Aftermarket Wheels and Alignment
#1
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Aftermarket Wheels and Alignment
Hello CL,
So I recently got my Vossen CV4's in 20x9 all the way around installed. On Monday I took my car in to get an alignment. The shop that I went to said that they will try their best to align my car as they have no specs to go off of now that I have aftermarket wheels on. Is this true or were they giving me BS? How were you all able to get the alignment done? Do they set it to factory specs even with aftermarket wheels? My car still pulls to the right when I let go of my steering wheel at all speeds after the alignment. Plus there is some slight vibration at certain speeds. I'm thinking I need to go get my wheels balanced again. Do you recommend the shop balance my wheels and tires with the hub rings on or off the wheel? Sorry for all these questions. First time getting aftermarket wheels and I just want to make sure I do everything properly. Lastly what PSI do you recommend I run? Tires are 245/35R20.
Thanks in advance!
Sevn86
So I recently got my Vossen CV4's in 20x9 all the way around installed. On Monday I took my car in to get an alignment. The shop that I went to said that they will try their best to align my car as they have no specs to go off of now that I have aftermarket wheels on. Is this true or were they giving me BS? How were you all able to get the alignment done? Do they set it to factory specs even with aftermarket wheels? My car still pulls to the right when I let go of my steering wheel at all speeds after the alignment. Plus there is some slight vibration at certain speeds. I'm thinking I need to go get my wheels balanced again. Do you recommend the shop balance my wheels and tires with the hub rings on or off the wheel? Sorry for all these questions. First time getting aftermarket wheels and I just want to make sure I do everything properly. Lastly what PSI do you recommend I run? Tires are 245/35R20.
Thanks in advance!
Sevn86
#2
Lexus Test Driver
From my experience, this car is really tough to align, u need to find a shop that has a good equipment and a guy that knows how to fix pulling cars. I had the same pulling problem and my steering wheel was crooked. I did 3 alignments, 2 at an independent shop and 1 at the dealer and they couldn't fix it 100%, the car was still pulling to the right. That's $200 down the drain for nothing but good thing the dealer one was free.
Then I found another local shop in Burbank through Yelp and he only charge $65 and this guy was able to fix the pulling problem and center my steering wheel!! Car is dead straight now at any speed and everything is within specs too. He must have a really good alignment machine and knows what he's doing. I had been counter steering for over a year and man it feels really good when u let go of the wheel and the car rolls straight.
37 PSI front and 38 PSI rear cold. They go up to 40/41 under normal rolling temp.
Then I found another local shop in Burbank through Yelp and he only charge $65 and this guy was able to fix the pulling problem and center my steering wheel!! Car is dead straight now at any speed and everything is within specs too. He must have a really good alignment machine and knows what he's doing. I had been counter steering for over a year and man it feels really good when u let go of the wheel and the car rolls straight.
37 PSI front and 38 PSI rear cold. They go up to 40/41 under normal rolling temp.
#3
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Thanks for the reply. I'll have to find a good shop near me. I already paid to have it aligned once and that was a waste of money. It still pulls to the right. Does anyone know what the specs should be for an alignment on a 20x9 wheel with 38 offset front and rear? I have Vossen CV4's btw.
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Mine has something to do with the tires, it's a radial pull. These Bridgestones aren't that good. The guy switched my front tires left to right and it helps.
#7
Pole Position
Thread Starter
They said they had specs for OEM set up but not for aftermarket wheels. I use to have 18" OEM wheels and now have 20x9 vossen wheels with a 38 offset all around. Does the hunter system know what specs to give the align tech to use on a 20" wheel for the GS? I'm just wondering if anyone has that info. I also noticed one of my rear wheels sits sideways. The inner part of my rear passenger wheel is slightly slanted. Is that called camber? Was that suppose to be corrected when the alignment was done? I'm just so confused.
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#8
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Also I had my tire pressure set back to 37 psi cold like discount tire had it originally when I got my wheels and tires installed. So when they get hot it's like 39-40psi.
#9
Lexus Test Driver
I don't think we have camber adjustment, unless u have camber kit.
#10
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Do you by any chance know why my rear right passenger tire would sit like that then? What's causing it?I'm not sure what the technical term would be and just want to know if it's normal. I don't have a pics right now but I will post some tomorrow if the weather improves and I can actually go outside.
