Car Handling feeling darty lately?

LITTLEELVISDAN · #1 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 12:57 AM

My V has 48k on her and was starting to feel like it was getting darty (quick jerks side to side) over uneven pavement or minor bumps. So much so that passengers were complaining (wife).

WELL I got into a fight with a curb and knocked the font left out of align. I took it right away to Butler Tire and tey put her up on the rack.

WOW... not only was the one tire out (which I just did) but the other front camber and caster and toe was out (not due to the curb fight). The passenger rear was out as well.

After a 4 wheel alignment she drives like a completely different car.

If yours isn't feeling light but stable and riding like a new car have the alignment checked out........

BTW I was suprised to find out our V alignment specs are the same as the standard STS.

CIWS · #2 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LITTLEELVISDAN

BTW I was suprised to find out our V alignment specs are the same as the standard STS.

Who told you this ? (not arguing, just curious)

LITTLEELVISDAN · #3 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 01:53 PM

The place that did the alignment. I asked if there was a diference cause I saw STS on the screen and he said the computer didn't call for or have a seperate file for the V.

I thought it should be different.

CIWS · #4 (**permalink**) 12-07-08, 08:41 AM

Ahh, Ok. I had thought the dealership had a separate alignment for the V, but don't hold me to that. Maybe ewill can enlighten us.

ssstealth · #5 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 09:12 AM

I am on my 3rd alignment. They state that because there are no shims used that it is hard to hold. The next time mine is done I am going to have the bolts painted with reference marks so that I can inspect it at any time.

CIWS · #6 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssstealth

I am on my 3rd alignment. They state that because there are no shims used that it is hard to hold. The next time mine is done I am going to have the bolts painted with reference marks so that I can inspect it at any time.

When I replaced my tires at 8k miles I had the dealership perform an alignment. Now I'm starting to get noise from the front tires that is due to them feathering, mileage was at about 16K.

So the dealership looked at the car and found no worn parts on the front end, but they did not save the alignment data so they have nothing to compare to if it was checked again. So I'm stuck with tires wearing into feather and really don't like the idea of paying them another alignment fee when it might make no difference. Tires are directional, so I'm wondering if I have the tires swapped to the other side and the alignment left as is, if the tires will begin to even back out in about the same mileage down the road ?

Jpjr · #7 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIWS

Tires are directional, so I'm wondering if I have the tires swapped to the other side and the alignment left as is, if the tires will begin to even back out in about the same mileage down the road ?

I would swap them around before paying for another alignment, or do both at the same time.

Yes, (although the rake looks better) it sucks when your front and rear wheels are different sizes so that you can't rotate your tires.

Regarding alignment specs, just so everyone knows runflat tires do not respond well at all to agressive alignments. There is simply not enough tread to begin with, so the life of the tire can decrease dramatically and they are damn expensive to replace. So as my daily driver I'll continue to go with the stock alignment on the V as long as I am running runflats, but that is just me.

LITTLEELVISDAN · #8 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 01:34 PM

Does anyone have specs for a good alignment aoutside of stock? Stock is ok but not aggressive enough for me. I don't like the stock set-up- where they have the drivers front out in front of the passenger front. I like a square set-up. I like more camber dialed in as well I don't like my tires straight up and down. especially when I am wearing the outside of my fronts from cornering to hard.

Slo-Mo-Shun · #9 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 06:36 PM

Maybe this is a stupid question, but don't these cars use a strut front end and if so, how the heck do you adjust anything but toe?

I realize you can change the strut mounting position with camber plates or shims, but this is a major undertaking that wouldn't be done by a shop as part of an "alignment."

LITTLEELVISDAN · #10 (**permalink**) 12-16-08, 10:41 PM

No he adjusted everything from caster, to camber, and toe with no shims.... The suspension is completely adjustable front AND rear

rathbone · #11 (**permalink**) 12-22-08, 11:50 AM

There is a CTS-V spec in our alignment machine. And the front suspension is completely adjustable. There are elongated holes that allow adjustment when the lower control arm bolts are loosened. A better design would have used eccentric bolts that when tighten up would hold much better. I'll have to print out the standard cts then cts-v to see the difference in specs

CIWS · #12 (**permalink**) 12-22-08, 12:53 PM

What about an STS-V ? (since this is the STS-V forum)

rathbone · #13 (**permalink**) 12-22-08, 10:40 PM

Yes I'll check that as well. I just did a basic search and this thread came up.

CIWS · #14 (**permalink**) 12-23-08, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rathbone

Yes I'll check that as well. I just did a basic search and this thread came up.

Cool, it will be interesting to see.

rathbone · #15 (**permalink**) 12-27-08, 09:19 PM

Well after my short vacation I was back to work today. I checked to see about the sts-v and there was no option. Just the STS and on the CTS there was an option for the sport suspension or standard.