# Alignment problem



## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

I have a 98 altima GXE with 111K on it... i have had it for about 3 years and when i bought it from the original owner there was nothing wrong with it. However at some point within the last year i have noticed that i pull to the right it started out just a little bit but in the past 3 months it is significant pull... if i were to let go of the wheel and then put my hand at 12o'clock in order to compensate for the pull i have to move my hand to about 11o'clock or just a bit more... with the gas prices these days i know that alignment is an issue so i got a tune up about 6k ago and then about 2weeks ago i got new struts and with that fixed my alignment... thinking that the problem would be fixed... well i got in the car and the pull was the same if not more... i now the guy at the shop so i know hewouldn'tt screw me over when i asked him about it he told me that the frame might be bent and to take a look at it... i just want to know what if anything i could do to fix this or should i just deal with it... also too the mpg have stayed the same witch i would figure would go up with new struts and alignment... am i wrong? 

let me know...


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

I know it seems silly.... check your tire pressure. Bet ya any money that that's it. Let me know


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

Darktide said:


> I know it seems silly.... check your tire pressure. Bet ya any money that that's it. Let me know


i know that seems silly and that is why i didnt put that in my post bc i know that is the easy fix... i did check it and it is a factory specs... and yes they are semi new tires... about 3k on them... thank you though... anything else anyone>?


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

Same tires on both sides?
Same air pressure?
Other than that can only be 3 things... alignment, bent front end, dragging brakes on one side. I'd jack up the car and try spinning the wheels by hand and check for any binding.


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## Gino45 (Oct 18, 2005)

*98 alignment problem*

I have a 98 SE with over 100K and have had the same alignment problem as you for the past 2yrs. I had the brakes, alignment, tires, tire pressure and wheels checked out and everything is per spec. The car pulls right and it's more noticeable if the road is slightly crowned. Let me know if you ever find out a cure for your alignment problem.


Johnjay7777 said:


> I have a 98 altima GXE with 111K on it... i have had it for about 3 years and when i bought it from the original owner there was nothing wrong with it. However at some point within the last year i have noticed that i pull to the right it started out just a little bit but in the past 3 months it is significant pull... if i were to let go of the wheel and then put my hand at 12o'clock in order to compensate for the pull i have to move my hand to about 11o'clock or just a bit more... with the gas prices these days i know that alignment is an issue so i got a tune up about 6k ago and then about 2weeks ago i got new struts and with that fixed my alignment... thinking that the problem would be fixed... well i got in the car and the pull was the same if not more... i now the guy at the shop so i know hewouldn'tt screw me over when i asked him about it he told me that the frame might be bent and to take a look at it... i just want to know what if anything i could do to fix this or should i just deal with it... also too the mpg have stayed the same witch i would figure would go up with new struts and alignment... am i wrong?
> 
> let me know...


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

gfriedman said:


> Same tires on both sides?
> Same air pressure?
> Other than that can only be 3 things... alignment, bent front end, dragging brakes on one side. I'd jack up the car and try spinning the wheels by hand and check for any binding.



Yes same tires same pressure.... no dragging brakes... and as for a bent front end it could be that but when i jack up the car i really cant tell... it might be so slight that it looks straight... any pointers?


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## L7jr (Apr 28, 2005)

Gino45 said:


> I have a 98 SE with over 100K and have had the same alignment problem as you for the past 2yrs. I had the brakes, alignment, tires, tire pressure and wheels checked out and everything is per spec. The car pulls right and it's more noticeable if the road is slightly crowned. Let me know if you ever find out a cure for your alignment problem.


I have a 99 SE and it does the same thing as well. The car will all of sudden veer to the right or something. I also notice it a little when I press on the brake pretty hard. It's been doing it for about 6 months of the 3 years I have had the car. I recently got the car aligned and the toe aligned and it still does this.


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## Shifter (May 25, 2005)

sounds like a bad tierod to me.


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

Shifter said:


> sounds like a bad tierod to me.


anyone else have an idea or what could be done to check it out...now im sure that fixing that is a PITA and not something a person with limited knowledge should under take... 

am i correct??


