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I had my rear end tyres aligned the mechanic done the best he can but it wasnt 100% due to damage to the subframe or other is this a major thing to fix
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The first thing I'd check would be my tires. Then if it isn't the tires it would be in the front end. Tie Rods, Ball joints. steering linkage. or if at worst The Rack and pinion.
tyre noise come from wheel alignment out and the tread pattern on the tyres . Have a wheel alignment done starting on the rear end first as it affects the front alignment.. Check CV joints and wheel bearings for serviceability and adjustment.
The first thing you do is have the alignment checked on the front end as well as look for worn pars like tie rod ends. The tires are ruined once they start to wear like this no matter what you do they will continue the pattern, so have the work done before you install another set. Stay with major tire brands like Michelin. Use the correct size and use the right size wheels if you changed them.
In the UK we would say 'have the car tracked' .. the wheel alignment checked and adjusted, which is a relatively straightforward and easy job.
However, be aware that there are other causes of tyre wear which isn't rectified by having the wheels aligned.
A bent or damaged steering arm can cause tyre wear. I once owned an old Mercedes that quickly wore one front tyre. Despite having the wheels tracked - aligned - three times, the tyre still wore. It wasn't until I looked under the car myself and found a damaged steering arm ...
A worn ball joint or worn/soft rubber bush can cause tyre wear. Having the wheels aligned cures nothing without first identifying the fault. I own a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee which, I am aware, has worn rubber bushes in the front steering/suspension set up. The front tyres wear badly, caused by the worn bushes. The tyres need replacing soon anyway, but I'll wait to get the tracking-alignment- done until after I've replaced the rubber bushes/tyres.
You've had wheel alignment done a couple of times and the problem of worn tyres is still there. It's not the wheel alignment at fault .. there's some other reason such as worn ball joint/rubber bushes or maybe impact damage to a steering arm.
The best option is to get a workshop to put the car up on a hoist for inspection. Tell them that wheel alignment ISN'T the cause of your uneven tyre wear. Any half-decent workshop should be able to find the cause within a few minutes.
A car which has suffered severe side impact - and has been repaired - can have a twisted/misaligned body. This too can cause uneven tyre wear
If you have suspension issues there is no way to have a easy way but to replace all the damaged parts. Check for damaged shock absorbers, bushes, balance rods,hubs, bearings, struts and even the tyres.A good alignment needs to be done finally after replacement of the damaged/worn out spares.
I don't understand why the mechanic told you the alignment had to be done by the dealer (he either noted damage or just didn't know how to do it). Here's a photo of the adjustment bars on the 2005 Tucson. The mechanic simply needs two 22mm wrenches to make the adjustments.
If it is a tire related howl you are getting as well as the vibration through the steering wheel once you hit about 60 mph there is a number of things you need to do.
1. If you have not had a wheel alignment carried out on the vehicle in the last 6 months then have it done at a reputable suspension specialist (not a tyre dealer). Check your front tires for wear pattern in any event as uneven wear on the tyre is a sure sign of poor alignment. Bad alignment can also contribute to vibration problems. I will guarantee you that when you get the alignment checked it will be out. I am not sure if the rear alignment is adjustable on your model but if it is you will in fact need a 4 wheel alignment. (REFER point 7 also)
2. When the alignment and other necessary front end work is done check to see if the problems persists..
3. I assume your vehicle has the steel rims fitted with the plastic wheel cover. Remove the covers on the front wheels and check for the vibration. If it disappears then the out of balance condition is caused by the covers. (This would not explain the tyre howl though).
4. Remove both front wheels (clean them) and check for damage to the rims on both sides including outside scuffing. (Check tyres also.) If the steel rim is bent or warped it will not run true and you will get vibration and the tyres will tend to be noisy on the road. It is not always easy to identify a warped steel rim from a visual check. Spinning the wheel on a wheel balance machine should normally show this up though. If you have alloy wheels fitted these tend to crack and break rather than bend or warp.
5. Out of balance wheels.
It is possible for a wheel to be so badly manufactured that no amount of balancing on a tyre balance machine will fix it. This is a particular problem with cheap alloy wheels but even good quality wheel manufacturers will occasionally let a bad alloy wheel slip past their quality control .
6. Tyres. If you buy budget tyres you are generally buying poor performance and potentially poorly constructed tyres. Tyres can be produced with inbuilt heavy spots that will make them impossible to properly balance. You will forever have a balance problem (and hence vibration) with such tyres. A good manufacturer will not allow such tyres to slip through quality control. Others are much less fussy. It is always a bad decision to purchase tyres in the lower price ranges. In your case it is quite possible that if your wheels are ok the tyres are badly constructed and it is not possible to balance them properly. (This would not explain the tyre howl though).
7. Given the age of your vehicle you should have the front suspension and steering components inspected. It is possible that wear in critical components could be the source of the problem. When you take the car to the suspension specialist for the wheel alignment you need to have the front end fully checked over first and any problem areas attended to.
Without test driving and pysically inspecting the vehicle it is not possible to identify the source or sources of the problems. My best estimate is that there are significant wear problems in front end components and that your front end aligment is also out. However , I hope this helps.
1. It's hard to say without looking at the vehicle (and test driving it) but more than likely the front end is badly out of alignment. ( If the car has been in a significant front end accident and badly repaired then this could also be a source of the problem as the alignment may not be capable of being properly set).
2. The first thing to do is take the car to a specialist suspension and steering shop and have the wheel alignment checked and adjusted to factory specs. Normally this is not expensive for a straight forward alignment but price depends on the shop. A good suspension shop will also identify if there are any wear problems with the steering or suspension that need attention
3. Older drivers sometimes frequently hit kerbs when parking their cars. This will throw out the front wheel alignment every time (and damage tyres) so it must always be avoided. Scrubbed.scuffed tyre side walls are an indication of this as well as scratched wheel rim edges.
4. Some drivers never check tyre pressures. Low tyre pressures will cause much greater tyre wear as there is more friction. (It will also make steering heavier, place undue stress on the steering components, cause the car to handle badly and result in much higher fuel consumption). The lady needs to ensure her car has at least 32 lbs pressure in both front tyres and at least 30lbs in the rear (which carries less weight). The pressures must be set with COLD tyres. Manufacturer optimum spec tyre pressures are usually set for comfort. These can be safely exceeded by a few pounds. It is far safer (and more economical) to run slightly higher pressures than a setting that is too low. (A good tyre will run all day with 38-40 pounds pressure and 36-38 is quite safe).
5. Worn out shock absorbers will also contribute to abnormal tyre wear. 70000 miles of average driving will see out a set of shocks. (Personally I would not leave them that long as the factory shocks are generally of average quality on this type of car)..
That's the best I can do Brad without seeing the car so I hope this helps some. Hopefully a good wheel alignment will fix the problem but make sure the tyre pressures are kept up as well. If the shocks are worn out they will also need to be replaced if the car is to be roadworthy.
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