Front end alignment nightmare today

[65fastbackresto]

It didnt go so well, as of first test drive the tech doing the work told me that was best he could do....(front left side tire is actually squealing driving down the road)

I bitched, they redid the toe in and fixed that part. However they broke one of my adj strut rods (guy went to test drive it and it seperated at one of the joints, he had backed it out too far trying to set the caster) I had to get my wife to bring me my old strut rods before I could move the car.

Numbers are so far off he wouldn`t give me a sheet on the front end alignment and told me to go to a frame shop and get it straightened out.

After calling a frame shop the guy asked me who was sending me over there, I told them, the frame shop told me the guy was an idiot and go somewhere else to get my alignment done.

MORAL OF THIS STORY IS, CHECK PEOPLE OUT FIRST, NOT AFTER THE FACT. I wasted $50.22 today, am still gonna have to get my strut rod fixed, and wasted 6 hours sitting at the alignment shop.

 

[brianj5600]

Let me get this straight. They broke your strut rod. Did not align it. And charged you money? Stories like this inspired me to do my own alignments. The strut rod is not used to adjust caster on your car. I think you should demand a refund. If they don't know what they are doing and mess something up, they should eat it!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Sounds like one of places that doesn't know how to align an older car. Makes me wonder how they manage to do alignments on later trucks like my Toyota when the suspension is exactly the same style.

 

[Cobra6]

I agree with Brian.....

Unless you can go to a place that does older cars, getting a decent alignment is tough. These new technicians only know how to read their computer and react to what it tells them to adjust.
After one of my friends got a bad alignment, we picked up one of these -
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=30167
We were able to do better than the shop (for $13)

IMO, If they busted the strut rod, they owe you $$$. They don't know what they are doing.

 

[68RestoMod]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This

 

[CraigMBA]

You still have to set camber and caster. You can find those gauges used on ebay or buy them from a couple of chassis vendors.

I'm all about doing your own alignment if you can't find a good front end man.

 

[65fastbackresto]

What really makes me mad is

The guy running the office in this shop told me they were good at doing old cars, then the mechanic told me he had done like 3 in his life.

After 6 hours in that shop, all I wanted to do was leave. And I had to wait till they got it driveable to do that.... Which sucks cause I drove it in there with an eyeball alignment.

 

[mrmustangman357]

some people are morons, its your job to check everyone out first. sometimes thats how it goes

 

[coolblue65]

I had a similar experience awhile back.

I needed an alignment and I thought it would be nice to have the laser accuracy so I started asking some local shops if they can handle a '65, a few said no, and then I found one were the manager seemed very confident. I brought it there 2 pm, 3.5 hours later I was driving home with 0 progress made except having the print out from the machine and new set of shims. The manager apoligized and did not charge me (not that I would have paid him for anything anyways).

I ended up doing it at home with an alignment tool like this:

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_696742_-1

I was able to make alignment 'plates' for under the front tires by taking 3 pieces of 2'x2' carb sandwhiched with thick plastic sheets between them to allow the wheels to turn easy while parked.

 

[CraigMBA]

You don't need the turn plates, but they certainly make your life easier.

I've heard of people using squares of lamanant flooring with newspaper in between them.

I just use the floor.

 

[mrmustangman357]

I use vinyl tiles with grease between them. You can even measure the angle off the flat sides too

 

[65fastbackresto]

I dont understand how to align it though

What exactly are you looking for as your rotating the tires left and right?

 

[brianj5600]

Camber changes as the tires are turned. By measuring the change you can determine the caster.

 

[ForceFed70]

I also had a similar experience.

Took the car to a generic large chain shop to have the car aligned. Was told "This is the best we can do, you need to straighten the frame". Car pulled badly. Took it to a local specialty shop reccomended by a friend. He got a much better alignment (still not perfect but 100x better) just by doing the normal adjustments.

 

[CraigMBA]

I use vinyl tiles with grease between them. You can even measure the angle off the flat sides too

My dirty secret is I go one turn to the left, set up the gauge, and then go past center exactly one turn the other way. It's easy and I don't have to measure anything.

 

[mikethebike]

Did you pay in cash? If not, cancel the check, if you used plastic, do a charge-back. If you do not get your money which I believe to be your $50+the price of your strut rod you should see about small claims court.
You should win in court, he probably will not pay and just try to live with the judgement. But then when he goes to borrow any money for any reason the judgement will most likely prevent him for getting the loan. Which whould probably be better than revenge than getting your money.

 

[65fastbackresto]

I`m not worried about the $50

It`ll cost him ALOT more then that in the long run, and all I have to do is tell people the truth. I fixed the strut rod today for $10 at the hardware store, one of the guys there is a car guy and fixed it for me.

 

[CraigMBA]

You should try doing the alignment yourself.

You can buy the tools for under $200 from Jegs or my personal favorite, Speedway Motors.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/2699,212_Economy-CasterandCamber-Gauge.html

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/241,234_Toe-Gauge.html

Or you can use a couple of tape measures. Or to really Joe Dirt it, how about Harbor Freight?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=30167

I'm sure if you look around you can find other pieces, but for the price of a dinner out with the Mrs. you can align every Mustang in the county.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Hey guys

Ok, its for sure looking like I`m probably gonna have to do this myself, but I have a few questions.

Craig, that first tool you showed me for caster camber alignment that attaches to the hub, I was under the impression you had to have weight on the front end when your testing, how do I support the front end when the only thing left under there is the control arm that I really dont think needs a jack under it.

It showed a magnetic one on the same page as that one that looks like it might just stick to the wheel center cap (if magnets will stick to aluminum?) Think that one would be easier to use?

And one thing I cant seem to figure out at all is how do you get your caster measurement? Is caster where the tire is centered in the wheel well? I dont think so but this dumb question might give one of yall a reference point to better answer the question.

 

[CraigMBA]

The top one has two magnets. One goes on the top side of the hub, and the other one goes on the bottom side of the hub. See the little adjusting knob on the top magnet so you can center it on the hub?

You check caster the same way you check camber, only you need one more step.

With the wheels straight ahead, you can either scribe a line w/chalk or a pencil or something parallel with the wheel. Scribe off another line 20 degrees off and another one 20 degrees off the other way.

Turn the wheel to one of the 20 degree marks, and zero the camber gauge.

Turn the wheel to the opposite 20 degree mark and note the reading on the camber gauge. This is your caster - measuring the angle of the spindle by measuring the camber change.

I don't scribe the lines anymore. I just index the steering wheel one turn to the right (set the camber gauge) and one turn to the left past center (observe reading).

Opentracker described a procedure recently how he'd go about setting up a front end. He started by offsetting the shafts on the control arms, installing two 1/8" washers on the front bolts, setting camber with shims, and then adjusting caster with the radius rods, follwed by setting the toe.