jhp012

I have an 05 Es330 with 24k miles on the car. I recently ran over a very little curb due to someone merging into me on the highway.

The car felt like it was pulling to the left a bit so I finally decided to get an alignment done.

As suspected the damage wasnt to great and the alignment took maybe 15- 20 mins at the most.

The back 2 wheels were fine. The front two was a little off.

My question is. Who knows how an alignment works?
There was 6 little boxes
1 2
3 4
5 6

The ones on the left was obviously for the left wheel and the right was for the right wheel.

1 and 3 was green 5 was red

2 and 4 was green and 6 was red.

They adjusted the 5 and 6 until it turned green.

The the numbers on all 6 of them looked pretty different.

Is this the way an alignment should be done? I was always aware that all the numbers on the left should corespond to the numbers on the right? and that it should be a set of numbers that is programmed.

If anyone knows anything about alignments please help me out.

I want my alignment to be done properly. plus that ride feels pretty much the same.

92ES5sp

5 and 6 is your toe adjustment. The other numbers are Camber and caster, which are not adjustable on your car. And its good that its green, it should be. If Camber is out, Caster is out and something is bent like a strut or control arm. And yes the measurements should offset each other from left to right if they are not dead on center. I think you alignment was done fine.

charley240

iTrader: (6)

yes, the number should be in the green, and should be similar to each other. but it is nearly impossible to get the left and right numbers exactly the same unless they are willing to work on your suspension setup for a few hours. but as long as it is green, then it should be within spec.
Charley

jhp012

If I took it to LEXUS for an alignment and spen $150.00 you think they would have spent hours to make it completely to spec?

92ES5sp

It dosent matter where you take it to or how much you spend. If its green, its in spec. Toe is the only adjustable angle and its set the same way as most any other car w/ rack and pinion steering. And with only 24K it shouldnt be that far out anyway unless you hit something. You paid 150 dollars because 1) The alignment machines are very expensive, 2) Lexus dealers are a rip off for everything anyway and 3) All alignments are assigned a flat rate labor time whether it takes hours or minutes to do it. I would go to Firestone and get a lifetime alignment. Its about $120 or so for the initail one, and you can bring the car back for future alignments for free.

lexus114

I think for camber,they have to reem out the bolt holes on the struts to make it adjustable.They drill them oblong,so they can adjust it.