Should i go get a "Free" wheel alignment

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by Loren

They'll just put it on the rack, see that it's within the (wide) factory tolerances and say it's fine. Not worth your time.

and this is why you wander back and make friends with the alignment tech, ask him if he can install your camber bolts, and get you the alignment you want.

a custom alignment doesn't take any more time than a regular alignment, really.

[Loren]

Originally Posted by Tamago

and this is why you wander back and make friends with the alignment tech, ask him if he can install your camber bolts, and get you the alignment you want.

a custom alignment doesn't take any more time than a regular alignment, really.

There's about a 25% chance of that working. Most alignment techs aren't educated on how or why to do a performance alignment. They'll look at you asking them to give you more camber and say "no way, I can't do that to a car that's under warranty, it will wear your tires out!".

Sadly, most alignment techs understand very little other than the alignment machine showing them that the car is "in the green".

On the flip side, I had GREAT service from the Saturn shop when I was in Wichita. Their shop foreman was a racer, knew the gig, and was thrilled when someone who knew what they wanted came in and asked for something specific. He didn't mind spending the extra time to dial in a perfect alignment if he knew that the driver was going to appreciate it. So, it IS possible that you can get a good alignment tech... even at a dealer shop.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by Loren

There's about a 25% chance of that working. Most alignment techs aren't educated on how or why to do a performance alignment. They'll look at you asking them to give you more camber and say "no way, I can't do that to a car that's under warranty, it will wear your tires out!".

Sadly, most alignment techs understand very little other than the alignment machine showing them that the car is "in the green".

On the flip side, I had GREAT service from the Saturn shop when I was in Wichita. Their shop foreman was a racer, knew the gig, and was thrilled when someone who knew what they wanted came in and asked for something specific. He didn't mind spending the extra time to dial in a perfect alignment if he knew that the driver was going to appreciate it. So, it IS possible that you can get a good alignment tech... even at a dealer shop.

i'm fortunate enough to have access to an alignment rack after hours if i need it

another trick i've done in the past is to visit a few "tire" shops in my area, like tires plus, tire kingdom, etc.

before i went inside i went and spoke to the alignment tech, got to know him a bit. then i went inside and purchased a 3year alignment.... since they were a chain, i'd get the car aligned every 3 months or so, depending on how much autocrossing i'd been doing, and never hit the same shop more than once a year. the 3year alignment paid for itself in 9 months. and the techs were perfectly fine giving me the alignment i wanted.

[HTM Yaris]

If you drive in a pothole ridden environmet , your car may actually be out of alignment , then free would be good .

I notice that after driving 3-4 months of the year on mostly dirt roads , the tow seems to wander out . Last year my 07 LB was just within the green area Loren mentioned . This year it was out . Although the roads I drove this year were full of long sandy "rumple strips" along with giant potholes and I must add there are no speed limits on those roads

If your gonna walk "around back" , befriend a mechanic . They know how to align and more . Who knows that mechanic may own their own shop one day .