Alignment measurement: easy to make a mistake?

[w261w261]

I just got 4 new tires at a new place (for me) yesterday. Sears Auto Center - they had the Michelin Pilot Exalto's at $101 ea plus a $70 rebate from Michelin/Sears making the final cost $83. Town Fair Tire (I'm in CT) wanted $118 for the same tire.

But it came at a cost - having to deal with Sears. It was pretty bad, ending with them at first refusing to align the car because it was "modified." I do have a 1" drop, but that has never been an issue with anybody else, and Sears had what looked to be the standard Hunter alignment rack.

Originally, they said they couldn't get it on the rack because it was "too low." The tech was a big guy, so I suggested using a smaller individual to drive it on. That they did, but complained that it barely made it, with lots of scraping. They were sure whining a lot.

Anyway, before they did anything else I looked at the printout. I do have camber adjusters up front, which after they were installed a couple of years ago brought the camber back to under -1.0, both sides. Here's what the readout was last night:

LF RF
--- ---
Camber -1.8, -.5
Caster 1.9, 1.4
Toe - .12, -.12

LR RR
--- ---
Camber -1.3, -2.0
Toe .12, .03

The fronts, over a couple of years, did wear on the inside. Rears were good.
I'm not sure why the fronts wore, as even if the LF was -1.8, it isn't that far from zero.

My question is, I'm wondering, given their disinclination to try to align it at all, how careful they were about the initial setup? Is it possible to make an error with the equipment, or is it fairly idiot-proof? And anyone have a suggestion why I was getting the tire wear with those camber numbers?

[Strugglebucket]

That camber really shouldn't be causing wear in front. You might be getting toe-out at speed. Check your radius rod bushings.

[w261w261]

I had thought of toe out. The radius rod bushings are ok - I can usually tell when they're getting worn because I start getting torque steer.

One of the few things that I haven't touched on the car since I bought it at 86k - now 233k, is the steering linkage. It seems to be tight, but something has to be causing the wear, and I agree that the camber (at those values) isn't a candidate. That's why I was asking if maybe they did a hack job on the measurements (e.g. maybe there's more camber than indicated). I bought the camber adjusters with the 3 holes in them, and I'm wondering if maybe the guy that put in the left one didn't put the UCA bolt in the right holes. They said the alignment was ok, but I never got a piece of paper with values.

[Oldblueaccord]

They really need to get the toe set more towards zero. Any kid could do it. As far as too low, crib the ramps with a 2 x 6. unless the guages can't line up with the numbers up front there is no "to low"


Those camber number are about what mine are I think we have that same kit with the 3 holes.


wp