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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / October 2005Bad AAA Tow, New Tires, Do I need to pay for perfect alignment?
Hi Everyone. I recently had a bad AAA tow and put four new tires on my car yesterday (98 Buick Century). The garage said they couldn't align the car to specifications because of how the tow bent the parts connecting the rear tires (I don't know anything about cars). The new tires have a 65,000 mile warranty and the car has 110,000 miles. The quote for fixing this was 120 labor, plus 70 alignment, plus parts. I'm thinking about $300 total. I could get 2 new tires (if the bad alignment wore them down) for less than $200. How many miles will these tires last without being aligned? They gave me the following numbers: Rear Left, specified range (-1.4, -.4) actual (-.4) Rear Left, specified range (-.05, .15) actual (-.24) Rear Right, specified range (-.05, .15) actual (-.52) Rear, Total Toe, specified range (-.1, .3) actual (-.75) Rear, Thrust Angle, specified range (-.15, .15) actual (.22) Basically, I figure this car will last 50,000 miles more. The new tires should last 65,000 under good alignment. If I have to replace the back tires once, it will be cheaper than paying for good alignment. Can anyone estimate how long these back tires will last (how many miles) with the above results and no fix to the alignment? Thank you! Sincerely, Stephen Brown I have had slightly bent parts that would burn off a set of tires in about 500 miles. The tire warranty won't cover this kind of damage either. Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's > Hi Everyone. > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > Sincerely, > Stephen Brown > Hi Everyone. > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > Sincerely, > Stephen Brown How long ago is "recently" and do you have a printout from your last alignment check prior to the tow? I'm thinking that the tow company ought to offer you at least a little something to repair the damage that they caused. nate The tow was done about 2 and a half months ago. The garage told me it was an amateur tow. Besides that, I have no reason to think it was. The car was towed because of a leaking AAA battery (only in the car for 11 months). Unfortunately, I don't have a record of alignment prior to the tow. Basically, I think the car will last around 50,000 miles more at best. It's a buick century with 110,000 miles currently. As it is cheaper to just put on two more tires, I'm thinking as long as those tires can last 25,000 miles I'm all set. Money is tight now, so if they can last that long, I would just keep the alignment as is. Does anyone know if the above results would allow my car to last 25,000? Thanks! > Does anyone know if the above results would allow my car to last > 25,000? > Thanks! Maybe and maybe not. My stepdaughter had a similar incident and the tires were gone in a couple of months. Down to the steel belts. She had had the front end aligned during Christmas holiday, and the damage was done by February. When the new tires were gone so quickly, I asked if she had had the rear alignment checked, and that is when the damage was found. The danger was not in instability, it was in driving on tires she thought were good, and were actually very dangerous. They were able to bend the axle back into alignment and stop the problem. > The tow was done about 2 and a half months ago. The garage told me it > was an amateur tow. Besides that, I have no reason to think it was. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > 25,000? > Thanks! The answer is: (my guess) No With .75 total toe in on a heavy car like yours, you will see cupping and perhaps ply seperation around 10 to 15,000 miles. If you rotate the tires every 3000 miles you may get 30 or 40,000 miles out of the set. I would get a second and third repair estimate. wws >The tow was done about 2 and a half months ago. The garage told me it >was an amateur tow. Besides that, I have no reason to think it was. >The car was towed because of a leaking AAA battery (only in the car for >11 months). Unfortunately, I don't have a record of alignment prior to >the tow. >Basically, I think the car will last around 50,000 miles more at best. >It's a buick century with 110,000 miles currently. As it is cheaper to >just put on two more tires, I'm thinking as long as those tires can >last 25,000 miles I'm all set. >Money is tight now, so if they can last that long, I would just keep >the alignment as is. >Does anyone know if the above results would allow my car to last >25,000? >Thanks! I had a broken ball joint from hitting a curb and my tire was showing steel just a few months later. As long as the suspension parts are actually good and will hold an alignment (a good garage will be able to tell this), I think an alignment would be a good idea. Tires can be eaten faster than you think. Why was the car towed in the first place, and are you sure the tow did the damage? Damage of this sort is not that unusual anymore, especially if you have had some intimate encounters with train tracks, potholes, parking barriers, etc. IF the towing company did the damage, then I think they owe you some help, but it may be really difficult to prove that they were at fault. You can ruin a good set of tires quickly by driving them with bad alignment. If you intend to keep the car, you must have it professionally done. If the frame or rear axle is bent, then straightening or replacement, whichever applies, will be necessary. |
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