Wheel Alignment

[KurtFranz]

I am in the Bradenton Florida area. Anyone have a place that they can recommend based on actual experience?
Thanks

[Rocinante]

If you have a Sprinter van, then I can recommend a Mercedes Benz dealer in Lakeland, FL. Fields Motor Cars. They did a great job with aligning and balancing our Sprinter 3500-based Class B.

https://www.fieldsmotorcars.com/

Ooops, Just saw in your signature that you have a Chevy. Sorry, no help here.

[KurtFranz]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

If you have a Sprinter van, then I can recommend a Mercedes Benz dealer in Lakeland, FL. Fields Motor Cars. They did a great job with aligning and balancing our Sprinter 3500-based Class B.

https://www.fieldsmotorcars.com/

Ooops, Just saw in your signature that you have a Chevy. Sorry, no help here.

Thanks for responding. Maybe Facebook IS the answer. As much as I do not like it, I do feel as if I am being dragged to the dark side!

[KurtFranz]

As anyone used Firestone for a wheel alignment?

[JohnP]

I can recommend Callaghan Tire on 15th Street East. (941) 751-1577

[Panman]

I've had GREAT service from:
Mr. Front End & RV Services
8251 Pacal Dr
Punta Gorda
941-276-2279

Jim 03D190P

[booster]

Originally Posted by Panman

I've had GREAT service from:
Mr. Front End & RV Services
8251 Pacal Dr
Punta Gorda
941-276-2279

Jim 03D190P

I always remind people that the old timers are mostly gone from the wheel alignment work force so all you get are people that have only run a computer based machine. Those machines are very slow to use because you need several minutes between every little adjustment. A recheck on the old turntables and gauges takes seconds to do so they can make many more adjustments and still make money.


Add to this that the machines are programmed with OEMs for the van have listed as "acceptable" alignment specs. Those specs are so wide you can wind up with a van the handles horribly and still be well within the specs, or "in the green" like the tech and printout will tell you.


Many of the tech don't even know how to adjust the cam type aligners on our vans and chase settings forever without getting any improvement. I have seen that multiple times back when the still allowed you to watch and the tech would ask you how it handled.


I have not gotten a good alignment in our area from a shop in many years and finally just bought some turntables and gauges and do my own on a level spot of the driveway.



I do them on our 07 Chevy Roadtrek and my 96 Buick Roadmaster wagon and that one still used the old shims to adjust the alignment. Using shims is something the some techs have never done and you have to explain it to them. The last time a shop tried to do the Buick, I actually had to bring the shims with me because they didn't even have an assortment of them, only a couple of random ones that were used and laying around. Of course he never got it right anyway, so it didn't matter.


Be sure you get a before and after printout of the readings from the shop. You can post them and we should be able to see easily how well they did or didn't do.

[Viperml]

Whatever state you are in look at google reviews. Select a place with a lot of good reviews.

[KurtFranz]

Thanks to everyone who responded. All I know is that when I look at the van from the front it is obvious that the front tires have negative camber - the passenger side more so than the driver side. Need it corrected before I screw the tires up.

[jjrbus]

Road trip, if you want the very best of the best! At their old shop my Toyota RV would not fit, so they aligned it in the parking lot. The old shop looked like a 60's movie set. The new shop looks like a garage sale.

My 02C200P was wandering on the highway, they found an un-greased hidden fitting!

West Coast Wheel Alignment, 3735 Fowler St Fort Myers, FL 33901

(239) 332-0588

[KurtFranz]

Originally Posted by jjrbus

My 02C200P was wandering on the highway, they found an un-greased hidden fitting!

I hear ya - there are two that are pretty well hidden up above the pitman arm and idler arm areas. Mine were bone dry and I am glad I found them. The van did drive much better after lubing them.

[mangomike]

Hi
We used Tampa Spring Company - Bradenton
They seemed to do a OK job
Michael

[jjrbus]

Originally Posted by KurtFranz

I hear ya - there are two that are pretty well hidden up above the pitman arm and idler arm areas. Mine were bone dry and I am glad I found them. The van did drive much better after lubing them.

The whole story, I had my van inspected twice, I had it worked on 4 times. I had the oil changed at oil change places twice! Was working on the van and noticed all the grease fittings were dry, they had not been greased in years! Fortunately not driven much so no damage done. So I greased it up and patted myself on the back, but did not see the 2 mentioned fittings!

Had it not been for an old school alignment shop I might never have found the problem and started replacing parts.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by jjrbus

The whole story, I had my van inspected twice, I had it worked on 4 times. I had the oil changed at oil change places twice! Was working on the van and noticed all the grease fittings were dry, they had not been greased in years! Fortunately not driven much so no damage done. So I greased it up and patted myself on the back, but did not see the 2 mentioned fittings!

Had it not been for an old school alignment shop I might never have found the problem and started replacing parts.

I recommend greasing every oil change to keep the joints tight and minimize wear. After replacing several front suspension and steering components at 50,000 miles, I have had no problems over the last 100,000 miles.