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Well, they can check things, but the only thing that can be changed is the toe in. That will cost around $75 at the dealer. You could get a front end only alignment elsewhere.
If your handling feels great, then you could consider skipping the alignment. However, if you old set of tires has some nasty wear patterns, then you might want a full alignment done with a printout to find out if something is wrong with camber. Changing the camber is a bit of a struggle if needed and requires some changes that do not involve adjustment, but varying from shims at the rear axle to cutting slots for the front upper mount bolts or moving or bending the subframe to move the lateral control arm bushing location. And an alignment operation also presents an opportunity to check for bad tie rod ends and other things that can deterioriate.
Rear toe-in can be out if the vehicle has been in an accident or slid hard to a curb. But if handling is good and tire wear patterns good, things must be reasonably ok.
If the steering wheel is crooked or the vehicle pulls to one side, you need some work done.
If you have the VRK, you want a very small amount of toe in.
If the toe in is off, the steering will feel strange and disconnected.
I have the VRK and I adjust the toe-in myself with a ~$12 guage. It is fussy work but one can do it in the driveway. I set the toe-in to a very small amount to go with the VRK. With stock bushings, the running toe-in geometry will be smaller than what it is set to as the bushings will deflect in response to the forces. With the VRK, the large urethane bushing will not deflect as much and the stock spec toe-in would then produce a higher running toe-in geometry. With ice and snow you don't want the front tires fighting for the tract. Abbott recommends a higher toe-in, but how much ice and snow is there in England? Brad also recommends the lesser toe-in with the VRK.
So the critical item is what you recall of the tire wear patterns with your old tires.
Lawrence Kansas. Perhaps my driveway on a warm sunny day. This weekend was forcast for rain but that can change. 913 794 7778(w)
95SET, 147000 miles
posted by 207.43.195...
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