AWD turning radius question

[bluedotsnow]

since different size tires even same tire different tread ware can cause damage to AWD transmissions because of different rotations on each side of the differential, could front wheels turning at different radius's cause the same binding damage?

 

I recently had a wheel alignment gone wrong and my turning radius's were about as off as they could be 

[Fairtax4me]

Essentially, yes, but you're talking minimal wear over such a short term.

 

Here's the thing. When driving down the highway for hours at a time, you generally have to turn the wheel one way or the other just slightly to go against the road crown, otherwise you end up in the ditch, right?

During that whole time, the left and right front tires will be spinning at just ever so slightly different speeds. The end result is a very small amount of wear on the transfer clutch pack.

But do this for a few hundred thousand miles and that small amount of wear adds up.

 

Now think about driving down a curvy country road. Every curve the wheels need to spin at different speeds, which causes wear, which still takes a few hundred thousand miles typically to cause a problem, but the parts still wear.

 

Vehicles that have been driven with mismatched tire sizes and treads have accelerated this type of wear, but for the most part they've made it to 150k or more miles before it becomes a major issue.

 

With vastly different tire sizes the wear accelerates to a point where early failure occurs. But the car still needs to be driven several thousand miles to get to that point. A difference in how far left vs right a vehicle can turn will make a minimal, if any at all, impact on longevity of the transfer pack. You're not turning that much tighter than normal on a constant basis. And it's during times when the clutch pack is doing the lest work (pulling into a parking space).

 

If you're just driving down the road, you're not turning any tighter than you normally would to make the corners and curves you drive every day anyway. Even though you have the ability to make a sharper left or right turn, you're not using that ability during your normal driving.

[bluedotsnow]

I am very familiar with the transfer clutch tail section of the trans, this is the only ware item? 

 

I'm asking because I need ammo for B.A.R. the alignment shop I'm dealing with said I would have absolutely no problems from the way they aligned my car "correcting" the steering wheel

 

Their "warranty" also excludes every other part other than tires as liability items when doing an alignment. my state may have laws preventing this exclusion.....

[Fairtax4me]

You need to stop looking for a fight, and be grateful they re-aligned your car FOR FREE.

[Gloyale]

Alignment will affect tires, but not the AWD.

[bluedotsnow]

I'm not looking for a fight, however I am looking to petitioning to change the law/policy for alignment shops if this is industry standard I'm sure I'm not the first to have this problem I understand my situation is unique but by law they should have informed me if they are going to make a change that drastic! if they had I would have said no thanks!

 

Ammo for B.A.R. is not predestined to be shot at Les schwab!

 

the only reason the vallejo shop agreed to realign it was because fairfield found play in the tie rod otherwise they would not have touched it, they HAD to cover their rump roast or I could have sued(not something I'm into)

Edited October 31, 2013 by bluedotsnow