Two shops refused to align my truck today.

[rocks]

This has made me so fcking mad. I just redid the front suspension with new ball joints, outer tie rods, bearings, bushings, rotors, seals, pads. Mods are 6" skyjacker coils in 4" holes, extreme drop pitman arm from skyjacker, skyjacker drop brackets. Moded superlift extended radius arms. f250 shock mounts with f250 kyb monomax 10" travel shocks.

The local ford place I have used in the past told me they will not align a truck or car older than 2003. I used my have my 1984 porsche 928 aligned there due to the bad ass machine they have. It is the best in the area. They refer me to another shop.

I call them, talk to the alignment guy on the phone, explain to him what I need done. I have adjustable bushing in the beams that are screwed up. I tell him he will need to take them out and probably put a 0 degree bushing in to get a reading and then go from there.

So i wait a week, i am off work friday and saturday. Really wanted to go off roading tomorow.

Talk to the guy today in the shop. Ask him if he needs to look at it before I leave it. I drove the truck 20 miles there with a eye ball alignment and toe setting. I repeat how to align the truck. The guy has a smug cloud you can see from space.

I get a call 2 hours later to come get my truck. It is impossible to align. My tie rods are shot, ball joints are bad. Wheel bearings are loose. One beam has to much negative camber and its probably bent. Say they cant set the toe because my steering linkage is bent. Its new, all the parts are fcking new.

I want to choke someone to death now. Only shop that can do it is backed up a month...

 

[Surrey]

That is the only problem with lifting a Ranger...

Thanks to the fact the TTB wasn't a very common setup when it was being made, some 15+ years ago, nobody knows wtf they are doing with it now.

 

[rocks]

The bad apart about this is, the same stupid shop aligned it 4 years ago with the entire front end worn out. If I cant do it myself I will probably have to trailer it out of town.

 

[adsm08]

I hate that. I'd do it for you if I wasn't on the far side of the country.

 

[Surrey]

They really need to make a cheap home alignment machine...

I mean, even if they could make one that cost $500-1000 Im sure it would sell...

 

[adsm08]

They really need to make a cheap home alignment machine...

I mean, even if they could make one that cost $500-1000 Im sure it would sell...

There is a write up in the tech library to make your own.

I agree that a home alignment machine is a novel idea, but a lot of the tech involved in modern (post 1980) alignment machines is expensive and/or bulky. Plus the market would be limited since most people who actually know how to do alignments have access to the equipment already.

 

[Surrey]

There is a write up in the tech library to make your own.

Oh-ho realllllllllllllllllly? gonna have to look into that one...

I agree that a home alignment machine is a novel idea, but a lot of the tech involved in modern (post 1980) alignment machines is expensive and/or bulky. Plus the market would be limited since most people who actually know how to do alignments have access to the equipment already.

Technology is advancing leaps and bounds every day. I find it hard to believe that they can't come up with something that is cheap and compact enough to do the job. Obviously you can't make one thats tiny, but its not like big tool boxes or compressors are small.

I do agree that a lot of people who know wtf they are doing probably have access to the equipment now, but there are also plenty of us who have the experience, but have since moved on in life and no longer turn wrenches for a living.

Also, if this was something that was readily available for the same price as a big welder or Air Compressor, I could see there being a pretty good demand.

 

[Surrey]

Can you point me in the right direction for that home made alignment machine?

I just tried to find it and couldnt... I miss the old tech library layout... (I know its accessible from the right url, but still.)

 

[stegomon]

They are lazy. That is why. They can do it but don't want to. They want the $100 an hour job that takes them 20 minutes

 

[4x4junkie]

They really need to make a cheap home alignment machine...

They already do.
It's called a tape measure and/or telescoping rod (rod works well if you have alloy wheels), a couple steel plates w/round metal dowels (grease can be substituted for the dowels, though is messier), and a human eyeball (< no one needs to "make' that part, you should already have two of them lol).

See here (scroll about halfway down)
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

Big expensive electronic machines are only as good as the person who is using it. Besides, all they really do is eliminate some of the guesswork of using the above method (which obviously would save on shop labor costs). They do not necessarily lead to a more precise alignment than the above simple tools in the hands of someone who is knowledgeable about it.

 

[ronclark]

With the info 4x4junkie provided I did my truck. Its really not hard just need some patience,afternoon and a few simple tools.
My truck has never driven better. No more drifting between lanes down the freeway anymore.
I am pretty much had enought with shops, thy just don't care.


Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk 2

 

[doorgunner]

I used the "string method".......cost about $3 for some good colored construction string (easier to see it)

I read a few articles on the web about how to use the string/carpenter's level/Home Depot Angle Finder to align the wheels..............

took my time.....



double-checked everything......

now I have 20,000 miles on the "home alignment" and the tires look great!

 

[rocks]

Finally got it aligned. The place I found did good. First thing the alignment guy told me was he hasn't found anything he couldn't align in 30 years. Now I need shocks on the back and get rid of my bald swampers for some radials.

 

[4x4junkie]

Good find!

Don't ever lose contact with that guy. Such guys aren't easy to find these days it seems.

 

[canyoncritter]

They already do.
It's called a tape measure and/or telescoping rod (rod works well if you have alloy wheels), a couple steel plates w/round metal dowels (grease can be substituted for the dowels, though is messier), and a human eyeball (< no one needs to "make' that part, you should already have two of them lol).

See here (scroll about halfway down)
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

Big expensive electronic machines are only as good as the person who is using it. Besides, all they really do is eliminate some of the guesswork of using the above method (which obviously would save on shop labor costs). They do not necessarily lead to a more precise alignment than the above simple tools in the hands of someone who is knowledgeable about it.

junkie, I dont think alot of people can "see it" on a few tools around the house that can alighn their trucks. smart phone, smart cars, smart ass kids, and smart alighment racks has made alot of people forget how to smarten up by duming down?


4 jackstands and some thin string tape measure in MM's or 32'ds level surface make it possible on a beam's just as good as a "Smart rack"

and if you dont have dowel and plate, a broom stick and fence plank will work if your carefull.
smooth concrete trash bags work decent, or salt and linoleum floor tile.

I like the ideal behind the spc91000. makes it somewhat quick on the camber and caster. Other cheap alighment gaues out there too.