat and level road surface for it to even matter, which is unlikely since most roads aren't actually flat.

Sounds like everything is normal here - and the alignment is very much in spec.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

It's ok to let go of the wheel.

It takes less then a second to see it happening.

Just don't go longer then less then a second.

I did have a van once. When I was a wrench. That would literally make It's own right hand turns.


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## Jimster480 (11 mo ago)

I recently had a problem like this with my SS. It turned out to be a bent brake caliper due to an accident I was in. However I had this problem before on my G35 and it was a bad brake caliper that was getting stuck. I would definitely check the brake caliper first before I look at getting new tires and less the tires are totally out of spec.


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

I wouldn't just be slapping shims in there and calling it good. How do you know after installation it's within spec unless you have the alignment done again?

I think best bet would be to either go back to the business and ask them to align it if you provide shims or eat the loss and go somewhere that will shim it.


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## juavos (Feb 28, 2012)

Thank you all for the replies. I bought this car used and so I’m new to most of the questionable parts that are on the car. I have the shims on order but I can always send them back if not needed!

I did notice the other day that after driving the car a few miles it no longer ‘Dive bombed’ to the right and seems to be going straighter. I wouldn’t go as far as a new car but better than before the alignment. The previous owner had put new tires on about 10k miles or so ago so I think they’re ok but I am in the process of looking for 4 new ones soon. Brakes look like the red powder coated drilled and slotted whatever those are


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

If your brakes were binding. They'd be smoking.

You can always lift the front end and spin the tires. Car on neutral. If one is binding you'll know it.

I'd still rotate the steers and see if it starts pulling left. When I was a wrench. Tires were always the problem. Didn't matter how many miles they had.


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## wraresheid (Oct 27, 2021)

JLL said:


> Look at the printout. Everything in the adjusted alignment is in spec. It drives good for him when he's actively driving. That's my definition of a good alignment, and obviously the technician who did the alignment agrees.
> 
> We all know that letting go of the steering wheel of a moving vehicle is unintelligent and potentially dangerous. Realistically, that method of "checking" alignment is an invalid test because people don't drive like that. And if they do, in my opinion, they shouldn't hold a driver's license.


I think the vast majority of us realize that letting go of the wheel to see the result is very common. The VAST majority of us are responsible enough to do it in a safe situation, like ALONE on an unoccupied stretch of road. Don't mechanics do this to test?


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

wraresheid said:


> I think the vast majority of us realize that letting go of the wheel to see the result is very common. The VAST majority of us are responsible enough to do it in a safe situation, like ALONE on an unoccupied stretch of road. Don't mechanics do this to test?


Mine never did. If there is an pulling issue that the customer can notice when driving so can the technician. So if it was in spec on the rack, the steering wheel was straight when driving, and it didn't pull, I called it good and released the vehicle to the customer.


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