Well I dropped the rig off at an alignment shop...... to get ALIGNED and after a while I called to see how it was going. It's been on the rack for 45 minutes, no phone call or anything, because the tech decided that he needed to repack the wheel bearings, rebuild the idler and steering arms and wanted to wait until I came in to tell me about it. So the shop didn't do the alignment that I paid them for and now wants me to leave it there until Monday so I can come back in and pay them 1300$ for the rest of the work!!!!!!!

I'm going to get my truck. If you don't hear from me in the next couple of hours I'm in jail...........

 

wtf, that some BS

 

You've got to be kidding me! I think I'd be going down there with a shotgun in one hand and possibly a lawyer in the other. What made you bring it to this shop anyways?

 

Jesus! Thats insane i hope you rip that tech a new ass.

 

look at his previous post...



yeah, that is some crap; who's he to decide you're wheel bearings need re-packed...

I'm sure you probably told him why you're getting an alignment; personally, I would think that if someone has all the skill to customize their suspention that they could do things like repacking their own wheel bearings, lol.

 

With enough astroglide that wont be necessary

 

Oh god lol. And you have experience here?

 

ha, no

 

WOW...just WOW

can't wait to hear an update

 

Must have been swampthing that told ya.

 

Ok..... calm thoughts........ no worries.

It turns out that the manager (just minutes before I called to check on the truck) walked out to see how things were going and the tech was preparing to pull the hubs/rotors etc and repack the bearings. He also had the idler arm and pitman arm bushings (there are bushings in the pitman?) out of the package and waiting on the bench. From what the manager said the tech told him "I can't align it with these other things wrong so I figured I go ahead and do them.". The manager stopped him so he could call me and tell me about it first, I called right in the middle of this mess.

So update is no charge to me for work not done, a very very nice manager who explained things to me and a tech who told me that he was sorry to have jumped the gun but he is a 4x4er as well and has a tendency to dive into a project.

No harm no foul and the manager said that anyone who has the ability to install a lift probably is able to do his own wheel bearings and rebuilds. He also said he'd knock 20% off when I bring it back to get aligned. Not bad for a Firestone shop. Damn nice guy.

*beer open begin Swampthinging*.

Man that could have gone real bad real fast with a misunderstanding like that.

 

glad to here all turned out well!

situation could have went down hill real quick

 

You know the crazy thing is this. If the guy had done the work and then called to say so then I would have gone down there and had a rebuilt front end and only paid 60$ for the alignment, as per the signed contract. The tech would have probably been fired and in this bad economy I would have felt like a bad person for it happening. I'm glad it turned out for the best although I still need to get an alignment. I'll try again tomorrow in the driveway.

 

OMFG!!! WOW!!!!

well, at least no charge.

did they give you an explanatin WHY the mechanic wanted to do the wheel bearings, et al? Like he had it on the rack and things looked way bad? Oh well.

so, 20% off eh. might want to ask about the lifetime alignment. I paid 180 for mine, so 20% off would be 144 bucks.

 

Yeah Abe the guy is an offroader like we are and he figured that while he was in there and had it on the rack it would be a good time to do it. I don't think they need to be redone but I'll do them when I rebuild the Aisins since I'm there. I like the guys spunk for fixing things but am glad he didn't do them without getting permission.

 

You would be surprised how he gets under your skin..... just ask the bird house pole.

YUCK!

 

I went to a local store (Kal-tire) for my alignment. Most of the other places couldnt align any tire bigger then 31", one shop even hung up on me when I was asking for a quote!

Dropped it off, came back and they tell me the wheel bearings need to be done, and the idler arm. I fix it go back, they tell me the bearings are bad.. so i replace them and go back. Finally they get it close to being aligned..

 

Still should have asked first. Glad everything worked out. Have you used this shop before? If not what made you bring it to this one in particular?

 

No I've never used any shop for an alignment. I used them because the offer a lifetime alignment and figured they knew what they were doing, and they might. I went to a shop because I don't know if I can do this myself. I mean heck it's not like I'm doing something easy like dropping in a locker and doing a regear.

 

Shoulda told him to sas it while he was at it
Glad to see it turned out all good