Hey there guys! This maybe a novice question, but i want to get as much feedback as i can about when i should get my wheel alignment and tires rotated. My truck has about 14,000 mi and when i took it to the dealer for an oil change they said i needed an wheel alignment, but i dont feel my truck pulling or anything like that. It drives straight when i let go of the steering wheel. I declined having my alignment done at that time cuz i felt that paying $100+ was a lil too much. Also about how many miles should i rotate my tires? i plan on keeping this truck for a long time so i want to take all the necessary precautions in taking care of it. Any information is appreciated thanks.

 

I only have an alignment performed when I suspect an issue, when replacing tires, or when changes are made to the suspension, such as the installation of a leveling kit. Tire rotation is supposed to be performed at 6,000 miles, but, at a minumum, 12,000 miles.

 

Well, it depends on if you trust your dealer or not. A good mechanic can tell if the alignment is out of spec by looking at tire wear patterns or the front suspension/steering components.
But a shady dealership may be trying to jack some cash out of you (btw, I have 35" tires and an alignment is a b*tch and only pay $65 where I go - and it's a 4x4).

I'd at least make them show me where they are seeing the need for one. That said, if it's out, it'll cost you a LOT more than the alignment in buying tires, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. in the long run. Can even kill the rack prematurely and you don't want to know the cost of a rack & pinion replacement...

 

When i put 5000 miles on my truck, I went to Americas Tire and purchased a lifetime balance and rotation plan with them. I take the truck in every 5,000 miles for rotation and they balance them every 10,000 or when I request it, no questions asked. The tire guys take a thread depth gauge and measure the wear on all tires and can tell if they are wearing unevenly. I just had the 30,000 mile rotation and balance 2 days ago and was told that I still have a good 15-20,000 miles left on the tires. If you need an alignment, they will tell you.

Yeah, the dealers try to sell you a bunch of unneeded services because the service advisers get pay commission on top of their flat salary for every extra they can push on you.

 

I checked into the lifetime balance deals around here as well, can't beat 'em, but everybody around here won't offer them with tires larger than 33"...

 

I agree with most of the comments on here. Rotations, if done even when close to recomended can extend the life of your tires. Also, having the dealer show you why they think you need an alignment is a good idea. If it needs it they should at least be able to show you why they think so. I also agree with Hammer about if it needs an alignment, and they make a good case as to why, you should get one. I have seen people having to replace tires after only 10k on them because they worn out due to a bad alignment.

If you find the dealer is not being straight with you I would find another dealer in your area. No excuse for that.

 

I never rotate the tires or have them rebalanced but I've got a 2wd. Replaced the rear 2 at 40K and the front 2 at 50K. Havn't had to get an alignment yet - no signs of needing one, but I'll have one done when they replace the tie rod ends on the recall if they don't do it for free.