Being an owner and operator of an Alignment business I see and learn a
lot of things. My father set the stepping stone for me and his father for
him. By working by their side you learn things and how they deal with
certain issues. As my father told me when I got started an his father told
him. " Always treat your customers will fairness and their vehicles as if it
was your own".
I always keep that in my head and always have happy customers. At 33 I
still get looks from older customers about my youth and happy that my father
is still able to work with me.
As for the mechanics now a days, it falls back on there training in this
field. If you need work done ask your friends who they suggest. You can
always find a trustful mechanic just by word of mouth.
It is a shame that some of today's mechanics doesn't take there work
seriously. In our field life IS in our hands.
Enough rambling.
Kevin Andrews
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ronald A. Dowty" <rdowty@dowtyenterprises.com>
To: "'James Franks'" <jimmble@adelphia.net>
Cc: <6pack@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 4:17 PM
Subject: RE: alignment frustration
> Amen to that. I always freek when I see someone about 10 years my junior
> (and I'm 30) working on breaks or something of that nature. I've seen
> some serious damage done to tires and wheels from over, under inflating
> and overtorquing. I watched recently while the kid at Sears mounted my
> new tires on my Ford SUV and I specifically asked before hand if they
> used a torque wrench and properly torqued the lugs. They used the air
> wrench and tightened them down and then went around with the torqe
> wrench and not one bolt moved and then they handed me the keys. I drove
> it home (5 miles) and then loosen them and did it correctly. Sad thing
> was I paid $15 a rim to have them mounted, balance and over tightened.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-6pack@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-6pack@autox.team.net] On
> Behalf Of James Franks
> Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 1:39 PM
> To: Alan & Debbie Lindner
> Cc: 6pack
> Subject: Re: alignment frustration
>
>
> The more you learn about auto mechanics, the less you trust ANYONE to do
> ANYTHING on your car. It's a curse. I feel your pain.
>
> Jim
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alan & Debbie Lindner" <theedge@cts.com>
> To: <6pack@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 9:35 AM
> Subject: alignment frustration
>
>
> > Well after over a year and half, I finally bought news tires and
> > installed my "minilite" style rims. Boy it looks cool. But before I
> > took it down to the tire shop, I installed solid steering mounts,
> > aligned the rack and steering shaft (thanks to Tim Holbrook for the
> > great alignment procedure email). The steering wheel was not lined up
>
> > but I did not have a gear puller available yet. So I told the
> > alignment shop that you need to align it to the dimple or slot in the
> > rack which you access through the lubrication bolt. They said yeah,
> > yeah we know, we will call you if there is any problems. They said
> > that that the machine does it automatically which didn't seem right.
> >
> > I come to get the car and look inside and see that the steering wheel
> > is level. They tell me that the alignment went great but that the
> > lock to lock is not centered. It is about a 1/4 turn off. I finally
> > get it out of them that they used the steering wheel to center the
> > lock to lock. I show them which bolt to remove and that you take a
> > phillips screw driver to look for the centering slot.
> >
> > So I leave the car for another 2 hours. I come and get it at 5pm.
> > they tell me that they were never able to find the slot so they took
> > there best guess. It is still off but luckly, I have 30 days to get
> > it
> re-
> > aligned for free. I will center the shaft in the rack and PULL off the
>
> > steering wheel and center it. Boy, I wish I could just have the
> > equipment available and do it myself.
> >
> > ....one frustrated TR6 owner.
> > Alan
> >
> > =========================
> > Alan Lindner
> > '72 TR6 French Blue
> > CC75676L
> > San Diego, CA
|