Alignment shop matters or no?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Upstate NY
Alignment shop matters or no? After installing Konis, using the lower spring perch in the front and doing the hose mod in the back, I can't figure out if I should just take my car to Firestone or some other such chain place for an alignment or not. There's a shop in my area that charges $129 for an alignment while the majority charge $65 or so. I have no idea why. I figure it's just an expensive piece of machinery that does the work, am I right? Does it really matter which shop does my alignment?
I would find a reputable shop to do it. Don't be so concerned with price. Price matters to a point, but in the end, all that really matters is the quality of the work. In my experiences, the larger "chain" shops usually have one guy that's good with certain cars. Have him do it.
I will never take my car to the large chains again. Places like Sears have F'ed up my car enough.
If they ask any of the following like they have done to me at large places then run the F away:
In town, we have a local guy that is successful and he has the best machine. NOT THE LARGE CHAIN. Turns out both of his alignment guys go to the drag strip, love cars, and do perfect alignments to whatever numbers you like.
Other places will tell you that you can't align a car with aftermarket parts and you MUST USE stock specs. The kicker is that they are such idiots that they can't get it to stock specs, anyways.
But I paid for my alignment. Better than me having to get new tires every 4 months on the front and my car driving like ****. I would seriously call around your local race shops and see who they use. Talk to people at races.
If they ask any of the following like they have done to me at large places then run the F away:
- Why do you have spares on the front? (I had skinnies on.)
- Why does your car need 3 sway bars in the back?
- The caster on your car is not adjustable, sorry.
- Sorry, I don't know what your talking about. Your rear end doesn't have control arms.
In town, we have a local guy that is successful and he has the best machine. NOT THE LARGE CHAIN. Turns out both of his alignment guys go to the drag strip, love cars, and do perfect alignments to whatever numbers you like.
Other places will tell you that you can't align a car with aftermarket parts and you MUST USE stock specs. The kicker is that they are such idiots that they can't get it to stock specs, anyways.
But I paid for my alignment. Better than me having to get new tires every 4 months on the front and my car driving like ****. I would seriously call around your local race shops and see who they use. Talk to people at races.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Upstate NY
I will never take my car to the large chains again. Places like Sears have F'ed up my car enough.
If they ask any of the following like they have done to me at large places then run the F away:
In town, we have a local guy that is successful and he has the best machine. NOT THE LARGE CHAIN. Turns out both of his alignment guys go to the drag strip, love cars, and do perfect alignments to whatever numbers you like.
Other places will tell you that you can't align a car with aftermarket parts and you MUST USE stock specs. The kicker is that they are such idiots that they can't get it to stock specs, anyways.
But I paid for my alignment. Better than me having to get new tires every 4 months on the front and my car driving like ****. I would seriously call around your local race shops and see who they use. Talk to people at races.
If they ask any of the following like they have done to me at large places then run the F away:
- Why do you have spares on the front? (I had skinnies on.)
- Why does your car need 3 sway bars in the back?
- The caster on your car is not adjustable, sorry.
- Sorry, I don't know what your talking about. Your rear end doesn't have control arms.
In town, we have a local guy that is successful and he has the best machine. NOT THE LARGE CHAIN. Turns out both of his alignment guys go to the drag strip, love cars, and do perfect alignments to whatever numbers you like.
Other places will tell you that you can't align a car with aftermarket parts and you MUST USE stock specs. The kicker is that they are such idiots that they can't get it to stock specs, anyways.
But I paid for my alignment. Better than me having to get new tires every 4 months on the front and my car driving like ****. I would seriously call around your local race shops and see who they use. Talk to people at races.
How about taking it to a GM dealer? Thing is, I just want the stock alignment, I think it's close enough with what little drop I have with my "fake" mods.
for over 30 years I aligned any thing which would get on my rack including tractors and bikes. I am lowered 1 3/4 to 2" get very good milage running close to oe specs, we charged 99.95 for lowered or rased due to extra time needed to load and align a mod car, normal align 49.95 which includes check/correcting thrust line
jusy my .02' Johnny
jusy my .02' Johnny
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 503
Likes: 54
From: TX
If the car is not stock or close to stock, dont be surprised if your having trouble finding a place that is willing to work on it. Alot of times they will make excuses just to avoid working on it to avoid trouble/comebacks. Most chain places like to stick with stock vehicles to get cars in and out and avoid getting stuck on one vehicle. If you really want it done right the first time by people that know what theyre dealing with. Find a peformance chassis/suspension shop, but dont expect it to be cheap. If you do take it to one of those chain shops, go out and talk to the tech about whats done to the car and what you want. Most of the time theyll work with you, alot of those guys are enthusiast too so they may be willing to spend a bit more time on your car.
Firestone shops offer a lifetime alignment service for like $160, you can bring back as many times as you want.
Firestone shops offer a lifetime alignment service for like $160, you can bring back as many times as you want.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Upstate NY
Well I ended up taking it to a place a buddy of mine recommended. They put it on the machine, ran through the series of tests that measured the alignment and the machine spat out numbers that they said were too close to the spec to mess with them, and sent me on my way. They didn't charge me anything either.
Go figure!
Go figure!
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Yes it matters. Not all alignment shops will do the job correctly. Do some research in your area and ask around. You will find someone that will be able to do it right the first time.
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I would recommend a good alignment shop that will custom set the car the way you want it. I think if the car is lowered then they might have a problem trying to get it into the stock positive camber, which you really don't want anyways. It's horrible for outside tire wear. I'm also hearing about a ton of shops giving people trouble for the car lowered.
I would go to a reputable shop that will align it the way you want and get about -.5 degrees camber and 0 toe for a daily driver. That should be optimal for tire wear in that situation.
