Alignment Issues - 2023 R1T

[Michael Kelly]

Front tires on my R1T were showing wear & admittedly I was delinquent in rotating, but I took it to Les Schwab for alignment check/fix (it was slightly out & pulling). The tech said all four were in vary out of alignment & he took it as far as he could, but their machines couldn't complete the alignment, due to Rivian's specialty or something like that. My Rivian appointment is months out & I drive quite a bit for work (1,500 miles/month)....I did replace the front tires & don't want to keep beating on them. Anyone have advice as to an alignment specialist outside of Rivian service.....options?

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[DaveA]

Front tires on my R1T were showing wear & admittedly I was delinquent in rotating, but I took it to Les Schwab for alignment check/fix (it was slightly out & pulling). The tech said all four were in vary out of alignment & he took it as far as he could, but their machines couldn't complete the alignment, due to Rivian's specialty or something like that. My Rivian appointment is months out & I drive quite a bit for work (1,500 miles/month)....I did replace the front tires & don't want to keep beating on them. Anyone have advice as to an alignment specialist outside of Rivian service.....options?

I'd be interested to know other options as well. However, even the Rivian techs admit that the vehicle is crazy difficult to get aligned properly.

 

[flimay2k]

I have a 2023 R1T as well, and had taken it for alignment 4 times already, and I don't even drive that much, right now it's pulling slightly to the right, so I know it's not great.

The first 2 times it was off and the service center in Richmond did a very poor job. When I asked for a printout of the readings before and after, they told they could not provide one because the printer was broken or something like that.

I don't know why it's so hard to align the trucks or why they can't keep alignment for more than 6 months in my case, but I feel like there's something wrong with the Gen 1's as far as the alignment goes and it's very annoying.

 

[Rivian Owner]

You might try one of the Rivian "certified" body shops. They typically have to straighten, replace, or otherwise fix crash damage, so they should have the tools and skills to get things functioning properly.

I used to take my vehicles to a frame shop because they were way better than a tech at a tire shop. Their business was dependent on happy auto body shops, not selling tires, so they had incentive to know the latest and greatest. Unfortunately I moved away.

 

[Singletracker]

I have 23K miles on my ‘23 R1T QM Adventure series. While the tires seem to be wearing evenly, in AP mode (what I normally use) the truck does tend to wander a bit, rather than tracking nice and straight. I wouldn’t say it’s pulling, just wandering. When driving down the highway, it requires a little more attention to stay centered in the lane. I’m wondering if there is a caster issue and I’ve been thinking about getting an alignment check. This last week, I have been exclusively using Sport Mode, in the low not lowest setting, and my T seems to track much better. This seems to confirm an alignment issue for the Standard ride height setting in AP mode. Guess I’ll have to have it checked out.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Have you tried calling Just Tires? I can't remember what they'd worked out with them. Or "America's Tire" on the west coast?

 

[mavo [BANNED SCAMMER]]

Front tires on my R1T were showing wear & admittedly I was delinquent in rotating, but I took it to Les Schwab for alignment check/fix (it was slightly out & pulling). The tech said all four were in vary out of alignment & he took it as far as he could, but their machines couldn't complete the alignment, due to Rivian's specialty or something like that. My Rivian appointment is months out & I drive quite a bit for work (1,500 miles/month)....I did replace the front tires & don't want to keep beating on them. Anyone have advice as to an alignment specialist outside of Rivian service.....options?

A lot of third-party shops don’t have the Rivian-specific calibration tools. In the meantime, you might want to check with higher-end alignment shops that specialize in Teslas or other EVs, since they sometimes invest in the right equipment.

 

[PowerBugs]

Here’s a quotation from a field supervisor of a service center here in our area:
“Regarding your question about wheel alignments, you're right to ask. America's Tire (and its parent company, Discount Tire) is an official Rivian partner. This means they are an approved installer and have the right tools and training for tire services on our vehicles. While they are a great option for services like tire rotation, balancing, and new tire installation, we would still recommend a Rivian Service Center for a wheel alignment. Our technicians are specifically trained on the unique aspects of our vehicles to ensure the alignment is performed with the highest precision, maintaining the integrity and performance of your Rivian.”

On my last visit for a wheel alignment, they did not give me a paper copy of the before and after data which they have done it in the past.
They end up sending me a picture of it through email but it was so blurry that nothing seems to be discernible. I then asked for a paper copy but they said they don’t have a printer or something.

 

[Golfer04]

The alignment machine Normal uses is a Hunter brand. Supposedly other brands can't make the micro adjustments the R1s need. I know Plaza tire in Peoria has one and will align Rivians. You might ask you options what brand machine they have and whether it can make micro adjustments on a 4 wheel alignment.

 

[Singletracker]

Yesterday, I decided to do a tire rotation. The last time I did this was in mid-April, maybe 5000 miles ago. At that time, all tires seemed to be wearing about the same and pretty evenly across the tread. When I took the driver’s side rear wheel off, I was shocked to see the extreme wear on the inside of the tread. I don’t remember having this experience on any other vehicle I have owned. It’s usually the front tires that show this kind of wear. Guess I will have to call my SC and get this puppy aligned. I had hoped that the Pirellis would last until I can put my winter tires on, maybe in late November. Come spring I’ll be getting new A/T’s. How much are the SC’s charging for an alignment?

 

[Rivian Owner]

IIRC, the service centers charge $260 for an alignment, but that may vary some. Since you have to schedule things, I'm sure you can call customer service and they can tell you what you will be charged.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

How much are the SC’s charging for an alignment?

$260 for the alignment + $100 for 30 min test drive, September 2024. Maybe variable depending on hours required? Fwiw, I'm very happy with the quality of the alignment at Gaithersburg SC. Tracked great after this.

 

[DrMario]

Rivian tried twice to get mine in alignment. I gave up. A few months changed to new tires. Took it to Firestone and they aligned it. Now drives straight and don't have to fight the wheel to keep it straight!

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