Subaru Forester new tires/ front end alignment
missienola
Member Posts: 2
I just replaced the tires on my 2009 Forester for the first time at Goodyear with Assurance TripleTred. They insisted that I needed a front end alignment which I consented to. On the diagnostic paper, none of the actual numbers for camber, caster, and toe fall within the specified range. On this paper, the specified range doesn't match the owner's manual which is zero. Also my front and left tires do not match. My front left tire is now measured at -0.1 (camber), 6.1 (caster), and 0.24 (toe). My front right tire measures 0.5, 5.7, 0.10 respectively. Is this acceptable? I want to understand what all this means. I feel like I need to go back to this place to fix my car. They told me I need a front end alignment every 6 months. I have never heard this before. The rear tires are also off: left rear - 0.2 (camber), 0.2 (toe) right rear: 0.5(camber), 0.09(toe). Somebody educate me, please. I love this car and do not want it messed up. It goes for regular maintenance; this has never been discussed.
Comments
caster is 5deg 25'
Toe is =/- 2mm
Camber is .00 to 0.30, difference in tires should be .45+ or less
So things do look off a bit here. Keep in mind that left side and right side often don't match on a good alignment.
Maybe you should ask them to put things to factory spec and also to give you a post alignment readout that compares what they did to factory spec.
On some cars, due to design or wear, they might not be able to dial it in exactly without modifications.
Here's a good article on alignment
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=4
Thank you very much; the article was very helpful also. I have the before and after numbers. My before readings are either unchanged or closer to zero than the actual readings and none fall within the specified range posted on this paper. I will request factory specs; that makes sense. These are supposed to be the professionals. I made them give me the diagnostic readings to take home; the readings just didn't make sense. Not that I really understand them anyway, but I am learning all about them now. Thank you again for the assist.