#12
Lexus Test Driver
Hello CL,
So I recently got my Vossen CV4's in 20x9 all the way around installed. On Monday I took my car in to get an alignment. The shop that I went to said that they will try their best to align my car as they have no specs to go off of now that I have aftermarket wheels on. Is this true or were they giving me BS? How were you all able to get the alignment done? Do they set it to factory specs even with aftermarket wheels? My car still pulls to the right when I let go of my steering wheel at all speeds after the alignment. Plus there is some slight vibration at certain speeds. I'm thinking I need to go get my wheels balanced again. Do you recommend the shop balance my wheels and tires with the hub rings on or off the wheel? Sorry for all these questions. First time getting aftermarket wheels and I just want to make sure I do everything properly. Lastly what PSI do you recommend I run? Tires are 245/35R20.
Thanks in advance!
Sevn86
So I recently got my Vossen CV4's in 20x9 all the way around installed. On Monday I took my car in to get an alignment. The shop that I went to said that they will try their best to align my car as they have no specs to go off of now that I have aftermarket wheels on. Is this true or were they giving me BS? How were you all able to get the alignment done? Do they set it to factory specs even with aftermarket wheels? My car still pulls to the right when I let go of my steering wheel at all speeds after the alignment. Plus there is some slight vibration at certain speeds. I'm thinking I need to go get my wheels balanced again. Do you recommend the shop balance my wheels and tires with the hub rings on or off the wheel? Sorry for all these questions. First time getting aftermarket wheels and I just want to make sure I do everything properly. Lastly what PSI do you recommend I run? Tires are 245/35R20.
Thanks in advance!
Sevn86
When you get an alignment the technician will use your wheels to help him align the vehicle's Camber, Toe and Thrust Angle just because the wheels are a convenient place to hang his alignment equipment. What he is really doing is making adjustments to align the wheel spindles/hubs to fall within proper specifications. The wheels being mounted on those wheel hubs just makes it a simple and faster process. That said, it should not make any difference what size tire or wheel diameter or width you have installed, nor what offset [spacer] size is used contrary to some information. Adding offset spacers just pushes the wheel further out, but does not alter the Camber, Toe or Thrust Angle.
However, lowering the car with aftermarket springs will change the camber, and drastically lowering the car will cause all sorts of changes that do not allow the stock alignment specifications to be used...but, those people aren't too concerned with good handling and tire wear that a stock alignment provides as much as they are stuffing their tires/wheels deeply under fenders.
HUBstands
Last edited by bclexus; 10-25-15 at 11:51 AM.
#13
Lexus Test Driver
Those extreme cambers are just stupid on wheels. They're riding on the sidewall. I stay away when I see them on the freeway, they're like a ticking bomb.
#14
Pole Position
Thread Starter
First, I would have all four wheels/tires balanced using a Hunter GSP9700 'Road Force' balancing machine to take care of any vibration issue.
When you get an alignment the technician will use your wheels to help him align the vehicle's Camber, Toe and Thrust Angle just because the wheels are a convenient place to hang his alignment equipment. What he is really doing is making adjustments to align the wheel spindles/hubs to fall within proper specifications. The wheels being mounted on those wheel hubs just makes it a simple and faster process. That said, it should not make any difference what size tire or wheel diameter or width you have installed, nor what offset [spacer] size is used contrary to some information. Adding offset spacers just pushes the wheel further out, but does not alter the Camber, Toe or Thrust Angle.
However, lowering the car with aftermarket springs will change the camber, and drastically lowering the car will cause all sorts of changes that do not allow the stock alignment specifications to be used...but, those people aren't too concerned with good handling and tire wear that a stock alignment provides as much as they are stuffing their tires/wheels deeply under fenders.
When you get an alignment the technician will use your wheels to help him align the vehicle's Camber, Toe and Thrust Angle just because the wheels are a convenient place to hang his alignment equipment. What he is really doing is making adjustments to align the wheel spindles/hubs to fall within proper specifications. The wheels being mounted on those wheel hubs just makes it a simple and faster process. That said, it should not make any difference what size tire or wheel diameter or width you have installed, nor what offset [spacer] size is used contrary to some information. Adding offset spacers just pushes the wheel further out, but does not alter the Camber, Toe or Thrust Angle.
However, lowering the car with aftermarket springs will change the camber, and drastically lowering the car will cause all sorts of changes that do not allow the stock alignment specifications to be used...but, those people aren't too concerned with good handling and tire wear that a stock alignment provides as much as they are stuffing their tires/wheels deeply under fenders.
#15
Lexus Test Driver
Thank you bclexus for the info. I will go and find a shop to first road balance my wheels and then a reputable alignment shop here to do my alignment. I need the get that right rear camber issue fixed as I'm sure it will unevenly wear out my tire. I hope the shop I go to can fix it.
If you lived in Dallas (near Plano) I could recommend a place (and person) for an alignment.
Last edited by bclexus; 10-26-15 at 12:43 PM.