More on Chrysler wheel alignment

Am following up with a new thread on the wheel alignment issure.
I have a 2003 T&C that also has pulled to the right since purchase.
Made an appointment today to have the alignment checked, got the
answer......slight pull is due to the crown in the road.
Can a 3 lane interstate have a crown in each lane ? No matter the
road, it still needs constant pressure to maintain a straight line
drive.
Is this unique to Chrysler products ? This is my first Chrysler
product in over 30 years. In the past I have driven GM cars, no
problem driving the same roads. The only thing different is, this is
a van, all my past vehicles have been passenger cars.
Don't like it, but maybe stuck with it ?
Any/all opinions appreciated.
Thanks
Zork

 

| Am following up with a new thread on the wheel alignment issure.
| I have a 2003 T&C that also has pulled to the right since purchase.
| Made an appointment today to have the alignment checked, got the
| answer......slight pull is due to the crown in the road.
| Can a 3 lane interstate have a crown in each lane ? No matter the
| road, it still needs constant pressure to maintain a straight line
| drive.
| Is this unique to Chrysler products ? This is my first Chrysler
| product in over 30 years. In the past I have driven GM cars, no
| problem driving the same roads. The only thing different is, this is
| a van, all my past vehicles have been passenger cars.
| Don't like it, but maybe stuck with it ?
| Any/all opinions appreciated.
| Thanks
| Zork
|

No that's not normal. It should run true and straight on a straight flat road.
Have had several Chrysler products (including two mini-van models) and not had
this situation. Maybe their alignment equipment is out of calibration?

 

I had a 1995 Caravan that had such problems - or at least was given that
same excuse or and over again. By the time I did the research to find out
the problem, it was beyond the warranty. Had to do with the suspension being
assembled or the holes mis-stamped and out of alignment. Check out the Tech
service bulletins on www.alldata.com

Good luck.

Dan

 

Do the cheap and simple first...

Entirely possible that you have a 'lead' tire, try switching the
front tires side for side and see if the situation doesn't change.

 

You just proved my earlier point about getting b.s. answers from
alignment shops - they obviously gave you an answer that does not line
up with reality but that would get you out of the shop so they could hop
on other (paying) work orders - that is very common in both senses of
the word. Take it somewhere that will give you a printout and figure
out if there is a problem with the alignment, and, if so, how to fix
it. The problem isn't necessarily alignment, but since you say it's
always done this, it likely is. If it's *NOT* an alignment problem, at
least the printout will prove that point so you can focus on other
possible causes and not waste more time and money on alignment.

Some things can confuse the issue, such as tire wear that may prevent
you from knowing if you really solve the problem unless you also
simultaneously get new tires. Could be a brake problem (i.e., a
sticking caliper), but that would also show up in other ways. But start
out with getting a printout and go from there. Post the numbers if
you're not sure how to read them.

I solved multiple alignment problems on my Concorde by doing this - it's
actually very enjoyable to drive now. Prior to that, I was relying on
shops to replace parts and tires with no real progress (i.e., I was a
real sucker).

You have to be systematic about it. Be prepared to spend some money
(possibly a new set of tires, and a partial alignment or two) to figure
it out and fix it. But it will be less money than relying on someone
else to do it and you're more likely to really solve it this way.

It also wouldn't hurt to pay $20 to www.alldata.com for a year's
subscription just to get access to every TSB applicable to your vehicle
- you might find one that addressed this exact issue (i.e., pulling) and
that will give valuable clues to solving it specific to this vehicle.

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

Excellent suggestion. But if it doesn't show to be the problem, then go
get your printout. Be prepared also to find out down the road
(literally) that an alignmnet issue caused the lead problem on that tire
(or that may not be the case). But that is a good suggestion from Neil.

BTW - do you get your tires rotated every 5000 to 7000 miles?

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

hmmm, my wife's cousin just had their T&C bought back because it pulled to
the right, they had to fight for it though, and get the ombudsman into the
act, they then had to take the van to a special garage who determined the
"molds" for the front suspension wear down after so many stampings,
eventually causing the part to be out of spec, some of these parts make it
out the door....

fight it out, you are correct.

 

Had the tires rotated for the first time today...at 6000 miles.
No change, still wants to drift right.
The dealer did not do a realignment, don't know how they determined
it was a crown in the road problem.
Thks
Zork
-----------

 

Any defect in a suspension stamping that would cause it to pull would
most likely show up in the alignent numbers.

