I just got the rear trailing arm and lower arm replaced on my teg and I was under the assumption that I would need to get my car aligned after doing this. Now that I have my car back it drives just like it did before. It doesn’t pull to any side and doesn’t drive funny in anyway. BTW, I removed the power steering belt a while ago, could that be why I can’t feel the car pulling if it’s out of line or would that make the pulling more noticable? Should I go ahead and get the alignment just to be safe or should I not worry about it? TIA
:shy:
I bent my trailing arm a couple years ago, and replaced it … I went for an alignment, simply because there are parts in there that you just can’t eyeball. I would say play it safe and go for an alignment … could save you some money on tires in the future.
Power steering belt should not affect your alignment … if it’s out (alignment) you will pull no matter what.
find a JUST TIRES near you. they offer FREE alignment checks.
~Andee
actually really any alignment place will give you a free check. what you do is go in, tell them you think you might need an alignment, and ask if they’ll test drive it for you first just to be sure. just make sure you either a. ride along with or b. make sure the guy testing your car doesn’t smoke. when i took my baby in for an alignment, i got her back with the radio BLASTING on some wacked-out poopy country station (some country i can stand, but not the “lost it all” whiney “i have no scrotum” type that was playing), the floormats were totally COVERED in mud (no paper mat was put down), and above all else it took me almost 3 weeks to get the smell out from the guy having smoked in my car. but i got a free alignment out of the deal, and they said they do free checks, and that really any place should do a free check. call and ask.
YEah I know power steering wouldn’t have an affect on alignment I just wondered if I wouldn’t be able to notice it not being aligned since the steering is so solid. I think I will take you guys’ advice and find a place that does an alignment check. So do all they do is take it for a test drive to tell you if it needs an alignment? They don’t use any tools or machines to make sure?
they SHOULD, check all the tires air pressure, ( a tire at very low air press will cause a car to pull) and take it for a test drive, then put it on the rack and hook up all the heads and do a caster sweep of the wheels (turn the wheels left - right to measure how the wheels sit during turning) its not such a big deal since our cars do not have adjustments for caster, BUT a difference in caster more than half a degree can cause a pull. if you replaced parts on the rear all thier gonna do is adjust the rear toe angle if needed… not to bad,
~Andee…