Alignment question

[MerlinZ71]

I just put a new set of tires and wheels on my truck, (Nitto Grapplers 285/75R16 mounted on 16X8 Weld Stone Crushers). Had to crank torsion bars 1-inch for complete clearance. Everything looks good and no rubbing anywhere now, but there is one small problem. Since I've read so much about it in this forum, I knew to get a front-end alignment right away...so I went straight from the tire store to get that done. However, after putting me on the rack they came back and said they could not do the alignment because of the design of the wheels. The Weld wheels have a simulated beadlock ring and the way the tire bead overlaps it they can't attach whatever it is they attach to the wheels to do the alignment. So now what? I don't want to have to replace these tires in a month because of poor alignment, so I'm hoping one of you fellas knows how I can get this resolved. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

Mike

[Blue-2001-Z71]

Stick your stock rims/tires (or someone else's stock rims/tires) on there for the alignment as this has no effect on how they adjust things.

[MerlinZ71]

That makes so much sense I feel like a complete idiot for not thinking of it myself. Guess I showed my newbie colors on that one. I kept the stock wheels and tires and they were still in the bed of my truck while I was at the stinkin' alignment place! Wonder why he didn't suggest that!! Anyway, thanks for your speedy reply.

 

Mike

[asepgrad98]

i have done alignments daily for 5 years and i have never had a tire keep me from putting the sensor on. Somtimes you have to put tire bead lube on the back of the claws to get it to slide on to the wheels. If there is a lip on the wheel you can grab it from the inside as well but it can leave a nick behind. Take it to a different tire store.

[redvett]

 

Go to an alignment shop not a tire store. They are experts in aligning any vehicle and have the tools & knowledge to do a great job right.

[budhayes3]

I know that when alot of techs see nice, new custom wheels they get a little leary of trying to secure the heads to the wheels. 1) They know that they are going to attach the clamps to the wheels with very little surface area and the head could fall off which leads to an ass reaming from their boss because now that head that just hit the ground needs to be recalibrated and that costs money 2) These situations require a little more force and pressure to get the clamps to stay on, and this will leave marks...or nicks and chunks missing from the customer's brand new expensive wheels...most customers don't find "well that's what we had to do" as an acceptable answer. If you can find a good alignment shop with the most up to date equipment and competant mechanics, go for it. If not, easiest thing is to have the alignment done with your old wheel and tires...I'm surprised that the shop didn't recommend that to you. Either way, you'll still be able to Git er Done

[MerlinZ71]

Thanks for your replies guys. Got the alignment done...all is well! Went to three different alignment places trying to find someone who could do it with the new tires and wheels, no dice. You can't even get a fingernail under the lip of those rims. Very tight fit! Took 2 of the stock wheels/tires with me for the front end, swapped them out real quick and got the job done. The beadlock ring on those Rock-Crushers might be fake, but buddy that bead isn't coming off that thing unless you do it on purpose. It's like that tire was made specifically for that rim. I wish I had a digital camera so I could take a pic and post it. Anyway, thanks again, all is fine now.

 

MIke