Can't align or too lazy?

[merc123]

My Mom just sent me an email and this tire shop said they can not put my Bilstein's and c/c plates on because they can't do the alignment. They say that the beam (for the alignment) can't get under my Cobra R bumper. Any truth to that or are they just too lazy to do what it takes? Since the c/c plates are just for "show" anyway can they just do the shocks/struts without an alignment?

Thanks

 

[Cobra Jet R]

NTB told me the same thing because the car was "lowered" and they couldn't get in there to align it. I only dropped it an inch and a half from the sky high stock level so it shouldn't of been an issue but whatever. You may have to go to a speed shop

 

[merc123]

May have to get Tim to do it if he can.

 

[RoadconeTuning]

could take off the front bumper or tell them that you are fairly well known in the local car club or whatever and that you will steer buisness away if they cant do something as simple as align a lowerd car.. and if you have the caster camber plates then it should make it fairly easy on them unless they aer to stupid to figure out which each part does....

 

[hognutz]

find a different shop. I mean mine is down 1.75 with a mach 1 chin and the local les schwabe did it just fine. there alinement tools mounted to my wheels though.

I used to have larger wheels on my car and one shop tunrned me away becasue of the rims. will all the rice rockets with body kits there has to be a shop that can aline a lowered car with a low front facia.

 

[sgarlic]

First time a shop tells me they CAN'T do something, I'm not going to try to convince them how to do their job. Sounds obvious they either are lazy, or aren't knowledgeable enough.. do you really want that kind of person working your vehicle anyway?

 

[the98stang]

First time a shop tells me they CAN'T do something, I'm not going to try to convince them how to do their job. Sounds obvious they either are lazy, or aren't knowledgeable enough.. do you really want that kind of person working your vehicle anyway?

+1 just take it to some other yuppies

 

[merc123]

They'll put the shocks on (rear) but not the struts because they adjust from the TOP and can't get the alignment beams to go below the bumper. Oh well.

 

[bdcardinal]

their rack probably is too high. im actually looking at opening a shop and we are getting our alignment racks inset into teh ground so they are flush with the shop floor. they probably dont want to risk damaging your bumper.

 

[GDawg]

Some shops can handle a lowered car, some can't. In Vegas I used to have to go to a special shop where they charged me an extra $40 for it.

Here in the Springs, I bought some F1s at GoodYear and they couldn't do the alignment. I took it to Brakes Plus and they could do it just fine and didn't charge me extra. Course... the shop manager owned a Mustang... :SNSign:

 

[4.6_02_Black_GT]

one answer...go to a better shop, I always get mine aligned at the local Goodyear store, pricey but they are great I even get a cool print out showing all the exact camber and caster and toe, the tech even asks me if I need to deveate from the stock recommendations. I have MM CC plates, 5way Illuminas and Sportlines.

 

[SaleenGT2001]

the alignment machine they are using is outdated. they arent full of BS, it is true that with the old machines that use a laser that goes from head to head, the front beam, which measures toe and caster will be blocked by the front bumper. go to a shop that uses a hunter alignment machine. either a dsp 400 or dsp 600. those are the kind i use. they have 2 lasers mounted in front of the rack that uses reflections to take measurements. i dont blame them for turning it away. they cant fix your alignment so at least they are honest enough to tell you. most goodyear shops have the dsp 400 and that is the machine i would recomend. as long as your car wont scrub the front bumper going onto the rack they can line it up if the frame is on the ground!!! from experiance a cobra r front bumper is a BITCH to get onto the rack!!!! take off the bumper and them take it to a different shop with a better machine

 

[SaleenGT2001]

oh yea i recomend that you run -0.3 camber and 0.32 toe. that will give you better tire wear. feel free to pm me with any questions. i have been doing alignments everyday for the past 3 years now so i can try to help you out with whatever you need.

 

[merc123]

Thanks. I'll see if my Mom can find a shop that uses one of those. I live in a really small town. They had to use 8x10's to get my car on the lift.

 

[SaleenGT2001]

if you can easily take the bumper off the same shop could do it for you.

 

[1fast03pony]

im so glad i have a shop 3 blocks from my house with a brand new hunter and a flat alignment lift (discounted prices too, 59 for an alignment)



just gotta find a shop with a mint machine and youre in business... most of the shops are converting over now anyway.

 

[COramprat]

If there is a shop that specifically does alignments, take it to them. Being in a small town though you may have to make a drive.

 

[AmBo]

Goodyear did my alignment with 18x9/10s, lowered with Eibach Pros AND a Mach 1 chin without a question. Look elsewhere!