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  • Firestone tire dealers

    Ok, as many of you know, Firestone offers "lifetime alignments". A very cool deal for people with IFS vehicles. In a past life (pre-jeep) I bought one ($120) for my lifted s-10. I had it aligned every month or so, never cost me anything after that first time.

    Anyway, since I just installed the lift in my jeep, I needed someone to set the castor for me since I cannot measure that in the garage. So I call them up and set up a appointment for a non-lifetime alignment (once the castor is set, it won't change, and I can set the toe in the garage). So I drop it off, explain about the adjustable upper control arms, and the lack of eccentric washers, then walk over to Sears to wander aimlessly around the tool department. An hour later, I spent $10 and went back to see how progress was on the jeep. I figured they would have problems, and that I would have to coach them a little. Much to my surprize, the jeep was out front waiting for me. So I go in to pay, and ask them for the printout (first sign that somethign is wrong...they always offer them to you, and explain what it all means). They said they didnt' print one out because all they had to change was the toe, in fact, that is all they could change. (Big red flag). So, I explain once again that you could, indeed, adjust the castor via the adjustable UCA's. To which I recieve in response, well, he didnt' need to, because it was in spec.

    Ok, now I explain to the manager that I had just installed the lift, and I was sure that the castor was out, due to the poor handling. I proceed to ask him to print out a copy of the readings, even if it meant the tech had to put the jeep back on the rack. Grudgingly, he agreed.

    tick tock

    tick tock

    15 minutes later, there are 4 tech's standing in front of my jeep, on the rack, all scratching their heads. I turn to the manager and mention that it must not have been quite as "in spec" as they said.

    Fast forward 1.5 hours of me explaining how to adjust the damn thing. I stood in the shop the whole time, leaning against the rack, and made sure that the numbers were all in spec. Once they were, I went back in to sign off on the deal while the tech wrapped things up.

    I let them know I am rather *upset* about being lied to about the original alignment (or lack there of). They apologize, offer to buy me lunch, I turn them down as I just want to go home and go to bed (pulled a 12 hour night shift last night). So I drive around the corner, stop and roll under the jeep. Well, they left the control arm jam nuts loose, along with the drivers side TRE clamp.

    Quick u-turn, and I am on stop #3 in the same day. I tell them of the problem, and they pull it back in. Upon returning it, I ask them if they got them all, because I was going to check. "yes" was the answer.

    Fast forward 30 seconds. I walk back in for the 4th time. They forgot the TRE clamp. At this point, the manager hangs his head, walks out, gets a new guy to look it over, refunds my $$$, and prays I will JUST GO AWAY!!!!

    Yes, they finally got it, 3 hours later, and after their customer (me) was lied to, and had to bring the vehicle back 3 times for a simple alignment. The lack of attention to detail was a killer. There will be phone calls to the owner of the store tomorrow, phone calls to the corporate office, and with any luck, one alignment tech will be looking for a job by the end of the week. It is pretty sad when the customer gets lied to, has to show someone how to do their job, and then they STILL cant get it right on the first 3 tries.

    The moral? Watch them every second! Then double check their work if you can. Don't leave until you are satisfied, and if they screw it up, pull a Nailer and make them give you the service for free. I'm not nearly as mad as I would be if they had not refunded 100% of the cost.

    OOH! Its raining...gotta go!

    Have fun 'yall!
    olllllllo <--- If you can read that, roll me over!

    Price is soon forgotton, quality is not.

    KG6OWO

  • #2
    good point! Tammy and I both have the lifetime alignment on our Jeeps. I would prefer, personally, to do the caster adjustment in that garage so I dont have to "deal" with the problems you are refering to. With that said, for a lifetime alignment, the $99 or what ever isnt a bad deal. IMHO.

    and on a side note, I have NO idea how to measure caster!!
    LOL
    [COLOR=blue]Chris[/COLOR]
    SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY!!! - CLICK HERE
    Ya Savvy?

    Motech Performance

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    • #3
      That's bad! I wonder how many other customers they lied to who don't know anything about cars.
      I adjust my caster too, but I have no clue how to measure it either. I just adjusted it till the death wobble was gone. Seems to work. (fingers crossed)
      [color=grey]Ryan[/color]
      [COLOR=DarkOliveGreen]No Jeep To speak of. But I got a Hummer H3[/COLOR]

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      • #4
        sorry to hear about your day Bri. Gotta say though, I've had a similar experience. General shop mechanics (if they even deserve that title) are some of the most mentally challenged folks I've had the displeasure of dealing with. If I knew that little about the job I had, I'd fire myself.

        Hope the Jeep drives o.k. now.

        happy wheelin'. :yay:
        myJeeprocks.com

        "in the end... the rocks always win."

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        • #5
          The jeep handles much better with 4.5* of castor than with .6*.

          Now I just have to find that fuggin vibration I pick up between 35 and 40 mph. Then I'll be all set.
          olllllllo <--- If you can read that, roll me over!

          Price is soon forgotton, quality is not.

          KG6OWO

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          • #6
            Harbor Freight for $6 and you're setting your own castor.
            I got your jeep thing, now it burns when I pee

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            • #7
              Originally posted by RatherBeJeeping
              Harbor Freight for $6 and you're setting your own castor.
              I have one of those, but its not from harbor freight so it probably works better and is more accurate! But still, how do you set it. Is it the difference between a flat spot on the t-case and the flat spot on the front of the diff? :confused:
              [COLOR=blue]Chris[/COLOR]
              SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY!!! - CLICK HERE
              Ya Savvy?

              Motech Performance

              Comment


              • #8
                Technically, it is the angular distance of a (imaginary) line connecting the two ball joint pivot points (with respect to a vertical plane) to a (imaginary) vertical line at the center of the hub (on the same plane as the other imaginary line).

                So, unless you are have some not quite so imaginary lines connecting the ball joints, or a alignment rack, there is no easy way to do it at home.

                There is a somewhat complicated, mathematical way to measure it, but I would rather pay someone the $$$ to do it rather than go through all the crap to do it myself.
                olllllllo <--- If you can read that, roll me over!

                Price is soon forgotton, quality is not.

                KG6OWO

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