A Toyota dealer told me that many of their cars are built so that there is no need for a wheel alignment and they don’t have parts that can be adjusted.
Is that correct? Is this true of other makes too?
They also come with run-flat tires, and there is “no need” for a spare, even on the Alaska highway (haha).
The alignment just means that if you hit a pothole, it will cost you a thousand instead of a hundred to have it set right
I imagine that cars that have no alignment adjusters have fewer components, so it can reduce cost in terms of assembly time and components.
Hence the aftermarket in adjustable parts - cammed bolts and offset brackets and the like. It just becomes the owner’s problem after the warranty runs out.
Not all that different from things like older British cars and the like, where you adjusted the alignment by disassembling the suspension and putting it back together with different parts (mostly stacks of shims).
. . . which could be done with a screw driver and a set of open-ended spanners, which came next to the spare tyre in the boot as standard equipment. My dad’s '36 Ford was sold equipped with a set of forged tools in a leather bag with the Ford logo on them…
Well, yeah, but it was still a dirty, on-yer-back (or -ass), tedious job that often had to be done in iterations. And could be done, at least, with or without provided tools. The tendency towards “can only be fixed by a body shop” car builds, even at the cheap end, is disturbing.
FWIW, my Cobra had two options. One was a traditional Jag rear suspension that put the brake discs in the center. Not only do those need the “rebuild it” method of adjustment, but the brakes overheat on even mild track use and are a screaming bitch to replace. The other option was suspension built around rod ends and different hubs that put larger, ventilated brakes out at the wheel. Alignment can be tweaked in minutes; brakes are two generations better.
I’ve had to do very little back there, but it’s been easy and I thank the guy who spec’ed the original build every time I do anything. The thought of not only having to do alignment but go buy a bunch of new adjustable parts to do it is wearying/infuriating.
Toe will always be adjustable simply because of the steering linkage. But yes, most cars with struts have no means (or necessity) of adjusting caster angle, and many (like my SRT-4) don’t have adjustable camber either. Though it often can be added later with replacement “camber bolts” or plates.
I just found out that my 2006 Jeep Liberty does not have an adjustable camber.
holy crap, what does that mean for my 2008 jeep patriot, which *does *need an alignment after my wife “drove” it over a curb? I’m starting to dislike that thing more and more
Many nonadjustable angles in suspension are created by sufficiently sturdy components that normal driving and even moderate abuse won’t change. If the part/s are bent enough to push the alignment outside of specs, they’re probably too damaged to keep using.
You can always do what they do at the tank factory: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19794208&postcount=28
Adjust it with a sledgehammer.
Yer not making me feel good here Barbarian!
Heh! Impact adjustment of front end, sounds tempting.
I have a serious negative camber after they replaced my front struts
maybe they installed some part wrong ?? the top bracket ? maybe it can be rotated 120 degrees and look like its correct ?
I’m going to take it in to an alignment shop. They made it sound like it was doable but I’m not sure exactly what they are going to do.
the '06 Liberty doesn’t have struts, it has upper- and lower control arms with coil-over shocks. it may indeed be fully adjustable for camber, caster, and toe.
Sorry 05 not 06 and every said they are struts.
'05 and '06 are the same. No rear-wheel-drive-based Jeep has MacPherson struts. I think people are seeing the coil-over shocks and assuming they’re struts, they’re not. it has upper and lower control arms.
Take it with a grain of salt: the automatic transmission in my Mini Cooper was sealed, with no need to change the fluid (and no method of changing it, either).
That might work in warmer climes, but in Chicago it lead to me needing a 7,000 dollar full trans and axle swap at 90K miles - thank god for warranties.
BMW is based in Germany. Where it snows at least as much as it does in Chicago. They know how to build cold-climate cars.
Good bet that wasn’t your problem.