Tires before or after alignment?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: NYC NY
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,573
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
On one hand.......a REAL Corvette alignment tech will be able to see the wear on the tires and have a good idea of what needs to be done to bring the car within specs.
On the other hand.........an alignment shop not familiar with Corvettes should have a new set of UNUSED tires on the car to work with.
Just make sure to drive the car forward 10-15 feet once the car is taken out of the alignment bay......then stand and visually look at the wheels from the front and the rear of the car to make sure they are all VERTICAL and pointing directly FORWARD!
(You would be surprised how some alignment shops fail to do it correctly and the problem is visually obvious!)
On the other hand.........an alignment shop not familiar with Corvettes should have a new set of UNUSED tires on the car to work with.
Just make sure to drive the car forward 10-15 feet once the car is taken out of the alignment bay......then stand and visually look at the wheels from the front and the rear of the car to make sure they are all VERTICAL and pointing directly FORWARD!
(You would be surprised how some alignment shops fail to do it correctly and the problem is visually obvious!)
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,330
Likes: 1,589
From: Western NY
If the old tires are all the same size, and worn fairly evenly, and inflated properly, then the suspension will be "loaded" properly, so whether the new tires or old tires are on the car during the alignment process shouldn't make any difference.
Look at it this way, Indy cars frequently are aligned with a set of "set-up" wheels, which are aluminum discs, the same OD as the race tires. There are no "tires" on the car at all, during the alignment, just these discs.
Look at it this way, Indy cars frequently are aligned with a set of "set-up" wheels, which are aluminum discs, the same OD as the race tires. There are no "tires" on the car at all, during the alignment, just these discs.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
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From: Bridgewater nj
Worn tires will make the wheel settle in their spot. Throwing off the alignment. The new tires will sit flat, the sidewalls will be different and of coarse the diameter of the tire will be slightly larger.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I spoke to my husband who's a wheel alignment tech and he said if the old tires are evenly worn and the same size as the new tires you can do the wheel alignment with them and it'll be okay with the new tires. If the old tires have uneven wear then you need to get the new tires on it before the alignment. As he said "It depends...". Obviously, to be on the safe side, get the new tires installed immediately before the wheel alignment. Your judgment as to whether or not the wear on the old tires is acceptable for a wheel alignment may not be as good as a wheel alignment tech who's done this for many years.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,330
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From: Western NY
I guess I've been doing it wrong, for the last 40 years........
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
No, what he's saying is that if you align your car with your old tires and they're different size than your new tires the car will be properly aligned for the old tires, but not the new ones. Also, if your old tires are worn unevenly the alignment likely won't be correct either.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,330
Likes: 1,589
From: Western NY
No, what he's saying is that if you align your car with your old tires and they're different size than your new tires the car will be properly aligned for the old tires, but not the new ones. Also, if your old tires are worn unevenly the alignment likely won't be correct either.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
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From: Kernersville NC
Well this thread went sideways. Maybe it needs an alignment.
If your tires are wearing even you can buy tires and go home. If your tires are not wearing even but not worn out, get it aligned. If it is not wearing even and tires are worn out get new ones and alignment.
I usually get an alignment every 12-18 months and usually when I buy tires. That's just me.
If your tires are wearing even you can buy tires and go home. If your tires are not wearing even but not worn out, get it aligned. If it is not wearing even and tires are worn out get new ones and alignment.
I usually get an alignment every 12-18 months and usually when I buy tires. That's just me.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,330
Likes: 1,589
From: Western NY
I was being sarcastic.............My point being, I get my car's alignment checked annually, new tires or not.
Well this thread went sideways. Maybe it needs an alignment.
If your tires are wearing even you can buy tires and go home. If your tires are not wearing even but not worn out, get it aligned. If it is not wearing even and tires are worn out get new ones and alignment.
I usually get an alignment every 12-18 months and usually when I buy tires. That's just me.
If your tires are wearing even you can buy tires and go home. If your tires are not wearing even but not worn out, get it aligned. If it is not wearing even and tires are worn out get new ones and alignment.
I usually get an alignment every 12-18 months and usually when I buy tires. That's just me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,431
Likes: 52
From: Florida
New tires and straight to the alignment shop or preferably do the alignment yourself. If your old tires were wearing fine and you've not changed sizes/aspects, I'd not even bother aligning. Keep rotating front to back, back to front and checking for play in steering components and greasing the steering components on every other oil change.
Last edited by jimvette999; Mar 12, 2015 at 05:01 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
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From: South Western Ontario
Either works unless you're changing sizes which will change the stance of the car (more rake for example). You don't measure off the tread surface when you align. If the old tires are wearing funny then get the alignment before or right after installing the new tires.
I 'd have to see how badly worn the old tires would have to be to throw off the the alignment to the point it needs re-aligned when replacements are installed.
I 'd have to see how badly worn the old tires would have to be to throw off the the alignment to the point it needs re-aligned when replacements are installed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
No can do. My husband is an alignment tech with many years of experience and he's the one that told me uneven wear will throw the alignment off. I'd ask him to explain it but he has no patience for people questioning things they know nothing about.