Need some info on corner balancing
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,047
Likes: 252
From: San Diego
To me it seems high but I install my own parts. The fact that I thought they charged you $1500 is my reason that posted on this thread.
Last edited by Brandon619; Oct 19, 2013 at 09:54 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
Ok my bad part of the 1500 was to install the coil overs so 2 hours on that and the rest for the chassis set up. Does that not seem high. OK so the alignment there was no mention of that on the invoice but ok 75.00. So my math 200 for coil over install even 300 at the high end 75.00 for the alignment and 1125 for the chassis set up. So far who thinks this is reasonable. I have attached the invoice for you all to see. You tell me if this is reasonable or not.
4 Shocks 2.6
Both leaf springs R&R 5.5 hours so half that 2.75
So that's 5 hours to remove springs/shocks and install new coil overs
1 hour to assemble the coil overs and set basic pre load
Now we're at 6 hours = $600
4 wheel alignment is $150, not $75
$750 total
so $750 for corner balancing?????
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 290
Likes: 1
Sorry for the confusion everyone. I didn’t explain what was delivered well enough.
I do want to state first that we DO NOT CHARGE $1500 for corner balancing.
Corner balancing: is a process of equalizing the cars weight on all 4 tires. In order to maximize the cars performance we will corner balance. After the process is complete it will prevent pushing at corner entry and over steer at corner exit.
Corner balancing charge goes by shop time. If you have a brand new corvette and all the bolts move freely we can expect corner balancing to cost around $200-$300. If your coilovers or spring bolts have seen allot of salt, then the process with take allot longer and cost more.
The OP had a set of MTI – Bilstine Coilovers installed. These coils are industry leading. We poured countless amounts of man hours in to the valving. In our MTI test mule has thousands of laps dedicated to perfecting them for a corvette chassis. To install them without chassis balancing would be limiting the full potential.
On the OP’s ticket the $1500 includes, removal of his old shocks and leaf springs, installation of the MTI coilovers, corner balancing, full alignment, and setting ride height.
I do want to state first that we DO NOT CHARGE $1500 for corner balancing.
Corner balancing: is a process of equalizing the cars weight on all 4 tires. In order to maximize the cars performance we will corner balance. After the process is complete it will prevent pushing at corner entry and over steer at corner exit.
Corner balancing charge goes by shop time. If you have a brand new corvette and all the bolts move freely we can expect corner balancing to cost around $200-$300. If your coilovers or spring bolts have seen allot of salt, then the process with take allot longer and cost more.
The OP had a set of MTI – Bilstine Coilovers installed. These coils are industry leading. We poured countless amounts of man hours in to the valving. In our MTI test mule has thousands of laps dedicated to perfecting them for a corvette chassis. To install them without chassis balancing would be limiting the full potential.
On the OP’s ticket the $1500 includes, removal of his old shocks and leaf springs, installation of the MTI coilovers, corner balancing, full alignment, and setting ride height.
Last edited by Johnny@MTI; Oct 15, 2013 at 09:58 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
@$100 per hour that still seems excessive. If you read my breakdown, useing Mitchell labor times, that leaves $750 just for ride height adjustment and corner balancing. And to be honest, considering that there is overlap when removing shocks and springs at the same time, there still leave money on the table.
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 290
Likes: 1
So lets break this down. All times are from Mitchell On Line so they are current and up-to-date $100 p/h
4 Shocks 2.6
Both leaf springs R&R 5.5 hours so half that 2.75
So that's 5 hours to remove springs/shocks and install new coil overs
1 hour to assemble the coil overs and set basic pre load
Now we're at 6 hours = $600
4 wheel alignment is $150, not $75
$750 total
so $750 for corner balancing?????
4 Shocks 2.6
Both leaf springs R&R 5.5 hours so half that 2.75
So that's 5 hours to remove springs/shocks and install new coil overs
1 hour to assemble the coil overs and set basic pre load
Now we're at 6 hours = $600
4 wheel alignment is $150, not $75
$750 total
so $750 for corner balancing?????
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 26
From: Austin Texas
Sorry for the confusion everyone. I didn’t explain what was delivered well enough.
I do want to state first that we DO NOT CHARGE $1500 for corner balancing.
Corner balancing: is a process of equalizing the cars weight on all 4 tires. In order to maximize the cars performance we will corner balance. After the process is complete it will prevent pushing at corner entry and over steer at corner exit.
Corner balancing charge goes by shop time. If you have a brand new corvette and all the bolts move freely we can expect corner balancing to cost around $200-$300. If your coilovers or spring bolts have seen allot of salt, then the process with take allot longer and cost more.
The OP had a set of MTI – Bilstine Coilovers installed. These coils are industry leading. We poured countless amounts of man hours in to the valving. In our MTI test mule has thousands of laps dedicated to perfecting them for a corvette chassis. To install them without chassis balancing would be limiting the full potential.
