PS. Notice the car pulling to the right- will check the air pressure. Is there a way I can check if it's an alignment issue on my own and not bring it to the shop?
Thank you!
Take a close look at your tire tread and check for feathering and wear on the insides or outsides of the tread.
If the pulling to the right is a new issue, then it probably isn't an alignment problem because the alignment shouldn't have changed.
My toe-in was way off when I replaced my tie rod ends, but the car still tracked straight.
(but I was scrubbing off the insides of my tires. lol)
Caster and camber has more effect on pulling but on our car it shouldn't change because it's locked in by the strut placement.
If your toe in has been off for a long time, you could have scrubbed out enough of your inner or outer tread of one or both of your tires to get them to start pulling.
(They become tapered and don't want to roll straight anymore.)
If you have suspension wear, your wheels don't have any real alignment at all.
The wheels just float around and can pull to one side or the other.
A pinch bar on the ball joints and tie rod ends can help to find slop.
You can also jack one wheel in the air, grab the left and right of the tire and shake it, then do it top and bottom of the tire as well.
Listen and feel for clunking/knocking and noticeable movements.
Make sure the steering lock is engaged to lock the steering wheel.
It can be a difficult judgment call because the wheels are so heavy and you will get some movement in the steering.
I had a Mazda GLC and went in for an alignment.
He found movement in my ball joints and he wouldn't do the alignment.
He said replace your ball joints then come back.
I did and when I went back I told him how my car was pulling to the right.
(I had a motorcycle drive into my right front wheel and bend the s*** out of stuff.)
He adjusted the toe in, and then removed the right strut, rotated it, reinstalled it, and said "that should help".
(It was the same design as our P5's)
My car always pulls slightly to the right because of road crown (unless it's windy out)
It works perfectly for me because I only have my left hand on the steering wheel and I hook my thumb through the steering wheel. The weight of my hand hanging off the steering wheel is just enough to keep it tracking straight.