New tires and alignment issue

[bpolly2004]

On Monday I got 4 new sailun terramax rt
lt275/65/20 put on my stock 09 ram. When I dropped it off with balding tires it drove pretty straight. I just wanted to get aligned so tires would last longer. I picked it up same day. I had the shop alignment done at the same place. When I was driving home city streets, my truck would pull hard to the passenger side. Enough where I couldn't let go of the steering wheel safely without putting thr truck into thr curb. I went back yesterday and told the shop how the truck was acting. The shop owner drove it and put it back on the alignment rack. He said it's perfectly in align. He did swap front tires around and I couldn't tell a difference. Still pulled hard to passenger side. Obviously I don't want them working on my vehicles anymore. I been a customer there for over 20 yrs. Not anymore. I have to find a new shop to fix up there mistakes. How could the truck pull like that after the worked on it? Owner said that maybe the brakes were grabbing one one side. He didn't even seem interested in making it right. I spent over 1100 bucks and got screwed.

 

[rzr6-4]

1) After you let go does it slowly start to wander to the right or are you actively providing force to the left just to maintain straight?

2) In my area, city streets have a pretty noticeable crown and pretty much any vehicle will go right if you let it. To really test the alignment, you need to get on a flat highway. Possibly the same issue for you?

Dedicated suspension/alignment shops are pretty good, but from many reports that I've seen here and elsewhere, taking it to a general mechanic (or even worse a tire shop) and hoping to come out with a perfect alignment is just wishful thinking. Your general doctor knows how to fix a lot of things, but when you need open heart surgery you go to a specialist.

 

[Dean2]

You did. I would at minimum be getting the price of the Alignment refunded. I would also make them give me the read out of your alignment settings BEFORE, they changed them. Also, what the current settings are. They should have this stored somewhere. Yours has the Independent front end, a good alignment shop should have no issues getting it right.

 

[bpolly2004]

1) After you let go does it slowly start to wander to the right or are you actively providing force to the left just to maintain straight?

2) In my area, city streets have a pretty noticeable crown and pretty much any vehicle will go right if you let it. To really test the alignment, you need to get on a flat highway. Possibly the same issue for you?

Dedicated suspension/alignment shops are pretty good, but from many reports that I've seen here and elsewhere, taking it to a general mechanic (or even worse a tire shop) and hoping to come out with a perfect alignment is just wishful thinking. Your general doctor knows how to fix a lot of things, but when you need open heart surgery you go to a specialist.

I have to keep some pressure on the left side of steering wheel to keep it straight. As far how dramatic the pull to the right is if I let go of the steering wheel it's pretty bad. Like never have I driven anything that pulled that hard after an alignment.

As far as the crown of the road, i could understand where it would pull but even doing 45 mph on the highway pulls hard. If I let go of steering wheel doing 45mph I'd hit the ditch in about 100ft after letting go of steering wheel.

After work I'm going to try to get truck checked out at a bigger business. More of an upper class shop you could say. As far as an alignment shop we don't have one around here that isn't at a general mechanics shop.

 

[bpolly2004]

I also want to add my steering wheel shakes too. Especially now at higher speeds

 

[Burla]

It more likely you have a balance issue, very common with new tires. You need road force balancing, so maybe a rebalance will help. This happens all the time at alignment shops, the machine don't lie unless something is wrong with it, just because you are pulling to the right doesn't mean the alignment is off. In fact, sometimes you need someone with skill to adjust your car to drive straight if the balance ends up good but still pulling. Your frame could have settled or other factors as well.

You might be chapped, but this is so common you might want to cut them a break and see what they will do for you, cover the cost to rebalance?

 

[Burla]

Did the shop balance the tires? Did you buy the tires there?

 

[Jas34]

At this point, I would try another shop or dealer (they are at least trained to do your alignment right). Tell them the issue and get before and after print outs. Same with the balancing. Ask them to document how out of balance they are before they pull the weights and rebalance. If the other shop did screw it up and it's better now, then take the results back to them and see if you can get anything back, or resort to small claims if you feel it's important enough.

 

[Dean2]

The other real possibility is that you have one or more defective tires. A tire with a belt that isn't centred or has a hump in it, will appear balanced but will hop and pull on the road. Swap the back tires to the front and closely inspect all tires.

When they mounted my most recent set of Duratracs, the shop rejected 2 of the original 4 as being out of spec. Thos is a VERY good tire shop and why I have used them for years. Many shops would have mounted the 2 rejects and piled on weight and tried to get them on the back so it isn't as noticeable, at least till the first rotation.

 

[bpolly2004]

Yes I purchased the tires new from the original shop. Also they replaced 3 tpms sensors and an alignment. My bill was $1149.

I took the truck to a reputable business in town. They do ton of work there. This is the pic the tech showed me before they worked in the alignment. Alignment was off. But they also said that the previous shop only adjusted one side. The tie rod was the only thing the other shop messed with they said. But also with further inspection I have a sticking brake caliper on that side as well. So I will have to change that out myself.

 

[Dean2]

Yes I purchased the tires new from the original shop. Also they replaced 3 tpms sensors and an alignment. My bill was $1149.

I took the truck to a reputable business in town. They do ton of work there. This is the pic the tech showed me before they worked in the alignment. Alignment was off. But they also said that the previous shop only adjusted one side. The tie rod was the only thing the other shop messed with they said. But also with further inspection I have a sticking brake caliper on that side as well. So I will have to change that out myself.


View attachment 556340

How far out of balance were the tires?

 

[bpolly2004]

I don't think they rebalanced them

 

[Dean2]

I would bet they are going to need to given how bad the alignment was.

 

[Jas34]

So is it better with the new alignment or is the caliper causing the pull?

 

[BuschLatte420]

only place that could align mine by me was the dealership and they did a good one, apparently not many places have a rack big enough for a crew cab 6’4 box

 

[bpolly2004]

It still pulls some to the right but not near as severe as it was. The caliper is still pulling me to that side. I will have to wait til after Christmas to change the caliper.

 

[Dusty]

It still pulls some to the right but not near as severe as it was. The caliper is still pulling me to that side. I will have to wait til after Christmas to change the caliper.

Maybe with a note to your 'special' Santa there will be one under your Christmas tree!

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 124209 miles.

 

[bpolly2004]

update

changed out brake caliper and hose yesterday. It still pulls hard to the passenger side. I called another shop and got in this afternoon. They said alignment was terrible and that my lower control arm bolt is seized and they cannot align it. They want 1700 dollars to replace control arms. That's a crazy amount. Idk what to do. Any suggestions?

 

[Dean2]

update

changed out brake caliper and hose yesterday. It still pulls hard to the passenger side. I called another shop and got in this afternoon. They said alignment was terrible and that my lower control arm bolt is seized and they cannot align it. They want 1700 dollars to replace control arms. That's a crazy amount. Idk what to do. Any suggestions?

You don't have to replace the whole control arm just becuase the bolt is siezed. Get some penetrating oil and work on it. Patience and penetrating oil will get the job done. Worst case you need new bolts and nuts.

 

[bpolly2004]

I have an appointment Monday to get a 2nd opinion. Every shop is blaming the previous shop. If I were to go ahead and get new lower control arms which should I go with? I seen mevotech on rock auto for 110. Or the have the premium moog for 200 bucks. Is there a difference?