Who to trust with your alignment and how?!

[RedAutobotMX3]

I'm having quite a field day attempting to get a straight answer on adjusting for a lowered MX-3. It would seem most places want to drill out the strut tower holes to be able to spin the whole strut assembly to account for camber, but im not sold on that idea. Tons of companies make camber wedges, plates, eccentric bolts for the spindle. So why should i possibly sacrifice integrity of my strut towers as well as possibly have them ruined permanently without even fixing my alignment issue, when I could simply get some knuckle bolts that have +-1.75degrees for twenty bucks?

I want to pay a professional to do this, but Firestone, Goodyear, even my local Mazda dealership can't and won't say that they can get this right?
I'm not slammed on the deck with tiny coilovers, I didnt heat up/cut my springs to drop it; I used proper new components from Eibach and Tokico and all new KYB bellows, bumpstops and mounts, but everywhere I go, I get the "OH he lowered his 90's econobox to the ground and now wants us to fix it...Ricer" looks from people and they try to get me out the door first thing cause "It prolly wont fit on the rack"

So I ask you, oh great hivemind of the internet, do you have an automotive chain suggestion such as NTB or Meineke that you have used successfully and to what means did you achieve proper tire wear and steering return? Any socket jockey with 2 wrenches can adjust toe, so should I try and find the right guy at a mom n pa shop to really get in there and expect to pay labor costs to install some eccentric bolts?

I'm really at a loss, and I already need new tires, so the alignment needs to come first before I spend another $400 on tires lest they be scrubbed off in 8K miles. Money really isnt an issue, but I just want it done right without being taken out back and mugged cause they think charging 2 hours labor ontop of the alignment rate is "fair" ($240).

[Ryan]

If you're really having trouble you can do it yourself quite effectively.

But if you want to pay for it, find a shop in a smaller city. They tend to have better attitudes towards customers.

I've had good experiences with Fountain Tire, and Kal Tire, if you have those places. Owner operated places.

I wouldn't be against ovalling out the strut. Its cheaper, and it works fine. You will never have integrity issues unless you're slammed an inch off the ground. Plus, if you remove your struts yourself for any reason, you can re-align it nearly perfectly, wheras camber bolts get messed as soon as you loosen them off.

[Sleeper6]

Any dealership should be able to install the the camber bolts from enkei without a problem, just advise them you know it will probably be a surcharge on top of the normal alignment price and theyll be a bit more open. If anything call cochran hyundai and see if Dave Iellimo (Alamo) is still there, they should be able to help you out. They are right in the south hill area so it shouldnt be to far of a trip.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Dude where do you live? Here in Toronto when I was on the phone with the shop and I told them I'm lowered, when I brought the car in they're like "It's not THAT low! We had a Lamborghini on the rack the other day."

From my experience don't go to a big chain but rather to a smaller shop, and make sure they have laser equipment. If they do they will usually be able to print you off before and after specs. Also, camber bolts will fix all of your issues, even they guys on here with slammed cars have fixed their camber with just one bolt in each strut.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Mine was done with rotating the strut mount (180 degrees I believe) and 1 camber bolt per corner, that's all she needed, with my B+G's or H&R's

My mechanic is damned good as doing an alignment by eye, but he's got like 20+ years experience with it.

I see a DYI alignment just a bad idea unless you know what you're doing AND you're changing your suspension setup often. Get it done, precise computer alignment, and don't worry about it until you need to change something with your suspension. I've had my truck for just over 3 years now, and she just had another alignment after replacing a ball joint last week, and last year she had an alignment after I upgraded the idler arm, and the year before when I did my suspension lift. I'd say just get it done and done right, but it sucks when you don't have a reputable mechanic to work on your car.

[Josh]

If your running Eibach springs then you shouldn't have to worry about camber. I bought camber bolts and didn't even have to use them cause it was all within stock spec's with Koni red inserts. if its that big of a deal i would buy camber plates way before i let them drill out my struts you can get a set for about 250.00 bucks for the rear. but camber bolts should be able to get you pretty close even slammed. what is your drop?

[youdirtyfox]

agree with laser aligment, it can be xpensive
but well worth it as your car is then transformed!