I just got new wheels as i just posted and i was wondering something. Before i had my stock hubcaps on and my alignment was srtait as an arrow, now i just got my new wheels on and the alignments is pretty bad, veers to the right. I am just wondering if it is always neccesary to get an alingment after getting new wheels or did the guy who put on my wheels not balance the tires/wheels properly?

Thanks in advace

1996 gxe

 

Just swapping wheels shouldn't cause any changes in the alignment. If it wasn't pulling before you swapped the wheels, then something in the suspension may have been disturbed at some point during the service.

Did you happen to notice any unusual wear patterns on the old tires? If your alignment was off with the old tires, it's possible they had already worn away in such a manner that you wouldn't have noticed the pulling as much. (New tires would tend to exaggerate feedback from an out-of alignment vehicle, because the new tread is 1) more grabby, 2) more "there" in areas where it had worn away on the old tires.

Also: check the tire pressure in all 4 tires. If the pressure is "off" in one tire, that could cause pulling.

The only other possible explanation is that the wheels were not correctly mounted or there is a defect in one of the the rims or tires. Take it back & let the shop sort it out.

(Regardless of how you got to the situation you're in now, you probably DO need an alignment, if the car is pulling to one side)

As a general rule of thumb, I will always get an alignment done when I put new tires on a vehicle, (unless I had one done very recently) because it helps protect my investment.

Good luck!

 

Definately alignment issues. Usually, if your balance was off, you would feel a vibration at certain speeds. It is reccomended that a wheel alignment is done every year or 12k miles anyways, so it wouldn't hurt. Also have them check the camber, that cause it too I guess, if one side is different from the other. It can also be a defective wheel, or tire.. I had this problem, and I swapped the wheel to the back and it was gone. Try it out, also, remember not to pay for a 4 wheel alignment, our cars can only be adjusted in the front

 

ok guys thanks for the info,, going in to do my alignment, nissan dealer told me $59 for thrust alignment. Is that how much they cost thats alot

 

Sounds about right.