Tire discounters can’t align my Dart.

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doogievlg

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I dropped of my Swinger on Wednesday for an alignment. Got a call the next day asking what parts my front end came from. They could tell everything was new because I installed all new moog parts and new shocks. Upper control arm came from another dart and the LCA never came off the car. Zero after market parts besides the moog and one caliper. He tells me they can’t get it aligned but they are having someone else work on it the rest of the week. Got a call today and they said it’s as close as they can get. I asked for the numbers and of course they “couldn’t” get them to me after hours. Drove the car 2 miles home and it’s pulling to the right like crazy and I can see the difference in camber. They charged me $150. At this point I’m not taking the car back there but do I ask for my money back for such a trash job or be lucky that after working on it for so long they only charged me $150.
 
They didn't do what you paid them for. If they couldn't figure out how to do a basic alignment on an older car, they shouldn't have taken on the work. And it shouldn't have taken a week for them to determine that they couldn't do the job. I'd at least go in and ask for the shop manager for a discussion about it. Just remember - being nice and cordial in a situation like this can go a long way.
 
Always ask of they have the specs for your car. Some times they dont... and dont admit it and align it to a newer car.
 
Too bad you didn’t tell him “let’s go for a test drive before you paid him”.
 
Your best bet is to find an “old school” alignment shop. Most newer shops will only align to “book” specs. If your running bias ply tires, that’s ok, if your running radial tires, the book spec is not correct and will steer like you just found out... look up ”Skosh chart” and “alignment” here on the forum. That is the recommend specs for radial tires. My local old school shop was 125 with tax.
 
They didn't do what you paid them for. If they couldn't figure out how to do a basic alignment on an older car, they shouldn't have taken on the work. And it shouldn't have taken a week for them to determine that they couldn't do the job. I'd at least go in and ask for the shop manager for a discussion about it. Just remember - being nice and cordial in a situation like this can go a long way.

I got dinner cooking so figured I’d go crawl under the car and see if they did any serious damage. Not a single bolt on the tie rod sleeves was tight. All four just rattling around on the drive home.
 
I got dinner cooking so figured I’d go crawl under the car and see if they did any serious damage. Not a single bolt on the tie rod sleeves was tight. All four just rattling around on the drive home.
If ya paid with a credit card, disput the charges and call the shop. That’s BS work...
 
Too bad you didn’t tell him “let’s go for a test drive before you paid him”.

Now that I’ve gotten under the car I highly doubt they would have putting their life at risk like that. I’m not one make a big deal out of bad work but I’ll never be going back to that company. Who lets a customer drive a car away without making sure the tie rods collars are tight?
 
I’d get my money back. Doesn’t sound very driveable to me.
 
Now that I’ve gotten under the car I highly doubt they would have putting their life at risk like that. I’m not one make a big deal out of bad work but I’ll never be going back to that company. Who lets a customer drive a car away without making sure the tie rods collars are tight?

How would they know if they put out shity work if problems are not brought to their attention? At least call them.
 
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I dropped of my Swinger on Wednesday for an alignment. Got a call the next day asking what parts my front end came from. They could tell everything was new because I installed all new moog parts and new shocks. Upper control arm came from another dart and the LCA never came off the car. Zero after market parts besides the moog and one caliper. He tells me they can’t get it aligned but they are having someone else work on it the rest of the week. Got a call today and they said it’s as close as they can get. I asked for the numbers and of course they “couldn’t” get them to me after hours. Drove the car 2 miles home and it’s pulling to the right like crazy and I can see the difference in camber. They charged me $150. At this point I’m not taking the car back there but do I ask for my money back for such a trash job or be lucky that after working on it for so long they only charged me $150.
Piss on that Bro. FULL REFUND, UNLESS THEY MAKE IT RIGHT. it seems as getting a simple alignment, instead of a " toe and go" is a lost art.... I'm sorry for that. After the cat a Fred Cox retired, Everyone in Tampa Bay sucks....
 
Now that I’ve gotten under the car I highly doubt they would have putting their life at risk like that. I’m not one make a big deal out of bad work but I’ll never be going back to that company. Who lets a customer drive a car away without making sure the tie rods collars are tight?
Wtf is that? There ain't no way in Hell.i won't even leave a screw outta a peice of drywall! And sometimes code is 4 not 5, i do 5. Even if I gotta do stupid crap to get that One Screw in there..( over cabinets, tucked in a hole, an angle/ flex adapter, standing sideways upside down, Wharever it takes..). No Excuse for **** / crooked- rip off, crap work!
 
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Wtf is that? There ain't no way in Hell.i won't even leave a screw outta a peice of drywall! And sometimes code is 4 not 5, i do 5. Even if I gotta do stupid crap to get that One Screw in there..( over cabinets, tucked in a hole, an angle/ flex adapter, standing sideways upside down, Wharever it takes..). No Excuse for **** / crooked- rip off, crap work!

I haven’t driven the car in 5 years. I was pumped to go for a long drive tonight. Instead I was laying on a gravel driveway tightening bolts.
 
