Alignment from hell rant

[Erickk120]

Finally had the time to get an alignment to start using my truck again, my wheel was about 15 degrees to the right before getting it done, I forgot to mention this as I figured they would correct it with the right alignment. Surprise they didn't. Oh well, no big deal right, well I wish that was it, as I was taking a sharp left I heard a sudden "pop" just once everytime I turn fully locked the steering wheel with decent speed.
I figured I'll take it back on Sunday as I was in a time crunch, I thought maybe the cam bolts aren't tight as they should, so I grabbed my rachet and socket and went at it, let's just say I screwed the camber angle and said I'll just wait to get it fixed, so I took it back today they redid the adjustment, the guy said my lower control arm was a little loose so he tighten the bolts and I figured that was it. I went to the parking lot did several complete 360 full lock turns and everything was solid, even the steering wheel was straight. Went to autozone for some oil, guy cuts line and plays dumb, so I take the oil back and am angry at this point as I had just waited 4 hours to get my alignment done, so I got in my truck and peel out in anger, I just didn't want to deal with the bs. red light to U turn I fully locked in and still angry floor it a bit and boom! loud pop again, This time my steering wheel got off-center about 15/20 degrees, and it pulls slightly to the right, This happened in a left turn. Could this be bad bushings/camber bolts that are worn? My entire suspension is new with the exception of the CA bushings. They have slight cracks but they don't look too bad so I didn't change them. I'm starting to get sick of all the little things here and there, I might just take it to a different shop altogether.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Finally had the time to get an alignment to start using my truck again, my wheel was about 15 degrees to the right before getting it done, I forgot to mention this as I figured they would correct it with the right alignment. Surprise they didn't. Oh well, no big deal right, well I wish that was it, as I was taking a sharp left I heard a sudden "pop" just once everytime I turn fully locked the steering wheel with decent speed.
I figured I'll take it back on Sunday as I was in a time crunch, I thought maybe the cam bolts aren't tight as they should, so I grabbed my rachet and socket and went at it, let's just say I screwed the camber angle and said I'll just wait to get it fixed, so I took it back today they redid the adjustment, the guy said my lower control arm was a little loose so he tighten the bolts and I figured that was it. I went to the parking lot did several complete 360 full lock turns and everything was solid, even the steering wheel was straight. Went to autozone for some oil, guy cuts line and plays dumb, so I take the oil back and am angry at this point as I had just waited 4 hours to get my alignment done, so I got in my truck and peel out in anger, I just didn't want to deal with the bs. red light to U turn I fully locked in and still angry floor it a bit and boom! loud pop again, This time my steering wheel got off-center about 15/20 degrees, and it pulls slightly to the right, This happened in a left turn. Could this be bad bushings/camber bolts that are worn? My entire suspension is new with the exception of the CA bushings. They have slight cracks but they don't look too bad so I didn't change them. I'm starting to get sick of all the little things here and there, I might just take it to a different shop altogether.

It can't be good. I'd try a different shop, although driving like that--I'm not judging, I have road rage myself--might've been the straw that broke the camel's back. That worn part might've gave up the ghost at that moment. These are 5,000 lb trucks after all.

 

[Erickk120]

Here is what the alignment looked like after it was done, the guy said the adjuster was maxed out in that side, the thing I don't understand is if both sides have to be equally adjusted because the driver side cam plate has more room to be adjusted but the passenger side is maxed, that or it moved and it isn't the same place anymore as when I drove out of the shop. if anybody has an idea of how this works could clear that up, that would be awesome.

 

[Erickk120]

I'm starting to think that it will end up being those upper bushings, since everything else in the suspension seems nice and tight, and it only happens in full lock with speed. Although I'm still puzzled how that turn threw my steering wheel out of whack, like a full 20 degrees off to the right, I will just order new camber/caster bolts and plates and new bushings, had I known this would happen I would have just done it all at once, I just tried to save me a headache that will end up getting me at the end anyway. I have a press so I don't think they will be a problem to pop the old ones out, and install the new ones in. I will take it to a diff shop to align it and see how that goes.

