Alignment Issue

DMAXNAZ · March 18, 2016

I bought my truck used with 4k miles on it. From day one it pulled to the right. The 3rd day of owning it I took it to the local GMC dealer and had a full inspection done, as well as an oil change and a front end alignment check. They said the alignment was good and rotated the tires. I pulled out from the dealer and it still pulled ridiculously hard to the right. I was getting the front cranked and new tires in 2 days, so I figured the alignment would fix it then. I picked it up after cranking, tires and an alignment and it was even worse than before. I took it back to the dealer that just aligned it a and here was their report.

They said it was in spec and told me to pound sand. If you let off of the wheel for one second it would turn a 180. So I then took it to a local shop that did old school alignments by hand, no computer. They were pissed at the last place because they told me the plastic cam inserts from the factory were still in it, and they needed to be removed to a correct alignment. They made it a little better, but it still pulled stupid to the right. So now I took it to another dealer that aligned my last truck perfectly and here is their report.

So the truck still pulls stupid to the right. Does anybody know what the issue could be? I have had over 10 trucks in last 20 years. Stock, lifted, cranked, etc. Never have I had an alignment issue like this. I've swapped the front tires and even crossed the crown and drove down the wrong side of the road to see if it would pull the other way, and it still pulls to the right. I'll tell you one thing, I'm getting tired of paying for alignments. I'm hoping it's nothing serious...

DMAXNAZ · March 18, 2016

I should add that the bump steer was so bad at high speeds it was almost scary to drive. I just added a steering stabilizer and that did help a lot with that issue. It's funny that my 2015 HD steers so much worse that my 2005 HD ever did. Guess technology is going the wrong way.

rocnrol · March 18, 2016

There is something wrong here for sure, I've had my 2015 since new, never any issues like this at all, and I'm sure many here will say the same. There is another thread on here of another gent that had more or less the same issue, with the dealership saying alignment was in spec, with printouts like yours.

He eventually took it to an alignment shop, and it was found to be an issue with the rear axle position I believe. The issue was fixed and truck drove as it should.

Sent from my Z30 using Tapatalk

DMAXNAZ · March 19, 2016

Thanks for some feedback. I set up an appointment for next friday. What I think is weird is the alignment of the rear end. Two different chevy dealers have two different reports. How is that even possible? One looks ok and the other looks way off. So that makes you wonder how well their alignment machine is reading the front end.

jvbronco · March 20, 2016

Thanks for some feedback. I set up an appointment for next friday. What I think is weird is the alignment of the rear end. Two different chevy dealers have two different reports. How is that even possible? One looks ok and the other looks way off. So that makes you wonder how well their alignment machine is reading the front end.

Might want to consider taking both reports to a single dealer. Not to pit them against each other, but to illustrate that something is off.

DMAXNAZ · March 20, 2016

Might want to consider taking both reports to a single dealer. Not to pit them against each other, but to illustrate that something is off.

I have both in the truck ready to go. I find it hard to belive that the machines were that far off from eachother.

LeoS41280 · March 21, 2016

It's been over 30 years since I've done alignments. If I remember right it looks like those numbers would make it pull left.

KMGZ400 · March 21, 2016

I bought my 2500 it was out of alignment from the factory with 2 miles on it. Pulled bad to the left, got it aligned by a shop that only does alignments it was perfect.

With that being said I have gotten alignments before where it still pulled after, and I would have my shop drive it and re align it.

DMAXNAZ · March 25, 2016

At the dealer now. Just did a ride along. Of course I heard in the ride along that cranked torsions and oversize tires always have issues. Once again I explained that the 10 plus trucks I've had in the past 20 years have always been able to have a correct alignment done and drove straight. Then I showed him the two different reports. His was the one that showed the rearend crooked. He said that was ok and all machines show the rearends different. So than I asked if the rear is off how do I know the front isn't off?? I told him how I read about a guy who had a crooked rearend. I said they loosened it up and tighten it back up and it was fine. He said he never heard of such a thing. I'm just a little upset that after having my truck for 3 months I've only drove it 500 miles because the alignment has been off. I guess I'll see in a couple hours if they can dial it in. My last truck I bought here drove crooked on day one. Brought it in and I got it back still off. Dropped it off again and it was dead nuts that time. Even drove better than my beemer or impala.

GMCustomerService · March 25, 2016

At the dealer now. Just did a ride along. Of course I heard in the ride along that cranked torsions and oversize tires always have issues. Once again I explained that the 10 plus trucks I've had in the past 20 years have always been able to have a correct alignment done and drove straight. Then I showed him the two different reports. His was the one that showed the rearend crooked. He said that was ok and all machines show the rearends different. So than I asked if the rear is off how do I know the front isn't off?? I told him how I read about a guy who had a crooked rearend. I said they loosened it up and tighten it back up and it was fine. He said he never heard of such a thing. I'm just a little upset that after having my truck for 3 months I've only drove it 500 miles because the alignment has been off. I guess I'll see in a couple hours if they can dial it in. My last truck I bought here drove crooked on day one. Brought it in and I got it back still off. Dropped it off again and it was dead nuts that time. Even drove better than my beemer or impala.

Good Afternoon DMAXNAZ,

We would certainly like to look into this further for you and assist with any questions you have regarding your truck. How did your visit to the dealership go? Were they able to assist with all of your questions and concerns? If you have any lingering concerns, we are more than happy to look into them for you.

Anisha T.

GMC Customer Care

DMAXNAZ · March 28, 2016

Here is the latest. Granted I don't know much about alignments, but it looks to me like the truck should drive straight. We rotated all of the tires around a couple times to make sure it wasn't a bad tire, and it still pulls. The dealership tech was at a loss of what it could be, as well as myself. I was also told that all rearends will dog track to some extent, and loosening and retightening the rear end was something they wouldn't need to do. I asked about measuring each side center of wheel to wheel to see if those might be off, and he said GM allows 1". I really find that hard to believe, because that would just be ridiculous. You wouldn't even be able to line a hood or bed up if it was that far off.

DMAXNAZ · March 28, 2016

I bought my 2500 it was out of alignment from the factory with 2 miles on it. Pulled bad to the left, got it aligned by a shop that only does alignments it was perfect.

With that being said I have gotten alignments before where it still pulled after, and I would have my shop drive it and re align it.

I'm right here with you. Unfortunately there is no speciality alignment shop around here. This is how things worked for me when I lived in a big city. It wasn't so much the shop, but the tech. If they moved shops, you moved shops.

DMAXNAZ · March 29, 2016

So I called up an old buddy from the past who was an alignment guru. He told me the way the tech has this setup is perfect. It should pull slightly left to compensate for the road which in turn the truck will go straight. He said if it still pulls his two thoughts were either a steering dampener with a positive charge, or a steering box that might push that way for some reason. I know these trucks had a recall for the steering box. Does anybody know what it was about?? He also told me the rear end should be fine, it just has to be something else in the front end.