Wheel alignment...where to go?

[Evolution1980]

Since I'm about 2 weeks away from putting in my Steeroids Rack & Pinion (yea!!!!), I'm going to be needing to get my alignment done. It's been a couple years, so it's about due.

So when y'all have it done, are you comfortable taking a 20+ year old car into your local NTB/TireKingdom/whatever? Otherwise, where do you go? If it was later in the season, I'd just ask around at the car shows for a reputable shop, but the cruises haven't started yet.

I'm not really keen on the idea of taking my baby into an NTB where their greasemonkeys get to work on their first C3. Also, as I've mentioned many times over, my newer leather interior (oyester) gets dirty if you even look at it funny. The greasemonkeys can't even manage to keep the inside of my daily driver clean and it's got a darker-leather interior. Needless to say, I'm almost more concerned about my interior than the actual alignment!

But back to the actual service... Who do you trust? Where do you go? What about a GM dealer that more or less has specializes in vettes? Think they do the older vettes? I might pay more, but if I can get people that are even a bit more familiar, as well as respectful and careful, it would be worth it to me.

 

[74bigblock]

I did tie rods last summer... I just took it to Firestone cause they let me watch in the bay as they did the work. The rear end hadn't been done since who knows... if ever! It seems fine, so I left it.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Start calling around and find a shop that has a Snap-on laser system or a Hunter camera type alignment system. They should specialize in alignments and frame work. If the guy that answers the phone can't tell you what kind of system they use, say byebye. You are rolling the dice if you go to a tire shop for this kind of work.

 

[joe1975]

Do your homework I got screwed at my local firestone new laser machine, couple buds said he can't screw it up with that machine guess what? I even went to talk to the tech ,yea I've done some Vette's well he will never touch any of my cars again found a old schooler with a 70's model machine He even let me down in his pit to watch

 

[JohnZ]

Ask if they have Corvette rear toe shims - if they say "huh?", pick another shop. Rear toe is the most critical setting on the car, and if they won't take the time to do it correctly (1/32" toe-in per side, split exactly across the thrust centerline), you've also got the wrong shop. Unless you find a Corvette-knowledgeable shop, you'll have to take your own shims and long cotter pins, and if your pivot bolts have never been out before, you may need those too (they tend to corrode solid to the inner sleeve of the trailing arm bushing). Check with your local NCRS chapter or Corvette club and see who they trust for rear alignment in your area.