Hey guys, my 05 has ben pulling to right and also steering wheel shakes at speeds of 60+, since I got her about a month ago. She only has about 28k miles, but I decided to go ahead and get the lifetime alignment at firestone. I've been back 3 different times for alignments and their printer "jams" each time and so Im not able to get a printout of the realigned specs. This is at 2 different locations, they keep telling me that they are not able to reprint the specs since the readouts are only saved to the computer once. Anyways, by the time I get on the highway, my car's already pulling to the right as it was before the alignment. Atleast if they gave me a printout of the realigned specs, I can be sure it's something on my car instead of them **** up the alignment. Would the tire feathering issue cause alignment to go out whack within 10 miles of getting aligned? Also, I remember reading a post on here that new align. specs were released to compensate for the feathering. Would this affect the alignment done if they are using the old specs?

 

Firstly I would recommend going to a tyre shop that can give you a printout after the alignment!! Secondly I would take the Z out for a drive until you can feel that it's out again (been there done this many times), take it back for another alignment and get another print out. It may also pay to do this over a week. Post up each of the printouts. What you're looking for is a dramatic change in the before an after.

Unreal, does your Z have any other symptoms?? I've been going through an ongoing ordeal with my Z, so I maybe able to help you if it's the same thing. Need a better description of exactly and I mean exactly what you are experiencing.

I will explain further when I've seen the sheets if necessary, or pm me if your prefer.

For your sake I'm hoping it's something simple like a slightly buckled or buckled rim.

 

I went through the pulling to the right issue with my 20" wheels. the tires and wheels were brand new, with nitto tires. It pulled to the right even though the specs said it was alligned perfect. I heard that it may be a defective tire, but they wouldnt replace it.

NOW: I have 19" wheels with BFGoodrench tires, and no more pulling issue, so it must have been the previous tires causing it

 

I bought the firestone lifetime alignment package when I got my car and now it is so low that they cant align it anymore (they cant get it on their alignment rack) I had to pay $69 to get it aligned this last time, but thankfully I found someplace that would do it since I have very little ground clearance...

 

are you on stock suspension or have you modified it? wheels? etc...

 

Wow Offset, that was an expensive alignment. Normal alignment in NZ is about $60-80 or $50 at trade price. Price conversion $60 NZ is about $35 US.

ps. Still waiting for a response Unreal23.

 

Everything is stock on the car, I might just have to take it to the dealer and have them give me a printout after alignment.

 

first off don't ever take your car to firestone.. i got the lifetime alignment on my last car and started asking for print outs when i was going through tires like crazy. it turns out they weren't even aligning it to spec and each time i took it in the numbers on the print out were different.

and everytime i took it in they also told me something needed to be replaced like my brakes when i had just replaced the pads and rotors that morning

 

+1 Firestone is chit. It's their policy to always find something wrong with your car to nickle and dime you to death on every visit. Plus they over change like a motherfcuker. Last time I had a nail in my tire they were going to charge me $35 dollars to patch it up. Total bs.

 

Jenna considering you have an 03, it sounds like you may have had the tyre feathering problem. I know the NZ alignment specs have been changed, I'm sure they have been in the US as well.

If you have warped rotors this can cause a few problems, it is also a possible answer to Unreal23's Z problem. Unreal what condition are your rotors in?? (Although it does sound like the store you were going to Jenna umm, perhaps not the most honest).

 

it wasn't the z i took in it was my maxima.. the z will never get worked on by anyone but me. and the rotors on the maxima were brand new slotted stillen rotors

 

Haha, that crowd sound a lil bit dodgy then, given the situation.

 

Not sure about my rotors, would warped rotors cause the steering wheel to shake at higher speeds also?

 

no it would be shaking during braking if it was your rotors but you can try turning them to see if it helps.

i would get you wheels balanced. are you tires wearing evenly?

 

yup...one of your nitto was defective with a radial pull. Don't ever buy tires from those people again.
i had a brand new goodyear with a radial pull and goodyear replaced it free of charge. My wife's armada did the same thing....the dealer tried to sell me the story that all vehicles pull to the right on a two lane blacktop BS.

 

Don't know what the laws are in the US, but I know I can go back at anytime to anywhere I've had alignment done and get another printout. You definitely need to find a friendly, good tyre shop Unreal.

 

TSB NTB03-046 -Steering drift to the right. Sorry just noticed this is for 03 and 04 models.

 

i work at a Tires Plus, which is a partner of Firestone. Not all of the stores are S***y. I went to a tech school for 2 years and i am an ASE certified master technician and i can align a Z just as well if not better than a dealer. You cant judge all stores because of one bad experience. Why don't you guys watch them do the alignment. you can know nothing about cars and and still see when the vehicle is in spec. They can adjust front toe. Rear toe and rear camber. oh and they can print more than one copy of the report

 

or they could throw the car back on the rack and print out a copy of your cars measurements in like 5 minutes