Leveling kit/tires installed, no time for alignment, problem?
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Leveling kit/tires installed, no time for alignment, problem?
(sorry couldnt think of a proper title for this thread.)
I just got my 2.5" leveling kit in and a new set of tires on, I drive a company truck during the week, so I dont put miles on my own truck. My truck is scheduled for an alignment for next week, but as my luck would have it I have a funeral to go to the day after tomorrow.
The funeral is 150 miles away, the conditions are cold, sloppy & snowy so I would rather take my truck with 4x4 & A/T tires rather than our car (with balding tires)
IF I AM going to cause noticable damage to my trucks new tires driving it the 300miles with the leveling kit intalled without an alignment, I will not take it.
.....am I going to do noticable damage to these tires?, or will 300 miles not make any noticable difference as long as I get the alignment without driving any futher than that?
(no I dont have time to do the alignment tomorrow, & no I cannot take the company truck to the funeral.)
I just got my 2.5" leveling kit in and a new set of tires on, I drive a company truck during the week, so I dont put miles on my own truck. My truck is scheduled for an alignment for next week, but as my luck would have it I have a funeral to go to the day after tomorrow.
The funeral is 150 miles away, the conditions are cold, sloppy & snowy so I would rather take my truck with 4x4 & A/T tires rather than our car (with balding tires)
IF I AM going to cause noticable damage to my trucks new tires driving it the 300miles with the leveling kit intalled without an alignment, I will not take it.
.....am I going to do noticable damage to these tires?, or will 300 miles not make any noticable difference as long as I get the alignment without driving any futher than that?
(no I dont have time to do the alignment tomorrow, & no I cannot take the company truck to the funeral.)
Sick 'n Tired
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,969
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From: League City, TX
Which tires? Actually, regardless of brand I wouldn't drive 300+ miles without the alignment. Depending on your proximity to a large city, most any place should be able to get it done in a few hours. NTB, Sears, etc...
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: RVA
It is really difficult to say what the extent of the tire wear will be during that 300 mile trip. Each truck responds differently to the leveling kit. You're likely to need a toe and caster adjustment. You'll likely to wear the outside edge faster.
If the adjustments needed are minimal, then you probably won't even notice the wear.
One user just reported that he had a out of balance type of wobble at speed, and after the alignment it was all good.
What would I do? Well since new tires, assuming you mess them up, will run you at least $300 for the pair (most likely more)...I'd rent a vehicle for the day and drive that to funeral. A Grand Cherokee or something of similar size should cost you no more than $150 with unlimited mileage.
That's just my $.02
Plus if you run off the road in a rental, who cares?
If the adjustments needed are minimal, then you probably won't even notice the wear.
One user just reported that he had a out of balance type of wobble at speed, and after the alignment it was all good.
What would I do? Well since new tires, assuming you mess them up, will run you at least $300 for the pair (most likely more)...I'd rent a vehicle for the day and drive that to funeral. A Grand Cherokee or something of similar size should cost you no more than $150 with unlimited mileage.
That's just my $.02
Plus if you run off the road in a rental, who cares?
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: northern va
dont drive it anywhere but to get the alignment done. a guy on here put a level and wheels and tires on and took it for a test drive w/o alignment done and he said it made the truck shake bad, and that would suck for a 300 mile ride and could break something at highway speeds
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Junior User
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(the tires are Cooper Discoverer S/T) thanks for the help, I also factored in that its cold & highways are slick, (slick meaning somewhat less wear, but maybe thats just my brain thinking in panic/despration mode.) If it makes any difference the truck had an alignment about 2 weeks before the leveling kit was installed (the leveling kit wasnt really planned, it was a whim, drinkin,trade lol.) & the truck does ride the same as it did before I put the tires & leveling kit on, but like I said the plan was to get the aligment done seeing as I havent put more than 10 miles on it since the installations. ...but so far its looking like the truck is going to have to stay put til I get that alignment unless someone else comes up with any convincing evidence to not worry about it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sunapee NH
Driving your truck with the toe off a bit will only wear your tires a little. Add the wet/slick conditions and that wear factor will be reduced. In 300 miles you're not going to wear enough of the tire for it to matter.
Paying respects to the indivudual who passed is more important then the minimal tire wear you might see.
Paying respects to the indivudual who passed is more important then the minimal tire wear you might see.
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Junior User
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point taken, (however I would be going to the funeral no matter what someway some how, turns out a local friend is going and offered a ride so that part of it worked out) however good to know incase somebody gets put in the same situation as me, its a good lesson on why to not procrastinate.
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Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: RVA
point taken, (however I would be going to the funeral no matter what someway some how, turns out a local friend is going and offered a ride so that part of it worked out) however good to know incase somebody gets put in the same situation as me, its a good lesson on why to not procrastinate.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,743
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From: Henrico, VA
It is really a judgment call and every truck will be different. Some times when you install everything it can wait for the alignment but its not recommended. I agree with SVT that the wear will be minimal and that paying your respect to the dead is more important but just don't be surprised if you develop a bad shake during the trip.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: northern va
Driving your truck with the toe off a bit will only wear your tires a little. Add the wet/slick conditions and that wear factor will be reduced. In 300 miles you're not going to wear enough of the tire for it to matter.
Paying respects to the indivudual who passed is more important then the minimal tire wear you might see.
Paying respects to the indivudual who passed is more important then the minimal tire wear you might see.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,195
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From: Sunapee NH
Sorry, but the increase in toe to roughly 1 degree toe out, will not create an unsafe condition. It will not break steering or suspension parts. It will make the steering feel a little different, turn in response a bit quicker while adding a little bit of a darty type feeling. But hey, if you feel that this is an unsafe condition, that's cool.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: northern va
yeah its called oversteer and people have drove after a level kit and had bad vibrations from the tires trying to driving toward themselves not just oversteer. but its all good i understand its up to that person.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 80
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From: Lebanon,PA
My toe in was 1/2" off after my level kit. I couldn't get the truck over 40mph without it shaking... not sure what you ended up doing but you shouldn't do the install until you have an alignment setup for the next business day. Your money in the end though...
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