If it was just the pop I would surely think yup! its the bushings but the fact it threw my steering wheel off makes me think the toe is also messed up somehow, does anybody know how cast and camber affect toe/relate to each other?

 

[Erickk120]

Update: made some time to check things out and guess what I found, the passenger caster bolt was loose, I was able to move the nut with a 3 and a half inch long rachet, that was enough to tell me it wasn't even close to torque spec, literally as I moved to tighten, both! Cams just moved, now I can only imagine what stress these go through with the speed and momentum during an aggressive U-turn with a truck weighing over 5k pounds. Twice I've gone to the alignment shop and told them about this, and idk if they are just being lazy or what, but they are just wasting my time, I will take it somewhere else. I might as well do the bushings beforehand they don't look bad, but just in case.

 

[mattbta]

Definitely alignment from hell!

 

[Tonyrodz]

Update: made some time to check things out and guess what I found, the passenger caster bolt was loose, I was able to move the nut with a 3 and a half inch long rachet, that was enough to tell me it wasn't even close to torque spec, literally as I moved to tighten, both! Cams just moved, now I can only imagine what stress these go through with the speed and momentum during an aggressive U-turn with a truck weighing over 5k pounds. Twice I've gone to the alignment shop and told them about this, and idk if they are just being lazy or what, but they are just wasting my time, I will take it somewhere else. I might as well do the bushings beforehand they don't look bad, but just in case.

View attachment 205952 View attachment 205953

Anyway you can give this place bad online reviews? I can't even imagine how many people they do this to. And if they don't want to make it right with you--after spending your hard earned cash, they don't deserve to get other customers to screw over.

 

[Erickk120]

Anyway you can give this place bad online reviews? I can't even imagine how many people they do this to. And if they don't want to make it right with you--after spending your hard earned cash, they don't deserve to get other customers to screw over.

I agree totally with you, brought it twice to them, to give them the benefit of the doubt, twice they've failed me. Now, I'm 110 dollars down, I could have almost gotten some new front cv's for that and then taken it to an alignment shop that gives two cents about their customer. I will make sure to leave a proper review when I get everything sorted out next week. It sucks to have limited time with a vehicle down. The first time I went back to this place the guy swears he told me my lower control arms were loose, but I couldn't recall that, so thinking about it now I think he was covering his ass for his f up, and even then he still managed to f it up.

 

[BeenChevy]

So 1 month later are the cam nuts/bolts still tight?

Just finished cutting the upper arms off my truck yesterday and about to install new cam plates/nuts/bolts.. well all new FR components actually. I do NOT want this alignment issue to happen to me. I'll be paint-penning several locations before I bring it in.

Think it would be wise to lock-tight the camber bolt nuts when the alignment is performed? I mean torching them to try and remove them in the first place didn't work for me - might as well right?

 

[Erickk120]

So 1 month later are the cam nuts/bolts still tight?

Just finished cutting the upper arms off my truck yesterday and about to install new cam plates/nuts/bolts.. well all new FR components actually. I do NOT want this alignment issue to happen to me. I'll be paint-penning several locations before I bring it in.

Think it would be wise to lock-tight the camber bolt nuts when the alignment is performed? I mean torching them to try and remove them in the first place didn't work for me - might as well right?

I went back to the same place as I wanted them to do it and do it right, but I kid you not, the guy left my tie rod lock nuts loose from both right and left end tie rods! I drove it like that for 40 miles until I decided to check his work by chance. At this point I was sure it had messed the alignment, took it to the same chain shop just in a different location, and would you believe it, they managed to put all my alignments within spec, something the previous shop failed to, Took it home and tighten everything back to spec in the UCA, 140 ft lbs they aren't coming loose now, You don't need lock tight as long as you torque them to spec, they go tight as hell!

If I had to go through this again I would just put everything together make sure the truck drives nice and straight and that all the alignments are within spec, then take it home and mark where everything is, and then torque everything to spec, since it seems that shops don't run torque wrenches to tighten critical areas such as alignment bolts in the upper control arms. Oh if you go this route make sure you apply even force when torquing them to spec otherwise the bolt will move on you and it will take things out of spec, by this I mean to use a long ass spanner to hold that dam bolt in place while you tighten the nut. Ask me how I know.......