Went to Les Schwab in Southcenter today to get a 4-wheel alignment, but was DENIED. Apparently, my lower "ball joints" don't align with my upper A-arm ball joint. Also...apparently, my front wheels are pushed too far back. (wtf?!?!?). The tech didn't even bother to put the alignment instruments on my car, and told me to get it fixed!

My car has never been in an accident. The suspension install was totally straight forward....didn't run into any issues at all. In fact, after my suspension installation, I discovered absolutely no problems! No vibrations, steering wasn't tracking left or right, etc... I'm not even experiencing any unusual tire wear after 100miles of freeway driving.

Anyone have this problem before? Here is a pic of my front wheel when I got home. Looks normal to me!! Even took a peak underneath the car and the lower ball joints aren't "tweaked", and they are linear to the upper joint.

I'M STUMPED!!

 

It also seems strange that they didnt want to over charge you and fix it. Maybe they just didnt feel like working on your car?

 

The main problem here is that you went to Les Schwab.

 

try Speedware in Redmond...it'll be a little more, but they'll do it right.

 

Hummmm, this is wierd. I am very interested right now as my Z is on the jackstands in the garage half way through a suspension swap.

 

hey where are you in Shoreline????
By the way Firestone has never had any problems aligning my car. I know the guy that does it and i have tried various alignments with my rears toe/camber etc.

 

+1

They won't mount tires on my rims anymore, I have to take my car elsewhere... thats some bs but of well. Oh and they won't do mine either, apparently if they didn't install the suspension they won't work on it. the guy probably just didn't say and danced around your request with some form of bs.

 

Man, this is the first time in my 10yrs of tuning imports that I second guessed my work Instead of spending an hour watching 'Dancing with the Stars', I literally popped the front suspension, and reinstalled everything and made sure everything was torqued to spec. Just took it out for a spin, and it is exactly the same.

Stay FAR AWAY from LES SCHWAB in SOUTHCENTER


Yea, my mistake. I went there because they're the only shop in town that do their alignments with a "pit", and no rack. I didn't want some dick driving my car on a rack, and scraping the sh*t out of my bumper.


Thanks Pete...yea, I'll give them a call tomorrow.

 

OP, could you estimate (or even better, precisely measure) the amount of clearance you have from the top of the caliper to the wheel barrel?

I am wanting to get a set of 18" RPF1s as well, but I am very afraid they wont clear my 14.25" AP racing brakes. The clear my current 18" wheels by about the thickness of a piece of paper (no, I am not kidding).

 

Firestone should be just fine for a basic alignment. If you want corner balancing or have more specialized parts like camber plates, camber arms, toe bolts, upgraded endlinks, etc... then you might want to go elsewhere.

 

Sure no prob. I'll measure it after work today. In all honesty, RPF1s are notorious for having smaller inner diameters. I've owned (2) separate sets for my two different road race/track civics, and the 15" wheels barely cleared my OEM brakes! (OEM wheel was 15" too).

 

Yep, that is why I have the fear.

Thanks man.

 

+1

they only charge a hundred buck, i dont' think thats to much to pay for an alignment to your specs by someone who know's what they're doing

 

The brembos are roughly 1.2cm from the spokes, and 1.6cm from the inner barrel

 

hey, since ur local, you should come out to an autox (i've recently started, and its a blast, so i'm trying to recruit everyone i can)

there is a school thing for autox on the 11th, here is a link to sign up:
http://bscc.net/component/option,com...view/extid,89/

there is only 5 spots left, so sign up quick

i'll be there and so will vstrizheus on his g37 and his wife on her 07 g35 sedan

 

You rock dude! Thanks.