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Struts and shocks?


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cooky_luvs
New User

Nov 27, 2011, 5:56 PM

Post #1 of 10 (1981 views)
Struts and shocks? Sign In

Hello,

I wasn't sure if this is the right section for this question but it seemed to fit best over the other categories. I have a '95 Pontiac Bonneville with only 51k miles. It's a really good car, only problem is it pulls way to the right even after being aligned twice. It was aligned both times at Meineke and the second time they said it wasn't able to be aligned because it needs new struts/shocks. I then took the car to NTB and had them look everything over since I trust them much more. They said the problem is really that the car needs new tie rods, once those are replaced the alignment should be no problem. They also said because they're the original ones, it would need new shocks/struts as well. So my question is, does it really need the shocks/struts done? They said "because they are original", not necessarily that they are worn. With this car having only 51k miles, I just wonder if I really need to replace them, or if they're just trying to get more money out of me. I don't think it would hurt to do them, but if it's not necessary I'd rather not pay the cash. The car rides smooth except for the excessive pulling. Any ideas??


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 27, 2011, 6:05 PM

Post #2 of 10 (1968 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

I don't think you are going to do well at either of those places. It's hard to find a good alignment shop. Most of the tire stores are just interested in selling you something and they don't know much about wheel alignment.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



cooky_luvs
New User

Nov 27, 2011, 6:13 PM

Post #3 of 10 (1962 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

So is there a type of place you'd suggest? Or any idea about the struts?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 27, 2011, 6:17 PM

Post #4 of 10 (1958 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

I'm not there to look at your car but I have my doubts about the struts with that mileage. It's have to recommend anyone because it just depends on who they have doing them. The chain companies are all about sales. You just have to get references from someone local.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



cooky_luvs
New User

Nov 27, 2011, 6:49 PM

Post #5 of 10 (1948 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

I thought the shocks/struts would be ok to considering the mileage, but wanted to make sure the age wouldn't be a factor. Also do you think the tie rods could be the problem? I thought that sounded feasible. I would just hate to get them replaced and then still have the car pull to the right. Is there anything else common that I should investigate as the cause?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 27, 2011, 6:51 PM

Post #6 of 10 (1942 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

The may just be a bad tire. I would try rotating them front to rear first and see if that changes anything.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



cooky_luvs
New User

Nov 27, 2011, 6:57 PM

Post #7 of 10 (1934 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

Oh sorry, should have mentioned I replaced all the tires. Originally one of the tires had a bubble and I thought that was the only problem making it pull to the right. I ended up replacing all four tires with used tires since the ones that came on it at purchase were very worn. They also rotated them the last time they attempted the alignment. So the tires are good, but after replacing them and rotating the pulling persists.


(This post was edited by cooky_luvs on Nov 27, 2011, 6:59 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 27, 2011, 6:59 PM

Post #8 of 10 (1925 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

Used tires? You can't rely on anything there.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Nov 28, 2011, 10:22 AM

Post #9 of 10 (1898 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In

Cross the frt tires and see if that makes a difference on the pull before doing anything else.....

You do realize that tires have an expiration date???

Anything over 6 years old is considered unsafe to drive on, regardless of how much tread it has on it.....


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 28, 2011, 11:13 AM

Post #10 of 10 (1885 views)
Re: Struts and shocks? Sign In


Quote
Anything over 6 years old is considered unsafe to drive on


Not around here. They won't go much over 4 years in the sun down here.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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