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Wheel alignment

54K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Perscitus 
#1 ·
Does anyone know if there's something special about doing an alignment for a model 3? I've called around and some shops say they can't do it for some reason.

does anyone have any recommendations In the Orange county/Los Angeles area?

I'm also considering lifetime alignment with Pep Boys or Firestone, any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
 
#2 ·
I have a lifetime alignment with Firestone. Not been told of anything different with Teslas. Would be interested to know if someone knows something I don’t.
 
#3 ·
I got an alignment at Firestone. Bugged them to death before making the appointment to make sure their computer-guided alignment machine supported a Model 3. It did, and the tech who operated had done a few Teslas already (even knew how to start the car and move it without coming to the waiting room to ask me).

I decided to try it because the Tesla service center is so busy, they price routine stuff you can have done elsewhere (alignment, rotation, etc) at "You have to be insane to pay that much, but if you insist..." to discourage people from clogging up the SC's with stuff like that. Even mobile service is cheaper than the SC. Sadly they can't do alignments.
 
#5 ·
Just a follow up.

I ended up doing a lifetime alignment at Pep Boys (In Lakewood for any of you locals) and was very happy with the result. They had no problems doing the alignment so it doesn't seem like there's anything special on the Tesla's.

Additional info, just for reference:
Model 3 mid range rear wheel
MPP coilovers set to recommended height
MPP rear camber arms

Cost was $150 ( they have a special right now)
Had an appointment and take about an hour.
They use a hunter Hawkeye elite alignment machine.

I attached the before and after for reference, only thing they couldn't adjust was the front passenger side camber which I'm gonna run with for now to see if there's any extreme wear and before I look into front camber arms.

Thanks again for the feedback earlier, hopefully this helps someone.
 

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#6 ·
Just a follow up.

I ended up doing a lifetime alignment at Pep Boys (In Lakewood for any of you locals) and was very happy with the result. They had no problems doing the alignment so it doesn't seem like there's anything special on the Tesla's.

Additional info, just for reference:
Model 3 mid range rear wheel
MPP coilovers set to recommended height
MPP rear camber arms

Cost was $150 ( they have a special right now)
Had an appointment and take about an hour.
They use a hunter Hawkeye elite alignment machine.

I attached the before and after for reference, only thing they couldn't adjust was the front passenger side camber which I'm gonna run with for now to see if there's any extreme wear and before I look into front camber arms.

Thanks again for the feedback earlier, hopefully this helps someone.
There is a little wiggle room in the front upper suspension mounting holes, but maybe not enough for 0.6* difference in front camber.
 
#9 ·
In checking around I had a hard time finding someone who could align my 2018 Teslas Model 3. Thanks for the lead on Firestone, above. They did it and we are good now. The specs for the AWD Long Rand Dual motor Model 3 are in the image below. I was motivated to do this because of a little unevenness in the tire wear for these very expensive tires. If they last a few months longer it was totally worth the cost.
 

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#11 ·
Yep. The big-chain alignment and tire shops where I tried to get an alignment done suffer from Tesla-phobia at the manager level. The local independent shop I used said they'd give it a try and worked with me so we could figure out how to get the car to stay in the correct mode for the Hunter DSP alignment machine they use. Instructions on the Hunter DSP rack for the Tesla Model 3 were copypasta from Model S 2012 and didn't work; a series of door latch fake-outs and brake pedal presses... so we resorted to a heavy weight on the seat and a steering wheel mounted jig to depress the brake pedal. One of the technicians had worked on a Model S previously and had the bottom aero cover off without any problem, no time wasted and reaching for the correct tools the first time around. The only comment about alignment was the interest to see this model Tesla being similar to the other different Tesla model vehicle he'd worked on.
 