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

Good - at least now that's out of the way and you can systematically
move on to the next step. Which pretty much indicates it has to be
alignment or brakes (and probably the former).

Ask them. Give them that chance. Did they even check the alignment
(withoug making adjustments)? Your first post said that you asked them
to check the alignment - did they do that? Maybe they have a sensible
explanation for what they told you. Hopefully you will be able to tell
if they're just making that up or not. I'd be interesed to know what
they say. If they say something non-specific, then take it somewhere
else and get the printout - that dead horse that I keep beating.

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

Yes, that was what I found out about my 1995 Caravan.....Of course the
dealer told me that the van pulled to the right because it prevented you
from drifting into oncoming traffic. Ohhh.. and they even send it out to
have the Goodyear tire dealer check and do the alignment. Guess what, they
never could figure it out. Ohh ... and it is not the "molds" wearing down...
it is DIES when it comes to stamped parts. And I doubt it was a few parts
making it out the door...... more like many. Got to make that production
count, you know.

Dan

 

a crown is found on each lane of any paved road to exaggerate the issue
think of a 2 track gong through the woods thats what happens to asphalt
roads

 

There is another possibility - the steering gear can have a weak valve
in one direction that would cause it to bias to one side. I know there
is a TSB on LH vehicles for that, so it could very well be true of other
vehicles. However, I would put this furhter down on the list to check
out.

Also - is the pulling to one side affedted by whether you are
accelerating, maintining constant speed, or decelerating? I suspect the
answer is "no", but if it is "yes", then that brings up one other
possibility.

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

This should be obvious, but if you want to check the "crown" theory just get
in the left lane of the interstate. It's leaning the other way.

 

To test this could one simply shift to neutral and shut off the engine while
moving and see if it still pulls?

 

Or drive north in the southbound lanes. 8^)

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

I think the problem with that test would be that the steering is so
extremely stiff with the engine (and thus power steering assist) off
that the subtlety of a slight or moderate pull would be hard to detect.
But try it - it might tell you something. Obviously don't do it in
traffic or around any other cars or curves or with anyone that you like
in the vehicle - neither your brakes or your steering will work very
well at all.

From the TSB for '93 LH vehicles, New Yorker, and Vision:
"STEERING GEAR VALVE IMBALANCE - Steering gear valve imbalance can
sometimes cause a vehicle lead. Although there is no quick lest or
measurement that can be performed to verify a good or bad steering gear
valve, generally the steering efforts will feel much lighter in the lead
direction and heavier in the opposite direction with an unbalanced
valve. Replace the steering gear only as a "last resort" to solve the
problem."

This TSB (#02-16-99) is interesting to read - it is on generally
troubleshooting steering lead - goes over all the possibilities, and
there is a Repair Procedure in a second document linked to that TSB for
the specific vehciles mentioned but much of which is generic to other
vehicles (same laws of physics).

It also contains the info. on a lead which is applied-engine-power
dependent - called "torque steer". I think that applies to any front
wheel drive vehicle, and is resolved by shimming the engine mounts (to
change the fore/aft axis of the engine/tranny package).

Educational reading for anyone with this problem.

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

the bias tsb. is a tsb for changing the relation of the engine cradle to the
stewing and resetting the alignment specs to opposite of what there were before
the cradle was shifted and the tsb applied to 98 lh bodies

 

With the winter we've had this year, I'd rather drive south in the
northbound lane!


Matt

 

You're wrong on every point. That TSB and the related Repair Procedure
apply to '93 to '00 LH, New Yorker, and Vision vehicles. It covers many
causes of vehicle lead or pull, including tire pressure, tire conicity,
alignment, torque-induced lead, and steering gear valve imbalance. Most
of the information in that TSB can be applied to *ANY* vehicle.

The cradle shift is to allow some correction of non-symmetrical (i.e.,
difference in between the two sides) caster, which otherwise has no
adjustment on those vehicles. Shifting the cradle is simply a way to
make the caster on the two sides more equal, and thus reduce
side-to-side difference in caster from contributing to a pull problem.
This is not to be confused with shimming the engine mounts to reduce or
eliminate torque steer, also covered in the same TSB and Repair
Procedure.

Why would you post such mis-information as you just did?

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")