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## wildmanee (Nov 21, 2004)

I ran over a curb with my front right, and my caster has been way off (pushed the wheel towards the back). I would definitely check for a bent steering component, and replace as necessary. Perhaps control arm, tie-rod..


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

wildmanee said:


> I ran over a curb with my front right, and my caster has been way off (pushed the wheel towards the back). I would definitely check for a bent steering component, and replace as necessary. Perhaps control arm, tie-rod..



again what should i be looking for... and it is hard here in NY to get anything done bc of the 20 inches of snow that fell the other day... anything would be nice to know... as i have said i am not a big car guy i want to be but when you are a scientist it is hard to get out of the lab to check your front end... thanks again


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## 87SENTRASE (May 16, 2002)

You answered right there Bro, you hit a curb! Now you need your uni-body or frame measured + a thrust angle measurement. You need to replace either one or all of these parts now, parts that are on both sides of car, replace them both!

Control Arms
Ball Joints (if not integrated into the control arms)
Wheel Bearings
Inner Tie Rods

Some times the power steering gear also can jump a tooth or a few depending on hard the impact. Though first you should check and replace the other things stated above first and let us know how all else goes.


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

87SENTRASE said:


> You answered right there Bro, you hit a curb! Now you need your uni-body or frame measured + a thrust angle measurement. You need to replace either one or all of these parts now, parts that are on both sides of car, replace them both!
> 
> Control Arms
> Ball Joints (if not integrated into the control arms)
> ...


Well now that you answered his problem... i know that i didnt hit a curb... i dont drive that much... and i can see a curb coming...


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## 87SENTRASE (May 16, 2002)

HA! Hi Johnjay7777 sorry for neglecting you, btw this is YOUR post, sorry. You know this whole game is hard to advise because without being able to measure the car you can only make suggestions.. .. .. 

If the car was not actually wrecked I want to rule out uni-body frame damage. You said you already had the calipers inspected for binding plus an increase in fuel consumption and a HOT wheel would reveal a binding caliper. 

A signifigant pothole can bend inner tie rods and even damage control arms. A rusted or water inside wheel bearing can cause axle resistance. Old worn wheel bearings can cause amplify torque steer and as soon as you get a wheel line up you'll loose it in 1 to 3 months. Once parts are damaged or worn they don't get worse, however wheel bearings do the more you drive on them. 

Let's play another round, I'll deal this time. 

Park you car on level ground, apply your e-brake, now one at a time grab each tire left hand at 9 and right hand at 3 position. Now violently skake the wheel in and out NOT left to right. Or you could push violently against each corner of the car one at a time, If the vehicle shimmys back and forth and your wheel moves too your wheel bearings are bad. Though you could jack it up. For the front you would jack it from the control arms, the rear you can jack at the normal location. Grab the front wheels at the noon and six locations and shake them, they should NOT move, if they do (assuming your lugs are tight) the bearings are bad. From here let me know what you find. =)


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## Johnjay7777 (Jun 11, 2005)

87SENTRASE said:


> HA! Hi Johnjay7777 sorry for neglecting you, btw this is YOUR post, sorry. You know this whole game is hard to advise because without being able to measure the car you can only make suggestions.. .. ..
> 
> If the car was not actually wrecked I want to rule out uni-body frame damage. You said you already had the calipers inspected for binding plus an increase in fuel consumption and a HOT wheel would reveal a binding caliper.
> 
> ...



See that is the kind of thing that i needed... i thank you so much and i should get to that tomorrow... 2-23 and ill let you know when i do... thanks for the tip... :thumbup:


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## Shifter (May 25, 2005)

ill, get some pics up of what i was talking about soon.
running slow today, I fractured my wrist.


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## Gino45 (Oct 18, 2005)

Took My 98 SE in for an alignment since it has been pulling right for some time. They changed an outer tie rod and did a 4 wheel alignment. According to the computer print out my rear wheels were both pointing to the left, which could have explained the pulling to the right. Wouldn't you know it, took the car home and it still pulls to the right. Will be returning to the shop to have them look at the car once more.


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