Alignments after going from summer to winter tires?

[Ulikefishsticks]

I just got my summers put on this week. I have noticed the car feels quite a bit more squirly over bumps in the road. I had alignment done when going from summer set to winter set end of last year. I have not got the alignment when going back to my summer tires. I'm using the OEM 19" summers and I have 18X8 PLATINUM REVELATION GLS BLACK with 225/45R-18 MICHELIN X-ICE XI3 XL all around for my winters. Is there a large difference between these 2 sets to need alignment after swapping sets?

It could be i'm just not used to the summers yet. I also don't have any suspension mods, my car is a 2018 and I have been meaning to get new rear sway bars to fix the rear hop. It just feels more pronounced with the summers back on.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Uhhh. You don’t go and get re-alignments after swapping wheels/tires.

Unless you’ve been hitting massive potholes/curbs the day you swapped them.

you are noticing the different flex/stiffness of the sidewalls and tread patterns.

 

[NIU_Huskies]

You will want an alignment when changing out suspension components (such as raising or lowering a vehicle, changing control arms, etc.). When you change out wheels or tires and don't mess with the suspension you don't need an alignment. You may want to have an alignment after 2 or so years of driving over potholes, curbs, off-roading, etc. If you are driving over that stuff or off-roading pretty often then you probably want an alignment done once per year or sooner.

I always recommend doing the Firestone lifetime alignments. You usually pay around $190 and you can get as many alignments you want on that specific vehicle as long as you remain the owner. So you could go back to them and make them do an alignment every week if you wanted.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Ditto ^^^ Changing one set of wheels for another never has anything to do with alignment. The suspension/steering does not "know" the difference.

I just got my summers put on this week.

Summers on, in the middle of the winter!? Please, explain...

 

[Ulikefishsticks]

Ditto ^^^ Changing one set of wheels for another never has anything to do with alignment. The suspension/steering does not "know" the difference.
Summers on, in the middle of the winter!? Please, explain...

I live in North Carolina. We have had no snow at all this year. I do however have family in NY. I make the drive up there around Thanksgiving/Christmas time and I do need the snow tires for that. I throw them on around November and take them off some time in January. I also enjoy smoky mountains in the winter and they get a bunch of snow so snow tires are definitely nice to have.

 

[nhcowboy28]

You will want an alignment when changing out suspension components (such as raising or lowering a vehicle, changing control arms, etc.). When you change out wheels or tires and don't mess with the suspension you don't need an alignment. You may want to have an alignment after 2 or so years of driving over potholes, curbs, off-roading, etc. If you are driving over that stuff or off-roading pretty often then you probably want an alignment done once per year or sooner.

I always recommend doing the Firestone lifetime alignments. You usually pay around $190 and you can get as many alignments you want on that specific vehicle as long as you remain the owner. So you could go back to them and make them do an alignment every week if you wanted.

Ahh yes. Firestone. The jack asses that can’t even put a lug on right (Cross threaded and killed a lug on my moustang).

You get what you pay for...