Shop won't do an alignment

RyMi

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I recently installed some Teins on my 01 sedan, and made sure to tighten everything up while the car was at ride height.

Then, seeing online that its recommended to get an alignment after changing suspension, I took it to a local repair shop that does alignments.

Guy at the shop said they couldn't do any sort of aspect of an alignment on the car without charging me 650 some bucks for a camber kit and lower control arms? Seems weird to me. Car drives fine, and doesn't pull to one side or another. If anything, I hear the tires just a little bit more (assuming due to the fact I can see that my rears are just slightly negative on camber).

Do I need to go to a more specialized place to get it done?
 

Nam1911a1

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I am lowered on lowering springs and my shop aligned me just fine. The mechanic told me he could adjust the camber but he aligned everything else. I told him I know there is nothing to be done without adjustable control arms but I'm ok with it.

If I were you I would never go back to that shop. They just want you to buy more stuff.
 

RedRyder

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Go somewhere else. I always went to Tire Discounters or Firestone Auto Care, whoever had an in-ground rack. I knew being low I would have a little camber, I would always just tell them to zero out the toe.
 

RyMi

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Go somewhere else. I always went to Tire Discounters or Firestone Auto Care, whoever had an in-ground rack. I knew being low I would have a little camber, I would always just tell them to zero out the toe.

OK great, thank you. Yeah I had always known I'd have a little bit of camber from lowering, but couldn't figure out why that would inhibit adjusting my toe and caster. I'll be looking for a more specialized place that can help me out.
 

Rusty Accord

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OK great, thank you. Yeah I had always known I'd have a little bit of camber from lowering, but couldn't figure out why that would inhibit adjusting my toe and caster. I'll be looking for a more specialized place that can help me out.

If you can't find someone to adjust the toe in, use a tape measure and set it yourself. When I rebuilt the front end of my 99, all I had to do was reset the toe. I think I moved 1 side an 1/8th of an inch, and the other side a 1/16th of an inch. It gave a 1/16th in toe in, and kept the steering wheel level. I hate it when it's ****ed slightly off.

I've got a 2x4 that I use for setting toe in, using the center of the tread. I'll check the rear side of the tire (make a line on the board), then move to the front, and make another line, then measure the differences between the 2, unless they're on top of each other. Then I'll split the difference on the lines, and figure out how much I need to adjust (turning the inner tie rod end) to set it. Then I'll move the car back and forth a couple of times and recheck it again. If I did my calculations right, it should be right on the money. If not, I'll reset it again until I get it where I want. Same applies with the rear, along with stringing the rear to the front. Yeah, it's very "old school", but it does work. :)
Once you're done you can have a couple of these :beer2: and be happy you did a good job.
 

DarkSideAccord

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i don't think there's any camber adjustment on the 6GA unless if u have a camber kit... toe is prob the only thing they can adjust..maybe that's why they told u not to do it... sounds like they're saving u some money
 
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