All over everywhere!

[DriverOne]

When I'm driving, I'm constantly fighting with the steering wheel to stay straight. EVERYTHING affects it. I honestly feel as though the alignment is horribly off, but I had the car aligned shortly before parking it. Maybe the job was horrible. The specs were +37 on both sides for caster. All I know is that I'm shredding my Toyos! Up front they're almost gone, and in back, they look brand new! After I'm done driving, my tires look like I've been to the track.

Is +37 normal? I'm having a hard time deciphering the chart from another thread...


I can try to fix the alignment myself, but I've never done one before.

[FestYboy]

ok so you have the specs but where is the actual spec sheet from when it was aligned last?

if you show me that, i can tell you what went wrong.

[DriverOne]

I'll try and find it. At this point, it may be needle in a haystack. We'll see. If I take the car in to get an alignment done, would showing the mechanic the chart above help them in any respect?

[sc72]

If your shredding tires maybe your toe is out of wack. Good luck

[FestYboy]

I'll try and find it. At this point, it may be needle in a haystack. We'll see. If I take the car in to get an alignment done, would showing the mechanic the chart above help them in any respect?

no, their machine will give them the specs in relation to how the machine sees them.

[David88]

I don't see how +37 is even possible. Maybe if the car was in an accident. You would be able to physically see the wheel too far back in the wheel well. +3.7 maybe. Even that is bad as though something is bent or severely worn. Can you give more insight? Was there recent work done? has the car always done this? Any brake swap upgrades?

[DriverOne]

Sorry. +.37

Aspire swap. 14x6" rims. Festiva front suspension, Aspire rear suspension. Car didn't do this stock.

[David88]

I don't know why the difference in years on that chart but you would be within the lower limit of +.33 for '88-'90.

[DriverOne]

Weird. Sway bar bushings? Stiffer rear springs making the front springs work overtime?

[sketchman]

I've started just doing my own alignments. I've been to too many shops that messed it up or didn't try. One that even told me they couldn't do any better than how it was already. OK?

Anyway, I like the bungee method another member posted on here. Works very well. A string works too, but the bungees are easier, and you know it was done "right", or at least it was done how you want it done.

I even eyeballed the one on my escort post ball joint and tie rod install and it's close enough(by feel of course) till I get the new tires on. It really isn't the rocket science that the industry has made it out to be.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

[David88]

I was just going to suggest sway bar bushings condition. If they are dry, cracked and squished out, yes that could do it. If the stiffer rear springs change the ride height, that could affect steering geometry in relation to the road and could change how it feels.

[blkfordsedan]

Caster should not effect the way it drives or tire wear. It only serves to "return to center" after turning. However, if the caster is waaaay off between the two sides, it will cause it to want to follow the grooves in the road. For example: my Festy has + caster on the passenger side and - caster on the drivers side, but it still drives great. If the tires are wearing badly, my guess would be the toe is off. You might check to make sure the sway bar bushings are good and the brackets are tight and not moving around.

[DriverOne]

I'm on it!

[DriverOne]

The sway bar bushings are REALLY soft! I'll buy two rebuild kits and hopefully that will fix the issue.

[WmWatt]

I've done the string trick after replacing most of the front wheel stuff. Roll the car back and forth with the steering wheel centred, then check alignment with the string. Very simple to do.

I've rotated the front wheels side-to-side on my car a couple of times to cure noise and pull. That's all it took.