Corrosion freezes up alignment adjusters
It takes work, but loosening possible
DEAR CAR TALK: We have a 2011 Toyota RAV4 with 34,000 miles on it, and we live in an area where the roads are salted in the winter. I have never done a wheel alignment on the car, and the original tires have worn beautifully. However, soon it will be time for a new set of tires, so I had the dealer perform a four-wheel alignment. The report indicated the rear adjusters were corroded, frozen in place, and could not be broken loose, and both rear control arms would have to be replaced, at a cost of almost $800. To be fair, the mechanic indicated that the current setting is just over the edge of the spec and that, if it were his, he would leave it alone — which I did. My questions: Is there any way the adjusters can be freed up — heat, extended soaking with penetrating oil, etc? Or should I go elsewhere to an independent shop that might be able to save or replace just the adjusters without replacing a major portion of the rear suspension? — Jim A: Yes, and yes. Our shop has one particular alignment specialist that we send our customers to. At least one out of three times, they’ll send the car back to us with a report from the technician that says “couldn’t loosen the adjusters.”
We always get them loose, doing exactly what you suggest: We use heat, penetrating oil and, our secret ingredient, interest in fixing it.
We’ll gently heat it up with the acetylene torch, and as it cools down, we’ll hit it with some penetrating oil. We may have to do that three or four times.
I think the guy at your dealership was just being lazy. He probably doesn’t get paid well for the time he spends waiting for penetrating oil to soak in, so he’s disincentivized.
On the other hand, he knows that replacing the rear control arms nets him five hours’ labor. Fortunately, he had a pang of guilt at the last second, and advised you to leave it as is.
So, yes, you should take the car to an independent shop that is willing to spend some time futzing with it.