4 wheel alignment

[White Lincoln]

After changing out the inner tie rod boot and replacing the CV Axles on the Cougar, I took it in for an alighnment. It did have an issue where both front wheels were pointing to the right and of course, the steering wheel was off to the right. Last guys that did an alignment never fixed the steering wheel going to the right so I suspect they did a lousy job at the alignment. That was at Ethridge Tire (local joint I think). I do not recall ever hitting anything and if I did, I would have fixed before waiting this long.

Anyway, last alignment was 30k and 15 years ago and cost $70. The first alignment I had was in 17 years ago and only $50.

I paid $150 this time.

"That's okay....

...no, no it's not. This one's going to hurt"

 

[supergordo]

Yeah alignments are kind of expensive. But time has moved on, prices went up.
My 97 E350 I paid $180 for a lifetime alignment. And thats RWD with a solid rear axle.

 

[Derphound01]

Yup. I just bought lifetime at Firestone for one of ours. $210 plus tax. Woof.

 

[theterminator93]

I've given up on alignment places properly centering the steering wheel. You think they could do better for $130+.

I had the Mark realigned after doing the LCAs and tie rods. Steering wheel was pointed at about 12:30 to go straight. I put the front in the air and extended the RH length and shortened the LH length by the same amount to fix it. Took about 10 minutes and 1.5 turns on the jam nut.

 

[Derphound01]

We have a Grand Cherokee WJ that is an ongoing project. It has an old school steering box with drag links. Trying to get a tech under the age of 30 to even know what they are looking at on it is impossible.

 

[MadMikeyL]

Alignments are so frustrating! It really is a very simple process, and the alignment rack’s program makes it damn near idiot-proof between pictures of where the adjuster is and red/green numbers to tell you when you are in or out of spec, and yet somehow, it is damn near impossible to find anyone competent to do it! There is a shop across the street from my shop that used to have one guy who did it right, but he left there, I don’t know where he went, and now I’m right back to arguing with the 19yo kid who is telling me that there is no rear camber adjustment on my tbird! WTF!

 

[KevinVarnes]

If it makes you feel any better, I completely rebuilt the front end on my '85 LTD a couple of years ago using some later model Mustang parts since they directly swap. Bushings, ball joints, struts, caster/camber plates, etc. I got the front end to what I thought was pretty close to where I wanted camber and toe using strings and a tape measure. I had no way to measure caster and I really wanted to verify everything since I just put new tires on it. I had pretty specific settings that I wanted all three settings at. I dropped the car off along with instructions on how to adjust the caster/camber plates and the settings I wanted everything set at. Long story short, the alignment tech was sick that day so they took it to one of their other shops and did it there. No problem. Only issue was I had to have my wife pick the car up since I don't get home before they close. I get home and check the alignment sheet. The tech set everything to factory specs which I did NOT want. The kicker was, my home alignment was almost spot on for everything according to how I wanted it set up except toe on one side to start. Oh well.

 

[racecougar]

A 4 wheel alignment is a fair amount of work for $150, IMO.

 

[MadMikeyL]

A 4 wheel alignment is a fair amount of work for $150, IMO.

True, especially considering the cost of the equipment. I guess that’s why most shops put the 19yo kid on alignment duty. Personally, I would happily pay more if I knew it was going to be done right, but at least around here, a higher price doesn’t seem to be any guarantee of a better job, at least when it comes to wheel alignments.

 

[White Lincoln]

...and now I’m right back to arguing with the 19yo kid who is telling me that there is no rear camber adjustment on my tbird! WTF!

Oh for F*CK SAKE! Some people are just total dumba$$es.

 

[White Lincoln]

True, especially considering the cost of the equipment. I guess that’s why most shops put the 19yo kid on alignment duty. Personally, I would happily pay more if I knew it was going to be done right, but at least around here, a higher price doesn’t seem to be any guarantee of a better job, at least when it comes to wheel alignments.

YEah, the had these thingys they stuck on the wheels and of course a computer thingy they stared at for a while.... too complicated for me.

But for real, the equipment they used was pretty impressive and he had the wheels aligned in 20 minutes? Yeah, I was impressed. It made the cost not so bad. I didn't want to wait in the waiting room (anti-social mis-fit) and waited outside. It was like 40 degrees. Not like the last couple of times I got an alignment. "Leave it with us and we'll call you when its done....."

 

[White Lincoln]

If it makes you feel any better, I completely rebuilt the front end on my '85 LTD a couple of years ago using some later model Mustang parts since they directly swap. Bushings, ball joints, struts, caster/camber plates, etc. I got the front end to what I thought was pretty close to where I wanted camber and toe using strings and a tape measure. I had no way to measure caster and I really wanted to verify everything since I just put new tires on it. I had pretty specific settings that I wanted all three settings at. I dropped the car off along with instructions on how to adjust the caster/camber plates and the settings I wanted everything set at. Long story short, the alignment tech was sick that day so they took it to one of their other shops and did it there. No problem. Only issue was I had to have my wife pick the car up since I don't get home before they close. I get home and check the alignment sheet. The tech set everything to factory specs which I did NOT want. The kicker was, my home alignment was almost spot on for everything according to how I wanted it set up except toe on one side to start. Oh well.

Seems people just don't give a shit anymore. "oh, you had instructions? We lost them" or... "Instructions? We don't need no stinkin' instructions!" and you might have said "did you think to friken CALL ME? YOU ANAL MORON!"

Sorry, my confidence in human kind as waned... a lot.

 

[XR7-4.6]

There’s a reason I’m back to DIY bubble level alignments

 

[Kenz]

It seems like only common cars are easy to get sucessfully aligned. over the years I had my 2 Toyota Camrys, and two Ford trucks aligned without any problem, they came out great.

Both times I have brought in an MN12 for alignment I had to go back because something was wrong. I believe my Cougar was pulling slightly to one side after the work, and my Tbird the steering wheel was not pointed straight.

To be fair I am really picky.... My cars must have the steering wheel dead nuts centered, and the vehicle has to track down the road perfectly. I have even gone so far as to adjust my riding mowers steering wheel

 

[XR7-4.6]

They don’t know where the adjustment points are is the problem. My recommendation is before you take it to an alignment shop, buy a testers white paint pen and mark your adjuster bolts, strut rods and tie rods and see exactly what it was they touched(or I should say didn’t).

 

[supergordo]

Alignments are so frustrating! It really is a very simple process, and the alignment rack’s program makes it damn near idiot-proof between pictures of where the adjuster is and red/green numbers to tell you when you are in or out of spec, and yet somehow, it is damn near impossible to find anyone competent to do it! There is a shop across the street from my shop that used to have one guy who did it right, but he left there, I don’t know where he went, and now I’m right back to arguing with the 19yo kid who is telling me that there is no rear camber adjustment on my tbird! WTF!

Ive had that same argument. The tech even told me “the machine says it can be aligned in the rear, but this is RWD so it can’t” i told him it was IRS and that it could. He then told me there were no alignment points. So ingot him to let me under the car and I politely pointed out the alignment points. He then said “huh, learn something new every day”….