1999 Chrysler Sebring front end alinment

Tiny
RACOON24391
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  • 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 134,000 MILES
Went and had a front end alinment and they couldnt get it in better then -.80 on pasenger side. My question is there is one tire that is chewed up from the previous owner hitting curbs could a bent rim be a problem with an alinment? Just wondering because when he showed me the side that was bad. That is the rim that is all chewed up and before I go out and spend more money than I need to I would like to know if that could be my problem. He said that I would probley need to go to a front end specialist or get floating ball joints.
Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 6:11 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Which value are you referring to, caster or camber?

Something is bent, or the cross member may be shifted off-center. Alignment computers ignore bent wheels. Besides, if a bent wheel was leaning out on top, what would happen when it made half a rotation? You would feel a bent wheel in the steering wheel.

What are both caster and camber numbers? Is your car the Mitsubishi-built Sebring like the Avenger or the domestic Sebring like the Cirrus / Stratus? The Mitsubishi style has a very unusual front suspension with two lower control arms and two lower ball joints on each side.

Caradiodoc
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 7:16 PM
Tiny
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Camber, dont remeber what the caster was, not sure on the built. Sorry
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 7:30 PM
Tiny
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Is your radio display blue or orange? Orange is used on the Mitsubishi-built car.
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 7:51 PM
Tiny
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Dont have the orginal radio
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 7:54 PM
Tiny
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Is the rest of the dash orange?
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 7:57 PM
Tiny
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Blue
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Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 8:08 PM
Tiny
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That would be the domestic model.

I don't mean to imply your mechanic doesn't know what he's doing, but to verify, the upper strut mounts can be slid in and out to tip the top of the tire. Before it can be repositioned for the first time, a plastic pin must be removed and discarded. If that factory-installed pin isn't removed, the mount won't move.

You can see for yourself if adjustments were attempted on the wheel. Remove the large round black plastic cover on the strut tower. It's held on with two hollow molded-in plastic pegs that must be carefully pried up. Under the front attaching peg is where the off-white rounded lock pin was. If it's still visible about an inch below the hole, no alignment adjustment was made. If that pin is gone, leaving just an empty hole, look at the four silver mounting bolts about 4" apart. If they were loosened and moved, you will see evidence in the dirt and dust on the paint around the bolt heads.

Normally there is enough movement available to bring the tire to specs, but if that can't be done, I would look at the reading from the other tire. If it is off just as much the other way, I would try to re-center the lower cross member. The lower suspension is attached to the cross member and will pull the bottoms of the tires into position when it is moved. That procedure is usually a last resort when normal adjustments don't provide enough range.

Caradiodoc
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Saturday, February 27th, 2010 AT 7:21 AM
Tiny
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I realy appreiciate your information. Thank you
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Saturday, February 27th, 2010 AT 9:10 PM
Tiny
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We appreciate your donation and look forward to helping you in the future. Thank you
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 12:33 PM

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