Aligning a lowered car! What a PAIN!!!!

I went to my buddies shop top get my Merc aligned yesterday. What a BIG waste of time! He has one of those new fancy,digital, machines that you drive up on like a hoist. First,of course,the back was draggin the ground,so he had to put some wood under the rear wheels. Then the target thingies wouldn't fit on right. Then when he got them to go on,they hit the fenders cause it's so low in the back. The targets wouldn't pick up the light beams. His alignment guy was all pissed off and started throwing tools. I pulled him asside and told him to "chill the fuck out,or i'm gonna align him!".
My buddy came over and told me it wasn't gonna work. He knows a guy who does it the "old fashion way". I'm gonna go see him. He's supposed to be a REAL Hotrodder. Hope he has some good stories. I'll get some pics,if he'll let me.

 

those fancy allignment racks are for new cars ,(they only have print outs and all the specs for new cars...)

you really need to find an old time alligment shop Bob...

 

Yea,this guy's supposed to be "oldschool".

 

thats why they call you BAD BOB! you must be related to that Jimmy Cabrone guy? haha

 

hey bob I use a guy in La Habra he does it the old fashion way. does a lot of hot rods etc knows what he's doing! Daves alaignment on Whittier blvd just off beach
let me know if your interested or need a #

Rudy

 

HA HA! That's funny,cause I took a pic with me sitting in my Merc just like the one of him in the back of OSR! LOL!
I was at an emotional low....

 

lol! HAHA


c'mon...ya gotta post that pic!

 

on the newer alignment machines you should be able to do a 2 wheel alignment on just the front wheels. i work at an alignment shop and that how i have to align my 57 because the rear fenders are too low.

 

He's the second guy I heard to take it to. I'm going to the guy on Harbor,just north of the 91 frwy,first. If it doesn't work out,then i'll go to the guy in Whittier.

 

I asked him that! He said they can't do just the front! He's just a tire guy anyways. He doesn't know shit...

 

if all else fails,,

......."set the toe and let it go"

for real,,you can get it pretty damn close with a tape measure and some time..

 

maybe take it to one of the smaller employee owned alignment shops. the only way to align a dually is with a 2 wheel alignment, anywhere that can dualys should be able to do your car.

 

ditto...................do it urself

 

yeah,had the same problem with my caddy,said fuck it and did it myself ,come on bob you can do it , all you need is two tapes and some vise grip's and some blocks of wood to put the front end on

 

MONTEREY ALIGNMENT in San Gabriel.I've been going there for 20 years.Dwayne over there knows all about "old" lowered cars.they even align and bend straight axles.

 

Bob if that is Lee on Harbor he does know his stuff.

 

Here's your specs.
0º caster (That make's it easier!)
+3/8º camber
1/8" toe in.
I set mine with a tape measure, chalk to mark/scribe true center on the tires, a carpenter's level and one of those Sears magnetic angle finders.
Good luck getting positive camber!
I know you're supposed to have a level floor/rack, but there aren't any level streets, so does it matter that much?
I set a 2+4 on the driveway where the car is and with a level check how far off level it is and adjust the caster and camber degrees accordingly.
If you have bags on either end it aint never going to be the same one day to the next anyway, just get it in the ballpark.
Having the caster and camber the same with each other right and left is more important than the numbers.
Ya can't set toe with worn out idler arms either, so if they have play fix it first. (or add about a 1/16" of toe temporarily.)

I've gone to Anderson's years ago (17) and they did a good job. 7521 Garden Grove Blvd
714-892-0424
GG blvd other side of the 22 freeway from the Harley dealer

 

Bob, I use Bear Alignment in East L.A. where they still do everything the Old School way. This guy kicks ass, he even aligns cars that are lifted (Hydraulics) and lay to the ground on itty bitty tires. He's on Olympic Blvd. just west of Atlantic Blvd.

 

Try Miller's on South Street in Long Beach. Dean's the man you want to talk to. 562 422 9037

 

I got tired of hearing all the excuses as to why my cars couldn't be aligned so I bought one of these. Made for racers, it's called a Fas Traxx align tool. It was intended to be used at the track in the pits so it worked perfect for my garage and driveway alignments. I even checked one against a fancy computer type machine and I was "right-on".

 

Go get it done by the Old School guy..
I did with mine and He didnt rape me for the cost, he didnt make excuses. and he didnt act like a 2 year old while he did it.

 

How much and where????

 

Looks like Eastwood sells 'em...

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I think i'll get one...

 

I went to five alignment shops with my F100 with MII...All had the reflector style and nobody could align the truck because the front reflectors could not see each other or they would hit the fenders. One attempted the alignment and just F'd it up, but didn't charge.

I ended up calling the manufacturer http://www.hunter.com/ I contacted the local manufacturers representative and asked who has the latest digital camera alignment equipment... http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/alignmentsystems/index.htm
Of all places it was Sears and it was brand new. Took the truck in and 30 minutes later had it aligned to my specs. It works great.

 

I second the "old school guy" option. We've got one here in Reno called Two Mac's. He's done me solid twice now. Get's me done fast and cheap, and doesn't complain!

 

you should have kicked his ass...he hates his job!!!

 

Yea,I know!!! I was thinking "what the fuck???" If it were me,I would have just said it won't work,and not got mad at all. When I was a VW mechanic,there were times that what the customer wanted wasn't gonna work. I just told them straight. Guys would see things in magazines and want their cars to run like racecars. Honesty ALWAYS prevails...He was probably unhappy with how much he was getting paid,HA HA HA!!!!

 

Need to find an old shop with a pit for alignment rack. Been doing them for 18 years, lowered cars do kinda suck getting on the rack, they usually drag on the exhaust. With the pit, just drive on in.

 

There was one in Bellflower with a pit,years ago,but I think it closed...