Hate to say it but Tire Discounters isn't on my list of places to take a vintage vehicle... Not saying what you got is right but I wouldn't expect them to have a clue on how to set up your alignment...

If you were local I'd introduce you to my guy.. He's been doing alignments since before your car was built, took over his dads business that his dad opened in 1946... He played with muscle cars when he was younger & his thing was tweaking the alignment & suspension to go round corners quicker... So he knows what does what & why....

There is probably someone like him near you, your job is to find that guy.... Cause all the new parts don't do anything till they are set up right...
 
Hate to say it but Tire Discounters isn't on my list of places to take a vintage vehicle... Not saying what you got is right but I wouldn't expect them to have a clue on how to set up your alignment...

If you were local I'd introduce you to my guy.. He's been doing alignments since before your car was built, took over his dads business that his dad opened in 1946... He played with muscle cars when he was younger & his thing was tweaking the alignment & suspension to go round corners quicker... So he knows what does what & why....

There is probably someone like him near you, your job is to find that guy.... Cause all the new parts don't do anything till they are set up right...

There is but I’d have to trailer the car to them. Looks like I’ll be doing that.
 
Last car I had aligned like that the guy retired at the end of the week. He worked his *** off for half the day but he sure did a great job. Cost a lot but well worth it.
 
They didn't do what you paid them for. If they couldn't figure out how to do a basic alignment on an older car, they shouldn't have taken on the work. And it shouldn't have taken a week for them to determine that they couldn't do the job. I'd at least go in and ask for the shop manager for a discussion about it. Just remember - being nice and cordial in a situation like this can go a long way.

Bringing it to the attention of the boss and not going back is a huge statement in my book. If the guy issues a refund, great, but I wouldnt go into it with that in mind. I would be on the phone with safety on my tongue. "I appreciate you doing the best you could but the collars on the tie rods were loose". Its an acknowledgement to his poor work and to the unsafe condition his company put you in. If he says he would like to try again.....tell him that you would like HIM to drive the car first....then ask him....'would you come back to a company that sent you down the road like this?' Now, with that said........if your pile for some reason (and i highly doubt this but I have to say it...) isn't able, for some reason, to be aligned.....you will have, as they say, "egg on your face".......anyway, congrats on getting hitched brah.. the car looks awesome and you are CLOSE!!!!
 
I just bought these Turn Plates for $150 used a few hours ago from a circle track racer…. to go with the Longacre caster/camber setup I already have.

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If nothing else, doing it yourself at least you'll know your sh#t is tight.
 
The missing elephant in the room, is, DID YOU TELL THEM what specs to use? Unless you are using bias tires, you do NOT want the thing aligned to factory specs, and many of these computerized in/out shops cannot seem to do any different.

Review this:
Turn of the screw: front end alignment for performance...

The so called "skosh chart" has been re-re-re-reposted here many many times
 
The missing elephant in the room, is, DID YOU TELL THEM what specs to use? Unless you are using bias tires, you do NOT want the thing aligned to factory specs, and many of these computerized in/out shops cannot seem to do any different.

Review this:
Turn of the screw: front end alignment for performance...

The so called "skosh chart" has been re-re-re-reposted here many many times

I brought up the skosh chart and they assured me their information is up to date. Doesn’t matter at this point.
 
Bringing it to the attention of the boss and not going back is a huge statement in my book. If the guy issues a refund, great, but I wouldnt go into it with that in mind. I would be on the phone with safety on my tongue. "I appreciate you doing the best you could but the collars on the tie rods were loose". Its an acknowledgement to his poor work and to the unsafe condition his company put you in. If he says he would like to try again.....tell him that you would like HIM to drive the car first....then ask him....'would you come back to a company that sent you down the road like this?' Now, with that said........if your pile for some reason (and i highly doubt this but I have to say it...) isn't able, for some reason, to be aligned.....you will have, as they say, "egg on your face".......anyway, congrats on getting hitched brah.. the car looks awesome and you are CLOSE!!!!

Im not professional so there is a chance I screwed something up but this isn’t my first front end rebuild. All parts were OEM stuff besides the moog parts.
 
Bringing it to the attention of the boss and not going back is a huge statement in my book. If the guy issues a refund, great, but I wouldnt go into it with that in mind. I would be on the phone with safety on my tongue. "I appreciate you doing the best you could but the collars on the tie rods were loose". Its an acknowledgement to his poor work and to the unsafe condition his company put you in. If he says he would like to try again.....tell him that you would like HIM to drive the car first....then ask him....'would you come back to a company that sent you down the road like this?' Now, with that said........if your pile for some reason (and i highly doubt this but I have to say it...) isn't able, for some reason, to be aligned.....you will have, as they say, "egg on your face".......anyway, congrats on getting hitched brah.. the car looks awesome and you are CLOSE!!!!
Agree. I know i have a bad way of venting. But That would be The Way to tell him. That , and the fact, They Are a chain store. Can You say, possible Loss Of Life? I'd give them some heck. But, on the other side, is it worth raising your blood pressure and getting stressed out? If the OP can do it, he shouldn't let that ride....even if it's for the next lil ol lady they rob there
 
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