I would go to a reputable shop that will align it the way you want and get about -.5 degrees camber and 0 toe for a daily driver. That should be optimal for tire wear in that situation.
TECH Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
I find that the bad shops always put the jack in the wrong place on my car. Three or four times now I've ended up with various body panels sticking out. Only once has the place fixed their mistake without me having to complain.
Damn you Charlie's Tire.
Damn you Charlie's Tire.
Alot of shops are forced not to work on modified height vehicles. Sears isnt even supposed to work on **** thats modified. Its not always the tech, the shop WILL NOT LET THEM DO IT if they know. Ask me how i know. And $129 is kinda high, it wont make a difference which machine they use if they know what the hell their doing.
Big chains are something to watch out for because of how techs get the job, alot of times, they are tire/battery techs who have been there long enough, or worked hard, or some other dumb ****. I had to "teach" an alignment tech how to change a tierod. I just thiught to myself "If you cant replace it, what the **** you adjusting it for?" Also big chains have a tendency to have their own certifications and dont use ASEs, not that that makes a difference since you can basically be a master tech straight out of high school never having touched a car if you know the right folks.
That being said, i worked at a small chain too, they bump the sensors as well guys. I've seen a 5 bay shop, where the guy would pull a car on the rack and set it up then proceed to finish putting an intake manifold gasket on another car just like every other ticket he gets, then drive the alignment out an hour later after NOT ADJUSTING ****.
You just need to know who you're dealing with.
Big chains are something to watch out for because of how techs get the job, alot of times, they are tire/battery techs who have been there long enough, or worked hard, or some other dumb ****. I had to "teach" an alignment tech how to change a tierod. I just thiught to myself "If you cant replace it, what the **** you adjusting it for?" Also big chains have a tendency to have their own certifications and dont use ASEs, not that that makes a difference since you can basically be a master tech straight out of high school never having touched a car if you know the right folks.
That being said, i worked at a small chain too, they bump the sensors as well guys. I've seen a 5 bay shop, where the guy would pull a car on the rack and set it up then proceed to finish putting an intake manifold gasket on another car just like every other ticket he gets, then drive the alignment out an hour later after NOT ADJUSTING ****.
You just need to know who you're dealing with.
Last edited by spy2520; Apr 25, 2009 at 08:20 AM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Upstate NY
Alot of shops are forced not to work on modified height vehicles. Sears isnt even supposed to work on **** thats modified. Its not always the tech, the shop WILL NOT LET THEM DO IT if they know. Ask me how i know. And $129 is kinda high, it wont make a difference which machine they use if they know what the hell their doing.
Big chains are something to watch out for because of how techs get the job, alot of times, they are tire/battery techs who have been there long enough, or worked hard, or some other dumb ****. I had to "teach" an alignment tech how to change a tierod. I just thiught to myself "If you cant replace it, what the **** you adjusting it for?" Also big chains have a tendency to have their own certifications and dont use ASEs, not that that makes a difference since you can basically be a master tech straight out of high school never having touched a car if you know the right folks.
That being said, i worked at a small chain too, they bump the sensors as well guys. I've seen a 5 bay shop, where the guy would pull a car on the rack and set it up then proceed to finish putting an intake manifold gasket on another car just like every other ticket he gets, then drive the alignment out an hour later after NOT ADJUSTING ****.
You just need to know who you're dealing with.
Big chains are something to watch out for because of how techs get the job, alot of times, they are tire/battery techs who have been there long enough, or worked hard, or some other dumb ****. I had to "teach" an alignment tech how to change a tierod. I just thiught to myself "If you cant replace it, what the **** you adjusting it for?" Also big chains have a tendency to have their own certifications and dont use ASEs, not that that makes a difference since you can basically be a master tech straight out of high school never having touched a car if you know the right folks.
That being said, i worked at a small chain too, they bump the sensors as well guys. I've seen a 5 bay shop, where the guy would pull a car on the rack and set it up then proceed to finish putting an intake manifold gasket on another car just like every other ticket he gets, then drive the alignment out an hour later after NOT ADJUSTING ****.
You just need to know who you're dealing with.
That's good info. As I said in a post above that seemed to have been missed, the shop I took it to put it on the machine and said that the alignment was almost dead on. They didn't charge me anything either! I just know that everyone told me to get an alignment after I dropped my car via the "free" mods yet it didn't seem to be misaligned. That just surprised me, that's all.
well you know changing the shocks shouldnt really affect the alignment, moving the spring perch does but it depends on how far, and the hose mod would only have the effect of tilting the nose of the car downward (probably by 1/1000th of a degree). That would move caster slightly slightly slightly negative, not enough to even show up on the computer, front camber and toe probably wouldnt even change at all, let alone enough to show up on the computer.
Just a little info, going by degrees, camber and caster are measured to the 1/10th of a degree, toe is measured by the 1/100th of a degree. Its good that you got it checked though, atleast you know its good.
Just a little info, going by degrees, camber and caster are measured to the 1/10th of a degree, toe is measured by the 1/100th of a degree. Its good that you got it checked though, atleast you know its good.
could be different districts. I worked in two different districts on this coast that were the same way. Who knows i guess its up to who's in charge. but over here even the trainers say sears isn't supposed to mess with it, which is some bullshit.
Funny (or sad) thing is that we have a place that specializes only in Vettes. All generations of Vettes, they sell them, buy them, race them, fix them, etc. When I wanted to do my alignment there, they told me they don't do alignment and outsource it to a local chain shop, where I don't even want to do my oil changes. Dunno what to make of that
Talking about Turner's???
BTW, if you're in the Rochester,NY area, Craig Autometrics is the BEST place to go.
