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Did Firestone align my car

Messages
25
Likes
3
Location
Montgomery
#1
I got new wheels and springs, before I installed the springs I took the new wheels to firestone to have the stock tires put on my new wheels. The wheels came with a lug extender and I left it in the car with the new wheels, the employee didn't use it and chipped the paint on all of the lug holes, its hard to notice with the lugs on but when I was installing the springs I noticed, I didn't say anything to them about it because its hardly visible with the wheels on. A couple days later I got home from work early and installed the springs, I was planning on finishing before 5 so I could take it to get aligned. I finished around 545pm and the only place open was firestone. I took it in and waited an hour or so until the employee actually drove my car into the bay, this was about 10 minutes before they closed. The employee was in the bay and I couldn't see my car after about 10-15 minutes he drove the car back into the parking lot and dropped the keys off with the guy at the counter, I told him I was concerned that an alignment was not done and he said that employee does good work but the guys are usually out of here by 7, I told him that if it was too late for me to get an alignment he should have told me when I first came in, I then told him if I start eating tires or notice something odd im coming back and will expect free tires and "another" alignment, all he said was okay. I haven't noticed anything driving the car so far but it has only been a couple days and I have only driven it twice. Is this a normal amount of time for an alignment, weren't they supposed to show me print outs of before and after the alignment? I noticed on the receipt it only says "alignment check due to modification" so I doubt they aligned anything but they charged me for an alignment, not a check. I don't know much about alignments and want to know is it possible to remove the springs and shocks on a vehicle and not throw the car out of alignment? I find it hard to believe, and think I got ripped off. Anyone have more knowledge about alignments or suggestions of what i should do?
 


frankiefiesta

1000 Post Club
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Location
forked river
#2
Should've asked for print out of the changes they made. I always ask for this, I'm not sure if they save this stuff but might be worth a shot to ask. Might be wiser to bring to another shop and ask for an alignment check
 


RAAMaudio

5000 Post Club
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Location
Carson City
#3
A bit of a rant here, sorry, have to say it, taking any serious car to an alignment shop is nearly always a waste of time and money.

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If you want a half decent alignment do the research and pic the specs you want, within what can be done, make sure they use those numbers not the very vague factory range which is not very good in most cases, check the print out...

Note, if they do not take the time to setup the equipment right then it would still be off, seen that done many times.

For those reasons I learned how to do my own work with very simple and low cost tools and now have a bit more sophisticated tools I can still do a full out race car alignment on a highly adjustable car with pretty simple tools to work with.

Rick
 


Messages
257
Likes
96
Location
Concord
#4
A front two toe and go takes about 5 minutes start to finish, including mounting the heads on the wheels and the caster sweep.
 


RAAMaudio

5000 Post Club
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Location
Carson City
#5
A tape measure, rag and some masking tape takes about that long when you get used to it.

Find the most level place you can park the car and ensure no bumps under any tire.

Point the wheels straight ahead, get out of the car and roll it back and forth a couple of feet to settle everything, do not step on the brakes, turn the wheel, etc, use the parking brake to hold it.

Wipe the tire tread off well with the rag.

Forward side of tires.

Measuring as high up as you can and not bend the tape measure go from the best place on the tire tread where you can get the best line, hold with the tape measure, tape it down with masking tape.

Carefully pull the tape to the other side of the car, measure the distance.

Remove tape measure, use same methods to measure on the aft part of the tread, same height above ground as you did not the front.

The difference will be the toe in or toe out measured from that area on the tire, not the same as measured on a machine.

I would adjust for a tiny bit of toe in if not zero, a bit of toe in will keep the car straighter on the road, to much will wear the outside of the tires.
1/32" is a good setting measured from there.

To adjust the toe you loosen the tie rod lock nuts and turn each side of the cars tie rods the same amount, start off with 1/6th of a turn using the landings on the rod as a guide since they are hex and you put the wrench there. MAKE SURE, to go the right direction, in our out, out will add toe on, in will add toe out.

Snug the lock nuts, ensure the tie rods are moved to the center of the socket so not under load.

Measure the toe, not a bad idea to roll the car back and forth a bit first, if good, done, if not, readjust it.

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I use Longachre toe plates now, low cost, faster, more accurate.

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You can check to see if the camber is the same just using a level and measuring tape.

Next above that is using a protractor but a bit cumbersome.

I use a digital castor camber gauge.

IF you change the camber you must redo the toe.

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If you want a 4 wheel alignment you can do a superb job just adding a pair of jack stands, fishing line or string, that is it.

On a solid or beam axle car you are just making sure the rear axle is aligned with the front of the car so the car tracks straight, ever see a vehicle crab walking down the road, that is the issue usually.

If the front crossmember is out of alignment that gets more serious, likely best to just get it done but find a real alignment shop like a race shop, costs more but a good one will take the time a regular shop hardly ever will do.

There are some regular shops what will do a much better than the generic alignment, have to pay more, worth it if done right.

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I have done my own alignments for around 45 years or longer, taught by an alignment instructor and all the great suspension books I have read, trucks, street cars all the way to full race cars. I have paid for an alignment when I was in a bind for time, the last was in 07, I had to pull over 20 miles down the road and fix it, toe was so far off the tires started howling as soon as I got off the snow. It was a Les Schwabb big name shop at that jacked it up and they were aholes about it, I gave them specific numbers, no worries they said, I saw them improperly install one sensor, asked them about it, made them fix it, print out looked pretty good, still was not right.





I
 


Messages
115
Likes
152
Location
Audubon, PA
#6
I don't know much about alignments and want to know is it possible to remove the springs and shocks on a vehicle and not throw the car out of alignment?
After installing my springs I was still in factory spec. Also, your springs will "settle" or break in over the next week or two. You may have not needed an alignment immediately after swapping your springs, but you might once their settled.

Take your car back in two weeks with your receipt and ask them to check it and give you a print out. Best of luck.
 


OP
Copeland9
Messages
25
Likes
3
Location
Montgomery
Thread Starter #7
Cool, that makes sense about it settling I hope they don't charge me again. Thanks
 


Messages
259
Likes
33
Location
Cincinnati
#8
How much did you get charged for the "alignment check?" If it was $21.99, they didn't do it, just checked it and it probably didn't need aligning. If it did need aligning, they may not have been able to do it. If I'm gonna charge someone who walks into my store an $84.99 alignment, everything my tech can adjust is going to get adjusted, otherwise I tell the customer the reasons why I can't do the job and charge them for the check. I bought a lifetime alignment service so I can get my alignments sorted out anytime, anywhere at any Firestone. The other thing is, as long as I bring them specs, as long as they're not too busy and a tech has time to put extra love into it, they can set it up as u wish.
 


me32

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,829
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264
Location
fairfield
#10
You always should be getting a print out. I would contact firestone corporate
 




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