On 06/11/2021 03:18 AM, Chris K-Man wrote:
> Local Mechanic's Aligner Machine 'Insists'On Spec Settings
>
> After a busy winter and the associated pot holes afterward,
> I decided to have my car's alignment checked at a shop I
> have used in the past, on my current car and on previous ones.
>
> The guy is no 'McDonalds' aligner(just "get em in the green"),
> and accommodates specific customer needs, as long as not
> too 'out there'.
>
> But two weeks ago was different: While he did maintain the
> negative thrust angle I asked him to achieve last year, he
> claims his Hunter rig would 'not let him proceed to the next
> step of the alignment if he did not get the toe spot on'
>
> My request was simple: 0.03° of front toe-in on a 2010 Honda
> Accord that specifies 0° front toe, but a range of 0.08° in
> or out. Another aligner I have used says he does race setups and can accommodate
> custom settings.
>
> So what's up with the first gy?

My guess: he relies on the machine. The second guy knows how to do it
by hand.

A local 'race prep' guy said he could align our 1970 Dodge pickup, which
needed it badly. He didn't do it right and we could see scuffing on the
new tires. He might have even made it worse. I took it to another guy
who did it by hand with hand tools and it was like getting a new
steering system.

He was surprised when I called them 'water pump pliers'. He didn't know
anybody else who called Channellocks that. I wish I knew why I learned
that name for them.

It was really hard to find people who would even claim to be able to
align our old truck. Those were the only two within 20 miles.

--
Cheers, Bev
Hmph. I used to have snow tires. Never again. They melted in the
spring. I won't even start going on about my wood stove.
-- websurf1