Well guys the title says it all. Has anyone ever had their wheel scratched during alignment? I'm getting some new wheels in this week an my alignment is totally messed up from putting in the toe bolt.

Well the question is should i put on oem 19's and go in for the alignment then go back home and put on my new wheels?

Or should i just go in with my new wheels and have it done knowing itll be exactly accurate? I'm also stretching tires too.. 9.5 on 225 and 10.5 on 245, thats why it makes me wonder if the clamps will scratch my wheels or not.

Also im wondering if it would even be accurate still? Since the new wheels are 9.5 / 2 offset and 10.5 / 3 offset.

Thanks!

 

also curious

 

I took my Xterra in when it was new for a rotation and balance. The effing "tech" apparently thought he was a Nascar pit crew and spiraled around just about every single hole on EVERY wheel. I was furious. I didn't really notice it until I washed my truck later that day. Took it back and asked for the manager. He looked at the wheels, told the mechanic to pull a new Xterra in the bay and swap wheels w/ mine.

Bottom line for me is: If you take your car in and tell them that you are worried about scratching your wheels, see what they say, have them look at your wheels to identify that there are no previous scratches and if they return your car in any other condition that when it was brought in, that you would require full replacement at their expense. Otherwise, if they cannot garantee that, I'd opt for another alignment shop or put your other wheels on for the alignment.

 

Alright, thanks for the info man!
I ALWAYS stand by the rack and watch them do the alignment to make sure everything is going right. But i think im not gonna take any chances since these wheels are new so im just going to put on the oem 19's then put back on my new wheels after its done.

If my alignment is off when i put on the new wheels, i'll just bite the bullet and take my car in with the new wheels on since i have a lifetime alignment anyways haha.

 

IF its a quality shop and you express your concerns and they are cool, i see no problems w/ them effin up the wheels. the place i take my car to takes extra special care in doing everything bc i'm a loyal customer, they know how **** i am about my car and bc they also are used to servicing really nice rides like ferrari's, lambos, amg's etc. and dealing w/ the customers that drive those types of cars.

did you get the lifetime at Firestone? bc it you did, i'd advice you NOT take your car there. personally, i had the lifetime alignment deal and 90% of the Firestone's i took my car to could not for the life of them align the car correctly. they also didn't tighten things up propertly and used really old machines that couldn't get the car in spec.

 

^ Yeh the shops Firestone at the moment that i am going too.
Just wondering, if i got an alignment and i personally look at my toe and camber and such, and it looks pretty good, then shouldnt it be good?

 

^ yeah, it should. you might get lucky and they may get everything in spec but sometimes they will say crap like "oh, this was the best we could do" or "your car is pulling slightly bc of radial pull; you need new tires" (which was total BS). and i went to so many Firestone shops and they could not for the life of them, get my steering wheel centered!!! my biggest pet peeve. bottom line, they generally don't really care bc they are not car enthusiasts and the general public that walks in won't know the difference when they drive their cars after they are "aligned."

 

A good wheel mounted gauge of the alignment rack should not scratch the wheels. It is rubber lined. It might scuff some poorly painted wheels, but it should not scratch factory coatings on the wheels.


What you should worry about is having your tires changed. That is when your wheels get scratched most easily.

If you visit a shop tailored for car enthusiasts, you should not have to worry. Dealers are a joke. One dealer manages to **** up all the wiring in a car just to change one airbag module, a 1hr job.

 

Oh i see what you mean Cremaster, most firestones around here are horrible. But luckily for me the one closest to my house have some car enthusiast working there and do a pretty good job. They just can't/won't adjust my front camber but its no big deal.

I'll call them and ask if their alignment plates have ribber pieces on them.