D2 alignment question

[barshnik]

Replaced my bent track rod with the nice RTE one, brought the '01 in for an alignment. Kind of watched (of course, wouldn't let me in the shop, 'insurance' reasons) while it was aligned. Saw that toe was adjusted properly, within spec. However, now the steering wheel is off-kilter a bit when driving straight.

Can I adjust the drag rod so the steering wheel is level when driving straight without upsetting anything else? (I would rather not bring it back in and wait around for them to fumble things further.)

Oh, had them rotate tires, they used an air impact wrench to attach the spare to the spare carrier, and busted two of the 3 bolts off of the carrier. I'll have my neighbor weld these back on and turn in a bill greater than the cost of the alignment and tire rotate, but what idiots... Or maybe I'm the idiot to have brought it to them in the first place. It was not the dealer, BTW, but a larger shop whose name shall go unmentioned (but Fire and Stone are both in their name.)

So, again, can I adust the drag rod to get the steering wheel straight without affecting toe? Thanks,

John F
LV, NV

 

[jhmover]

Tire installers should have their air impact guns taken away from them. My normal is they put them on so tight you can't get them off with he factory lug wrench (in fact I bent one trying to remove lug nuts one time they were on so tight). Last time I had tires put on I bitched at the guy to turn the impact gun down to about 100 ft. lbs. and use a torque wrench. After awhile I had a clicking noise and vibration start, which felt and sounded like a u-joint going bad. After much crawling around it turned out to be my left front wheel was ready to fall off. One lug nut was gone, 3 were about ready to fall of and bacically 1 was holding the wheel on. I torqued the 4 that were left and ordered a lug nut. I checked the other 3 wheels and all of them needed some pressure before I'd get a click out of the torque wrench.

My new policy is whenever anything is done where the wheels are removed I'm bringing my torque wrench with me and checking all the lug nuts before I leave the parking lot.

One note, I did have 2 tires put on my stepdaughter's car at Wheel Works a couple of weeks ago. I noticed right off the bat that when they print the work order, the torque specs for your particular car are printed on there for the tech. Obviously they must have had problems with this in the past and at least they're making an effort to make sure things get done right.

You can center the wheel again but it will probably be very time consuming and a royal pain. Were it me I'd take it back to the place that has Fire and Stone in their name and have them do it, after all they've already caused you problems with the spare tire mount.

 

[KevinNY]

So after the 1st stud broke off on the spare carrier, said tire monkey proceeded to do the same thing to the next one? I'd order a new carrier from a dealer and hand him the bill, maybe that would teach him a lesson, what an idiot.

 

[barshnik]

One broke off while the kid was wrenching with impact air, a second one broke off removing the two already tightened to take the spare back off to inspect the damage.

In fairness, they did offer to have the poor dude who took the impact wrench to it pay for a new one, but he probably makes $6 / hr, and I'm sure LR doesn't give these carriers away. Also, I wouldn't trust them to remove the rear inside door panel, breaking clips, drill new holes to fit the 265 x 75's, etc.

At this point I'd rather minimize my losses and do it myself. I'll just never go back there again...

John F

 

[RichardS]

Yes that is your answer, will not affect the alignment and will get your steering straight again.

Can I adjust the drag rod so the steering wheel is level when driving straight without upsetting anything else?

 

[syoung]

Adjusting the link to centre the wheel isn't hard at all- and then there's the old saying "if you want it done right..."

What kind of shop would tell a customer that the kid making 6/hr can be sent out to buy a replacement part? WTF kinda stuff is that? Trying to guilt you into not holding the SHOP, not the kid, responsible? I'd stick 'em with the bill. Anything less than the manager apologizing, offering the replacement of the broken parts and a discount on the work being done is less than reasonable.

 

[PHARAOHDISCO]

You can remove the steering wheel by unscrewing the center nut. Realign the steering wheel to the level position and tighten the nut again. You should have a cap covering the nut in the center of the steering wheel. You can just pop it off with a small screw driver.

 

[sean]

yea i dread tire shops last time i weent in was for a small leak(fill it up in the morning and it was a littl elow the next day).
Well i went in to have them patch it. after 10 min they tell me my tire was no good. So i walk out to see and the side wall is ripped in 2 places from the bead to the tread. And they tell me i came in that with it that way.
After a bit of arguing i told them to change it out with the spare i was calling my lawyer.

Before i could finish dialing they were apoligizing and and telling me they would have one in a hour for me at no charge.
If i were u i would have called LR right there and got a price on the carrier and installation.

 

[barshnik]

Spare carrier - I don't think LR would have hammered out and re-drilled a new carrier so the 265x75x16's would clear the bumper, and I didn't want the tire shop messing with this either.
I drilled out the 2 broken studs, bought 14mm 1.50 pitch grade 8 bolts of the correct length (with washers, $5), and my neighbor tack welded the bolt heads & washers to the inside of the carrier. Better than new now.

Steering wheel not straight - it took all of 5 minutes to adjust the drag link to correct the steering wheel issue.

As far as I can tell, adjusting the drag link should affect nothing else, and was the proper way to correct this, especially as it only took less than 1/4 turn of the drag link adjuster.

I didn't need another project like this, but we live and learn...

John F
LV, NV

 

[deltadude388]

Steering wheel not straight - it took all of 5 minutes to adjust the drag link to correct the steering wheel issue.

As far as I can tell, adjusting the drag link should affect nothing else, and was the proper way to correct this, especially as it only took less than 1/4 turn of the drag link adjuster.

I didn't need another project like this, but we live and learn...

John F
LV, NV

Can you share some details how the drag link is adjusted?
I need to do mine too.

 

[barshnik]

Simple enough so I don't even have to post pictures...

Loosen the 2 clamps on the left (passenger) side of the drag link. In between the 2 clamps is a hex adjuster (7/8" if I remember right, maybe 15/16" or even 1" - I used a large cresent).

If your steering wheel is turned a little to the left when driving straight on a level surface, turn the adjuster downward when in front of the vehicle, upward if the steering wheel has to be held so it is a little clockwise (right) of 'level'.

If your steering wheel is maybe 20 degrees off center, start with no more than 1/4 turn of the adjuster in the proper direction. Re-tighten the 2 clamps, and test drive. If you don't get it the first time, try again - I had to do it 3 times to get it perfect, the last time I turned the adjuster maybe just 1/16 of a turn.

I take no responsibility for these directions under any circumstance, but I know the toe on mine was properly adjusted (according to the computer hooked to the alignment rack, anyway).

BTW, with the OME HD springs & shocks (2" or so lift), my castor was down to 1.6 degrees - still within LR spec, but enough of a reduction to cause the squirelly steering I had before installing a TT diff up front (this was done a couple of years ago.)

John F
LV, NV

 

[barshnik]

Oh, forgot. While doing the test drive, check the numbers of turns from steering wheel center to full left lock, and full right lock - they should be the same. If they aren't (close), you may have other issues...

John F
LV, NV