simple alignment issue

[Nrage33]

Hello all,

Just wanted to check something minor with everyone. I was just wondering how often one should send the car for a wheel alignment check. I'm feeling progressively harder vibrations in the steering at about 120km/h and above. had the alignment done in May, so is it supposed to be vibrating and stuff around this time? (6 months after last checkup)??

[Craved]

what about tyres, alot of vibrations actually come from either not balanced or flat spots! alignment will cause funny tracking on the road and uneven wear more that vibrations!

[BHDave]

You may have thrown a weight off one of the front wheels at some time. Or flat spotted a tyre as mentioned above.

It's worth getting the front wheels balanced and getting another alignment at the same time anyway. 4 wheel alignment was only 50 bucks last time i hade one (i think)

[Nrage33]

Actually, yea the weights on one of the front wheels was taken off after I had a meeting with a kerb. Had to reshape the wheel, n realign it. The dude who reshaped the wheel ended up taking the weights off.

Can Bob Jane's put some weights on the wheel for me? Cos i was wondering if that would become an issue later on. Man, I completely forgot about that. I'll check for flatspots too just in case. But yea, do you think a place like Bob Jane's or KMart tyres can put weights on the wheel, or would I hafta go to a rims place for this?

Thanks for the info guys

[edgasket]

most tyre fitting places will have a balancing machine, that sounds like your problem alright, it definitely needs balancing if you've had it repaired, you may aswell get the two front ones done, that should eliminate the problem. Did anything else get damaged?

[knore]

whats it called when they actually put a small weight somewhere on the wheel ?

Balance?

[Genesis®]

Nrage33 - this is from my R32 experience; i did have the same problem as yourself but not as bad. It was about 9 months and I brought it down to a specialist (http://www.fulcrumsuspensions.com.au). The guy pop his head under and car and came out with the diagnose immediately - the right side of my car is fitted with a different boot (i just got it replaced 3 weeks ago) as compared to the left side. The only way the alignment problem can be fixed is to get the same size for BOTH boot... anyways... he did his best with my car and the problem is 95% solved and i am very happy with it.

you may or may not have the same problem as me, but bring it to a specialist to have a look.

knore - yup, its called wheel balancing... no rims or tyres are 100% pure balance esp when spinning at high speed. the trick is to add small pieces of weight to balance it out.

[Nrage33]

Great, as long as I can take it somewhere, that's fine.

when the accident happened, a suspension control arm was bent out of place, but that was replaced straight away. There have been creaks and groans, but those have also been sorted out. Just have the vibrations. I remember when i got the wheel back, it was missing some weights, but i just left it at that, cos I didn't know what they would be used for at the time.

I guess passing around fulcrumsuspensions could also help. They may find something more

[Genesis®]

that could be the reason... most mechanics will change one side of the car with aftermarket parts without comparing the size/dimensions of the standard parts. bring it down to fulcrum to have a looksee. make an appt though.. that place is always packed.