On the OP’s ticket the $1500 includes, removal of his old shocks and leaf springs, installation of the MTI coilovers, corner balancing, full alignment, and setting ride height.
I do want to state first that we DO NOT CHARGE $1500 for corner balancing.
Corner balancing: is a process of equalizing the cars weight on all 4 tires. In order to maximize the cars performance we will corner balance. After the process is complete it will prevent pushing at corner entry and over steer at corner exit.
Corner balancing charge goes by shop time. If you have a brand new corvette and all the bolts move freely we can expect corner balancing to cost around $200-$300. If your coilovers or spring bolts have seen allot of salt, then the process with take allot longer and cost more.
The OP had a set of MTI – Bilstine Coilovers installed. These coils are industry leading. We poured countless amounts of man hours in to the valving. In our MTI test mule has thousands of laps dedicated to perfecting them for a corvette chassis. To install them without chassis balancing would be limiting the full potential.
On the OP’s ticket the $1500 includes, removal of his old shocks and leaf springs, installation of the MTI coilovers, corner balancing, full alignment, and setting ride height.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,047
Likes: 252
From: San Diego
No there is a big deference between corner balancing verses the stock suspension settling. Balancing a car correctly takes time a multiple adjustments with the proper equipment and the know how.
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Former Vendor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 290
Likes: 1
the process of corner balancing, and setting ride height are done at a similar time. first you set base line ride height, then you corner balance, and then you assure accurate right height. OP's car was very low. so we had to take extra care that it would stay at an acceptable right height.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
You already have the upper control arms disconnected from the chassis to A) remove the shock B) it allows the lower control arm to decompress the spring and allow removal of the spring. It's not rocket science. I've done this on the ground using jack stands in the past.
If you can't do this install in 6 hours you need a new tech.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Peachtree City Georgia
Well I have been going back and forth with MTI and they still admit it was a fair price and the work was top notch. Currently the car is getting a new clutch and a Whipple supercharger installed. Vengeance called me Thursday to discuss some issues they found with the coilover install. Turns out the bolts are way to short only had 2 threads into the locknut. So I contacted MTI and was told it's perfectly safe they bolts are torques to factory spec. And they used loctite on the bolts. Well there was no loctite on the bolts and I highly doubt the tech used a torque wrench on a coilover attachment bolt. MTI assured me it was torqued. I'm surprised a shop who had spent do many hours working on this suspension would allow insufficient hardware to be used during such a lengthy process as they put it. Not only was the job priced to high in my opinion and many others, the coilover a were not safely or correctly installed. And the fact they lied about the loctite on the bolts and that they were torqued to spec. Kinda makes you wonder what else they cut corners on.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,047
Likes: 252
From: San Diego
Well I have been going back and forth with MTI and they still admit it was a fair price and the work was top notch. Currently the car is getting a new clutch and a Whipple supercharger installed. Vengeance called me Thursday to discuss some issues they found with the coilover install. Turns out the bolts are way to short only had 2 threads into the locknut. So I contacted MTI and was told it's perfectly safe they bolts are torques to factory spec. And they used loctite on the bolts. Well there was no loctite on the bolts and I highly doubt the tech used a torque wrench on a coilover attachment bolt. MTI assured me it was torqued. I'm surprised a shop who had spent do many hours working on this suspension would allow insufficient hardware to be used during such a lengthy process as they put it. Not only was the job priced to high in my opinion and many others, the coilover a were not safely or correctly installed. And the fact they lied about the loctite on the bolts and that they were torqued to spec. Kinda makes you wonder what else they cut corners on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 1
From: Eastern PA:ECS Paxton Novi 1500(676rwhp,585tq on stock engine),LG headers, 410's, Corsa Sports, ECS Alky Kit
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Well I have been going back and forth with MTI and they still admit it was a fair price and the work was top notch. Currently the car is getting a new clutch and a Whipple supercharger installed. Vengeance called me Thursday to discuss some issues they found with the coilover install. Turns out the bolts are way to short only had 2 threads into the locknut. So I contacted MTI and was told it's perfectly safe they bolts are torques to factory spec. And they used loctite on the bolts. Well there was no loctite on the bolts and I highly doubt the tech used a torque wrench on a coilover attachment bolt. MTI assured me it was torqued. I'm surprised a shop who had spent do many hours working on this suspension would allow insufficient hardware to be used during such a lengthy process as they put it. Not only was the job priced to high in my opinion and many others, the coilover a were not safely or correctly installed. And the fact they lied about the loctite on the bolts and that they were torqued to spec. Kinda makes you wonder what else they cut corners on.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
Don't care if the bolt is using Red Loctite and torqued to spec, a safety inspection at a track would fail it.
This certainly puts questions in mind as to the quality of the rest of the install.
This certainly puts questions in mind as to the quality of the rest of the install.