#12 ·
I educated Chatsworth Tire on how to do the upper camber alignment and even showed them the Tesla instructions. The manager was pissed that I knew more than he did. You can get about .2 of camber back using the upper 5 coilover mount bolts (mine went from -1.2 to -1.0). Mine on one side are just at -1.0, which is right on the cusp. An adventurous soul could even entertain slotting the 5 upper mount holes for more adjustment, but it could weaken the mount and if not deburred properly, could cause stress risers. If you are lowering, I would suggest no more than 1/2 inch, as that is what I did and could just barely get the camber in spec, unless you spring for the expensive adjustable upper control arms.
 
#13 · (Edited)
My local pep boys told me they cannot do an alignment and I need to go to Tesla for it. So it seems it’s location specific on whether they feel comfortable doing it. I guess I’m going to Tesla and spending $270 for an alignment. SMH

edit: my local firestone also said they cannot due it. Saying Tesla’s are too low and the car will bottom out on the ramp... even though firestones website specifically states they can do model 3s.

edit 2: After calling multiple Firestones (one being right down the street from my local SC). I was directed to one that CAN do alignments. Made an appointment and bought the lifetime alignment for $200.
 
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#14 ·
Plenty of shops will do it for $80-140 across the Tri-State and New England.

A stock/vanilla suspension Model 3/Y has very little adjustments that can be made and the front can be done without even taking the splash shields and any aero covers off.
 
#15 ·
My Pep Boys in Warren, OH will do the alignment on my 2020 M3DM for $99.99 plus tax. I asked about the needing a hydraulic weighted alignment. He acknowledged that Tesla suggests the weighted alignment, but said in his 25 years of working in auto maintenance, he has never had someone come back and complain of unusual wear. Currently, my car has almost 29k miles... I just replaced the OEM Michelin tires with Michelin CrossClimate2... impressed with how quiet the tires are compared to the OEM. My OEM tires were wearing evenly, so I'm not super stressed about my alignment being really out of whack. I think I'm going to take a chance and do the alignment so that the new rubber gives me the most longevity possible. I'd like to hear thoughts about the "weighted alignment" on a Tesla Model 3...
 
#18 ·
Ok, so when I moved up to 20" Performance wheels, they said I needed to have a four wheel alignment done to adapt to the wheel height change.
Then I went with a moderate drop spring before aligning it since I definitely would need to after lowering it. Did it at the Service center. $129. Why look for somewhere else? They paid for my Uber both ways. Come on.....
 
#19 ·
...Did it at the Service center. $129. Why look for somewhere else? They paid for my Uber both ways. Come on.....
I'm up with the sheep and cows a fair distance outside our metropolitan area. The last mobile service technician to make a house visit asked politely "For future service requests can we please meet literally anywhere but where you live?" No Uber driver with at least half a brain is going to take that call even once... and certainly not twice; I don't know where you decided to hang out randomly during a global pandemic for 5 hours either, if not going home? :confused:

They've (Tesla Service Center) finally stopped bothering me about the aftermarket parts when doing service bulletin work. It used to be "restore your car to stock or we cannot work on it", and they still tell me to kick rocks when it's any service work not required by law.

I'm glad if you can roll in with your vanilla bean Tesla and the service center takes care of you. Without right-to-repair and a local independent automotive shop we're all just at the mercy of whatever the service shop happens to be allowed to work on by their corporate overlord.
 
#20 ·
For anyone doing their own alignment or taking a 3/Y to an alignment shop - the recent addition of 'car wash mode' has been a big help! Once on the alignment rack, put the car in car wash mode and enable free-rolling.

This is the ideal setup to get a 4 wheel alignment done (weighted or not) because unlike in Towing mode, this way the car:

a. remains powered on

b. continues to provide power steering throughout the process (this is key)

b. stays in Neutral at all times

c. does not engage or re-engage the parking brake (just like Towing mode)

Using Car wash mode + free-rolling enabled, even helps to get the steering wheel re-centered via tie-rod adjustment (same total toe, neutral thrust angle, decent cross-camber/caster).

In fact Tesla should rename Car wash mode to Car wash/Alignment mode. Would happen in 2017/2018, less so now.
 
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