WTF can anyone get my alignment right?????

ok so here is the deal. i put LR UCA on my 2010, i took it to Firestone and they did an alignment when i got there they said my numbers were way off.
i set the UCA's at 0 when i installed them (SPC lettering/logo facing straight out towards the tire). so the shop said i was at like +4 caster and +1.2 camber. so i tell them how they UCA's work and give them the paper work after 3+ hours i get my truck back. they have it at +.5 camber and +2.9 caster on the passengers side (no adjustment was made to the UCA's on this side) and i was at +.5 camber on the divers side and +2.4 caster. the biggest problem i saw was they adjusted the ball joint (now the spc lettering is facing the back of the truck) so i told them i was not happy with that but they said that was the only way they could get it aligned and it should drive fine. after i realized they were not going to do anything i leave to see how it drives.

the truck drives ok but i am a little OC so i call SPC and talk to one of the guys there. one of the reasons i called was from there instructions it looked like they (firestone) made the caster more positive and i could not figure out why when it was so positive when i got there? anyway the guy told me i needed to make both sides the same so i took it to a different firestone to see if they could fix it and get my alignment right. when i get my truck back they had it at 0 camber but i was at 2.8 caster on the passengers side and 2 on drivers side. i was told that is the best they could do and again they did not move the ball joint on the drives side to match the passengers. we had the same argument as the last place but i took it as i did not have time to stay and have them do it again.

so i made another appointment for today, this time i am to get the one and only tech that has put these on before and knows how they work and can dial them in. so i am thinking finally i am getting it fixed. well i show up and guess what they still do not have it right so i tell them to make it right and i do not want it back until it is. so at 3:30 i get a call it is done.

i go pick it up and i look it over real quick, the alignment is great and the ball joints (SPC lettering/logo) are both the same. so i get home and it drove ok so i decide to check things out for real and guess what the fucking idiot moved the ball joint with out adjusting the locking plate so now the locking plate is across the slot on the bottom of the uca instead of being in the slot. so now i have to go back and have them fix it again!!!!!!!!!! this time i am going to demand they let me be in the shop with the guy so i can keep am eye on what he is doing and make sure he does not fuck it up again.

so know that i have ranted a little, i do have a question.

if the lettering is facing the back of the truck/fender does that make it more positive or negative?
according to the manufacturer and the paper work it is more positive. however if you look at it when the logo is facing the back of the truck it pushes the ball joint forward (towards the bumper) so that would be more negative right?

can someone help me understand this please?

 

I thought only TC UCAs will correct caster being off due to lift? I don't know man....I would definite take it to Les Schwabs though...much better service. Where in oregon do you live? I'm a native.

 

well the passenger side will be off due to the road crown its a factory spec in the alignment rack machine. adjusts for the crown in the road so the truck wont pull to the right on uneven roads.... all roads have a crown so the alignments are done that way for this reason..

 

Okay now I'm confused. I know about 'crowns' in the road as you call it, or 'super' is what I've learned to call it, dunno why. Roads are built this way for drainage, but it they account for it in an alignment, than makes absolutely no sense. What happens when you're on the inside lane on a freeway? Seems like it defeats the purpose since your alignment will favor driving on the right side of the 'crown'.

 

UCAs will correct this bring it back and have them do it right

 

i took it back this morning and they let me work with them (they actually let me use there tools and show them how to adjust these)

so now the UCA's are the same and i am at 2.4 on the drivers side and 2.7 on the passengers side camber is good on both. it drives great now. i still do not understand the manufactures directions they still seem backwards but what ever it is good now.


Brian, i live in Salem and i have used Les schwab's for years but i do not like them much anymore i have had to many problems with them. the last on was when i had brakes done on my F350 and 2 days later while towing a trailer on a logging road my caliper feel off and i had no brakes!!

 

good lookin buck in your pic

 

Do you think it was a training problem for the techs and in the training of these guys (I don't know!) are they not taught to call the mfg if needed to get guidance. I would think an ASE tech would be smart enough to do this if there is no written guidance from the factory. Maybe I should ask "were the tech's even schooled trained?"

 

i do not know why they all had such a hard time figuring out the UCA's they are pretty simple to figure out how to adjust. i know i gave them my number and said please call me if you have any questions i also gave them the manufactures paper work on how to adjust them. so how hard could it be?

 

I don't mean to sound deragatory to the techs but have you asked yourself...."can they read english!" Look at the school systems in the last 10 years and you might be surprised. Secondly did they read anything you left....kind of like did you read the Az law before you criticized it....maybe they thought they were to smart to have to read the stuff.....it's amazing what you can find out these days just by asking....

 

maybe a good reason not to f*** with OEM front end parts...imho

 

oh pleeezzzz lol i HATE OEM!!

 

yes it is. My truck in My driveway.. just looking back on build pics and saw how i used the jack stands lol!