Where did you get your alignment done?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 30,492
Likes: 11
From: San Antonio Texas
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Where did you get your alignment done?
Where have you guys had your alignment done after you had your car lowered or had new wheels and tires installed? Did you take it to the dealership or to a speciality shop? What kind of price am I looking at?
Thanks for the input, looking forward to getting my car lowered this weekend and want a good alignment done afterwards by a competent tech.
Thanks for the input, looking forward to getting my car lowered this weekend and want a good alignment done afterwards by a competent tech.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 58,783
Likes: 1
From: D*ck ina Box
CI III & IV Vote Ho
CI II, III, IV & V Vet
CI IV Bracket Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Tormania)
most GM shops wont be able to get the car on their rack....I was able to get mine done at a GoodYear shop....bring your own specs and make sure they can "nail them dead on"....yo umay also want to try and find a race shop in your area...go the track and talk to some of the racers out there 
Mark
Mark
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Mean Green 2000)
I am also in the same boat. My steering wheel is not straight. When you make the C5 emblem staight, the car goes to the right. The inside of the left front tire is cupping out. I am considering lowering it since lowered C5s look so cool and I need an alignment anyway. :chevy
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: Plano, Texas, USA TX
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Tormania)
I've used a local NTB (National Tire & Battery) shop in my area. I really believe quality of workmanship varies to an extreme across these type of shops. However, this particular shop knew to place stepper blocks for my front wheels in order to safely clear driving up the ramps for the alignment, etc. I've never had an alignment problem even with some 'less than desireable' streets but wanted to have the alignment when getting new rubber.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Tormania)
I had mine done at Tom Benson on San Pedro. See Ken Colemere at the service department. He really takes care of the Vette and makes sure that they do it right. :cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (reddon)
Had mine done at Goodyear for $74. They did a top notch job but there are two things to do b4 you take the car to GY.
1. Ask if their equipment can handle 18" wheels. Not all GY shops are outfitted with the same equipment. The first place I went to could only handle 17" wheels thus I wasted a morning going over there.
2. Remove the two side pieces of the front air dam...the center section can stay. In order for the "lasers" (using my best Dr. Evil voice :jester ) to see each other, you have to remove these side pieces. Do it before hand...4 bolts per side...to save some time.
[Modified by Mike99C5HT, 12:28 PM 8/22/2001]
1. Ask if their equipment can handle 18" wheels. Not all GY shops are outfitted with the same equipment. The first place I went to could only handle 17" wheels thus I wasted a morning going over there.
2. Remove the two side pieces of the front air dam...the center section can stay. In order for the "lasers" (using my best Dr. Evil voice :jester ) to see each other, you have to remove these side pieces. Do it before hand...4 bolts per side...to save some time.
[Modified by Mike99C5HT, 12:28 PM 8/22/2001]
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 32
From: Central Florida
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Tormania)
My suggestion is to find a dealer (Chevy or other) that has one of the new generation of alignment machines that attaches lasers to the wheels. The adjustments to all settings are then downloaded real-time to an attached computer permitting precise achievement of the desired specs. My local Chevy dealer has one. It did a super job on both my 98 coupe and 01 Z06.
Here is a link to one such machine. Note the laser hung from the wheel.
http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/al...484t/4484t.htm
As always, I suggest emphasizing to the alignment tech that you are very sensitive to having the steering wheel centered. That's the one part of the job with any machine that often is done imprecisely.
Ranger
[Modified by Ranger, 7:15 PM 8/22/2001]
Here is a link to one such machine. Note the laser hung from the wheel.
http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/al...484t/4484t.htm
As always, I suggest emphasizing to the alignment tech that you are very sensitive to having the steering wheel centered. That's the one part of the job with any machine that often is done imprecisely.
Ranger
[Modified by Ranger, 7:15 PM 8/22/2001]
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: Plano, Texas, USA TX
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Ranger)
Yes, this is the type of machine that the NTB shop in my area used. It gave me a confort level that the readings taken 'before' and 'after' were as accurate as could be. Didn't have to remove front side skirts. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 30,492
Likes: 11
From: San Antonio Texas
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: Where did you get your alignment done? (Ranger)
Thanks for all the information guys. Now I just have to find a shop in San Antonio OR Austin that has this machine for the alignment.
Also, does the shop have the alignment specs for the C5 or do I need to supply them? I think I want to get the alignment specs that c4c5 is using, some folks have really liked those specs.
Also, does the shop have the alignment specs for the C5 or do I need to supply them? I think I want to get the alignment specs that c4c5 is using, some folks have really liked those specs.