A typical dealership experience.

"nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul" (nfamouscj)
10/02/2019 at 19:22 • Filed to: None

Bring the truck in at 230 for my 3pm scheduled appointment . “you leaving it?” I wasn’t planning on it. Apparently the scheduler didn’t schedule enough time for alignment and balancing- because they only work til 5. Screw it, just do the alignment I’ll do the balancing a later date.

On the drive home it’s pulling hard left. My first test drive it tracked straight but my steering wheel was turned 90 degrees. But now it’s tracking left at like 30 mph I have to hold it at 45 to the right to keep it tracking straight. What gives?

Anyways it's going in Monday to get re-aligned and balanced.

DISCUSSION (16)

diplodicus forgot his password > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/02/2019 at 19:42

I aligned my e28 using a tape measure and two roughly square pieces of angle iron. Drives just as good as any alignment is paid for in the past

Nibby > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/02/2019 at 19:43

your truck is a bernie sanders supporter

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Nibby
10/02/2019 at 19:58

Took me a second.

Kinja'd!!!

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > diplodicus forgot his password
10/02/2019 at 19:59

As simple as the 250 suspension is I probably should. The whole why my steering wheel was turned 90 after I did the lift is what confused me. Though I'm sure I could eventually figure it out.

chicagoE36 > Nibby
10/02/2019 at 20:14

This is a clever comment.

-s omeonewhoactuallyreally likesbernie

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > diplodicus forgot his password
10/02/2019 at 20:18

Agreed. Even when I literally just eyeballed it to get it to the shop it wasn’t as bad as you described. I would not go back to a shop that returned my car like that. You only get one second chance

Under_Score > Nibby
10/02/2019 at 21:50

It’s going in to get fixed, so it might as well be Bernie Sanders himself.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/03/2019 at 07:28

And me being the asshole I am, they would have done the alignment and the balancing, and redone either of those things until they got it right.

These morons have one simple job to do, how are they still employed when they do shit like this?

Sorry, still salty on the dealer F-ups on our new van.

ateamfan42 > diplodicus forgot his password
10/03/2019 at 08:38

I align my Miata myself with strings and rulers. It takes the better part of a day, but it can be done with good results.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
10/03/2019 at 09:13

Oh it's going to be done right and I'm not paying another dime. My money is that it was because I got it back at 4:45 and the advisor made it clear they are off at 5.

DasWauto > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/03/2019 at 09:34

Lifted solid axle truck? You probably need to adjust your drag link, or get a longer one.

diplodicus forgot his password > ateamfan42
10/03/2019 at 09:41

Mine took me an hour or two, but the only factory adjustable spec on the e28 is front toe. I’m going to guess if you used string the rear toe must be adjustable on the miata as well.

diplodicus forgot his password > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
10/03/2019 at 09:44

I eyeballed mine the first time and it felt fine until I got on the highway in the rain one day and I was like holy shit gotta get this figured out. I refuse to give my keys to anyone at belle tire/discount tire type stores though, and the independent shop I trust is crazy busy so it would have been weeks before I could get in. And the other shop that I see working on a lot of older cars told me I would have to leave it and wait and I just don’t trust people so I did it myself. There are calculators for converting toe degrees to fractions of an inch. You just have to know the OD of your tires.

diplodicus forgot his password > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/03/2019 at 09:51

Quick google makes it look like your truck only has camber and castor adjustments. No idea how you’d do that at home, my e28 is the opposite can only adjust the toe.

maybe a protractor on a level surface? https://www.powerstrokenation.com/forums/23-power-stroke-excursions/56563-alignment-specs-recommendations.html

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
10/03/2019 at 10:04

How did it take them and hour and forty five minutes to do an alignment?

How in an hour and forty five minutes did they still manage to F it up?

That would be my last dealing with that dealer if I was you.

ateamfan42 > diplodicus forgot his password
10/03/2019 at 10:35

Mine took me an hour or two, but the only factory adjustable spec on the e28 is front toe.

Cars with only front toe are pretty easy to do. Tape measure from tire to tire in the front and back of the tires can determine total toe. Wrap a string around the car at hub height, and set that off the wheel centers with some vertical sections of pvc pipe. Match the distance from the string to the rear part of the front rims and that should center up the steering wheel (assuming the rear wheels don ’t have a gross thrust angle issue).

I’m going to guess if you used string the rear toe must be adjustable on the miata as well.

The Miata is a “fully adjustable” alignment ( camber/ caster/ toe on the front and camber/toe on the rear) . So there is plenty to measure and adjust.