Well, I finally received and installed my Tokico Blues. My ride feels good again! But when I took off the front ones I noticed that I also need to replace the stabilizer bar bushings and the connecting rod bushings.

Ok, I have to drive from New York to Florida this Thursday (4/13/06) and I won't have time to get the bushings replaced before the trip, however, I plan to replace them when I get to Florida.

So my question is whether

(1) I should do the alignment before I drive approx. 1000 miles to Florida and then do another alignment after I replace the bushings

or

(2) should I just wait until I replace the bushings to do the alignment.

Your opinions are greatly appreciated.

Thanx
Emilsan

 

Sounds like a good call just to do the alignment. It's really not that much to get a front end alignment.

 

Stabalizer bar bushings will not effect your alignment. Are you refering to the end links or the bar itself? I assume you mean the end links.

What do you mean by "Connecting rod bushing"? There are no connecting rods on the front end of your car. Ya got 6 of them inside your engine......

 

hmm... when i say stabilizer bar bushings i'm referring to the bushings that hold down the bar. As far as "connecting rod," that is the term they use in the Nissan manual, which is most likely what you mean by the "end links."

If replacing these does not affect alignment (is this what you're saying, NJmaxseltd?), I will get it done Monday.

Thank for the help,
Emilsan

 

Good call on getting the alignment. One thousand miles on a car that needs an alingmnent may leave your tires not looking as nice as when you started the trip...

 

reminds me i need an alignment myself

 

How much is a front end alignment at your typical shops? I've heard anywhere between $50- $150. Would those prices be reasonable?

I wanted to get a front end alignment at a more local/ popular type of store, like Pepboy's, CarX and places like that. just wanted to know how much you paid for it.

 

The shop I go to charged me $35 dollars. I know that is on the low side though, the other shop I used in the past charged me $45 dollars.

 

You could just get a lifetime alignment at first and then come back afterwards, they should do it for free...

 

Alright, I went and got the alignment just to be safe. But when I was driving down to Florida I noticed a slight vibration at around 80mph.

Is it possible that I need to have the wheels rebalanced after rotating them?

Thanx,
Emilsan

 

yeah, a vibration at a exact given speed sounds more like the wheels are not balanced. it just needs some counterweights. rotating them may solve the problem if they were on the front wheels.

 

Where can you get a lifetime alignment?

 

Firestone has it for around $150 IIRC.

 

Caution to all regarding the Firestone lifetime alignment. They apparently use it as a vehicle to sell more services and their service reps have revenue per customer targets. Google on "Firestone + lifetime + alignment". I remember running across a lot of complaints when I was figuring out where to get my alignment last year.

I ended up going with Discount Tire for $149 less a $20 coupon that is widely available in their ads and on their website. Lifetime. Have been happy with the service so far. Two alignments to date.

 

Did you go to discount tire or discount tire center? I ask because I am looking for a place that does lifetime alignments but here in Phoenix we do not have discount tire center but we do have discount tire.

 

Yeah, same here for Tucson.

 

Here in San Diego I have only seen Discount Tires, and they do not do alignments .

 

Stay away from firestone. Shop around for alignment I got one in boston for $39.00 with coupon .

 

another "stay away from firestone." i went there twice and both times afterwards my tire pressure had been reduced to 20 psi all around. i wonder if its because i dont' use bridgestone tires?