Alignment Shop

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10-11-2006, 11:07 PM
CraiginTX

Alignment Shop

Finally getting around to installing the coilovers. Should be all buttoned up tomorrow evening. ::Banana::

Where should I go for a good alignment? I searched and found recommendations for Autoscope and Garland Safety Lane. And what sounds like a "don't go there" for the place on Park(er) near Custer behind the RaceTrac.

Anyone gotten a good alignment in the Plano/Richardson area recently?

Once that's done, I'll be ready for Hallet - fresh oil, coolant, brake fluid, new shocks & springs, recent tires, fresh alignment. Just need to tighten the nut behind the wheel...

:burnrubr:
10-11-2006, 11:18 PM
tailchaser

If James is still at the Firestone at Campbell & Jupiter, that's a great lower-cost alignment (or lifetime if you fancy it). Can't go wrong at Autoscope , but it's spendy.
10-12-2006, 12:24 AM
black roadster

AJ (BAM!) works at NTB in Lewisville. He did several of our alignments.
10-12-2006, 06:24 AM
HudsonHawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

AJ (BAM!) works at NTB in Lewisville. He did several of our alignments.

Yup, does good work too.
10-12-2006, 08:03 AM
Nexus Flux

+1 for AJ
10-12-2006, 08:06 AM
JDMClassic

+2 for AJ
10-12-2006, 08:10 AM
tailchaser

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDMClassic

+2 for AJ

Lewisville, sadly, is NOT in the Plano/Richardson area...
10-12-2006, 08:13 AM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by tailchaser

Lewisville, sadly, is NOT in the Plano/Richardson area...

OMG when did that happen! ::Clown::
10-12-2006, 08:14 AM
JDMClassic

Quote:

Originally Posted by tailchaser

Lewisville, sadly, is NOT in the Plano/Richardson area...

True.. it's 5-10 min from there. ::Clown::
10-12-2006, 08:33 AM
MadMerv

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDMClassic

True.. it's 5-10 min from there. ::Clown::

...maybe at 3AM on a Sunday.....
10-12-2006, 08:53 AM
Treibenschnell

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

OMG when did that happen! ::Clown::

Apparently, right after this thread...
10-12-2006, 08:55 AM
JDMClassic

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMerv

...maybe at 3AM on a Sunday.....

Well, just not M-F 6am-9am or 4pm-8pm. Out side of that GB to 35 & Corporate is usually fine.
10-12-2006, 09:16 AM
trackdog

Kwik Lube at Parker Rd. and Custor Rd. Guy there is name Kurt and loves Miatas, however he will take your ear off. He knows what he is doing and will let you sit in the car. Price is around $79 I think. He did the TDR Beast a couple of weeks ago and we broke the track record at MSR's 1.3 track for sports cars. Yea Baby!

Gary
10-12-2006, 09:18 AM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackdog

Guy there is name Kurt and loves Miatas, however he will take your ear off.

Gary

His last name Tyson??
http://img.infoplease.com/images/boxing.jpg
10-12-2006, 09:29 AM
Treibenschnell

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackdog

...he will take your ear off.

I guess that's the price of business, nowadays... ;)
10-12-2006, 09:29 AM
CraiginTX

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackdog

Kwik Lube at Parker Rd. and Custor Rd. Guy there is name Kurt and loves Miatas, however he will take your ear off. He knows what he is doing and will let you sit in the car. Price is around $79 I think. He did the TDR Beast a couple of weeks ago and we broke the track record at MSR's 1.3 track for sports cars. Yea Baby!

Gary

Thanks Gary - I'll give him a call.

And congrats on the record. ::Flag:: ::Banana:: ::Flag::

See you next weekend!
10-12-2006, 12:38 PM
trackdog

Opps, I think his name is Kyle, not Kurt. Close!

Gary
10-12-2006, 01:43 PM
altiain

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackdog

Kwik Lube at Parker Rd. and Custor Rd. Guy there is name Kurt and loves Miatas, however he will take your ear off. He knows what he is doing and will let you sit in the car. Price is around $79 I think. He did the TDR Beast a couple of weeks ago and we broke the track record at MSR's 1.3 track for sports cars. Yea Baby!

Gary

I met this guy last Saturday completely by accident. I was looking for somewhere to get the ‘8 inspected, and this was the first place I came across. We got to talking about cars and racing, and he mentioned Gary’s car and Miatas and the fact that they do custom alignments.

Unfortunately, the one thing they can’t do is inspections on RX-8s. They didn’t have CAN software to read the RX-8’s OBDII port (standard OBDII scanner won’t work), so they tried to do a dyno test. Unfortunately, the RX-8 doesn’t like to have one set of wheels turning while the other set isn’t, so they couldn’t get a good reading. They tried to do an old fashioned two-speed idle test, but of course a rotary engine fires the plugs twice per revolution, and the other tech couldn’t figure out why my car idled at 1700rpm according to his machine. :punchout:

Still, Kyle was a nice guy. I’d go back for an alignment, but I’ll find somewhere else to get the ‘8 inspected. :wink:
10-12-2006, 03:16 PM
Treibenschnell

Quote:

Originally Posted by altiain

...but I’ll find somewhere else to get the ‘8 inspected. :wink:

Since the price is set by the state, why not go to a dealer for the inspection?
10-14-2006, 12:17 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

AJ (BAM!) works at NTB in Lewisville. He did several of our alignments.

Ya, and there used to be a guy at NTB in Richardson (Arapaho/Jupiter) that did a good job, to my specs and let ya sit in car etc. Since I go out to Denton now, I'll be having AJ do mine pretty soon!

Well then, I must have skipped past Gary's post. About the same price at NTB and if the guy is that good then go to him. Sorry AJ!
10-18-2006, 09:38 AM
CraiginTX

So I took the car to Kyle at Kwik Kar on Custer yesterday. After swapping in the coilovers, the "before" settings were pretty wonky. With the exception of more rear toe than I'd like, the "after" settings were right on the money:

FRONT L/R:
Camber: -1.43/-1.43
Caster: 4.02/4.08
Toe: 0.01 in/0.01 in

REAR L/R
Camber: -1.81/-1.82
Toe: 0.06 in/ 0.06 in (1/8th total toe in)

We were having a hard time getting less toe but keeping camber acceptable - every time he got rear toe to around 1/16 in or 1/32 in, camber was down (up?) to around -1.25 or so. Kyle was patient, knowledgeable, and willing to work to get the settings I wanted - even though the numbers are almost all outside the factory spec. :thumleft:

Cost was a little more than Gary mentioned earlier, but we were on the rack for almost 2 hours tweaking things. All in all, if you're looking for a decent shop on this side of the Metromess, I'd recommend Kyle.