Lifetime Alignment

I just went to Firestone to have the lifetime alignment done after getting all my lift installed.. Its was on special for $139.99 from $179.99
I go to drop it off and he says corporate policy states that they cannot align lifted trucks-period.. So I call another location a few miles away and the guy says-need to see it, if its not to high we should be able to do it.. Long story short-the other location did it-charged me $169.99 as he states lifted trucks are not on special.. Bunch of BS- but I really wanted the lifetime alignment.. I plan on tweaking the suspension quite a bit-so it will pay off in the long run..
I think its the best bang for your buck as far as alignment goes.. anyone have any pros and cons of Firestone?

 

I guess it depends on the location. I've had firestone's lifetime service since I got the truck a year ago. In that year I went through 4 different suspension setups (5100s, toytec, icon, allpro long travel). Not once have they hassled me. I've had it aligned at least 15 times.

 

I used to drive auto parts for a living to all those mechanic shops. Quality/shadiness really just varied. I couldn't say all the firestones were good, all the goodyears were bad, for example. Some were good, some were bad. no matter the chain. Turn over in those joints are crazy. When you go back in 6 months there will probably be different people there. Does the lifetime alignment let you go to any firestone or just the one you bought it at?

 

You can take it to any firestone.

 

My personal opinion on firestone and good year (especially) is that you pay for what you get. The ones that i have experienced, only aligns one position of the tire, whereas if you were to take it to a shop that specializes in aligment, they usually check all three points. At least that was what i was told, and ever since i took it to the alignment specialist, not once did i have a problem......$169 for lifetime alignment sounds awfully cheap......but hey if it works for you, more power to you......you'll find out quick enough if the alignment was good or bad.

 

I bought a 3 year alignment from express tire. they do a good job of it they check all 3 points but they ask you every time, did you change your suspension? i just say no because they will charge u an extra 49.99.

 

Wow I didn't know that a lifetime alignment was offered.

 

I also have a lifetime alignment from my local Firestone. They didn't give me any hassle with my truck. I've had it aligned about 5 times so it paid for itself already. I also took advantage of the $130 special.

 

I specifically asked my local Firestone about lifting my truck when I got the lifetime alignment. They told me that I could do anything I wanted to the truck and they would align it for me under the lifetime agreement. Took them a good long time to do it right after the lift and new steering rack bushings, but they didn't give me any trouble.

 

From being in the business for the past 25+ years, I can tell you for a fact that "lifetime" anything are gimmicks. Brake pads, tires, alignments, shocks... They are used as a retention device. The game goes like this.
you now must bring your vehicle back to the company to have this work done, once you return you will be told that to complete the alignment, or pad replacement, or the muffler replacement you will need to purchase additional work (tires, shocks, exhaust pipes, rotor replacement). it's just a draw to get you back in.
good luck.

 

I don't doubt that one bit. But if you know the condition of your truck and keep up on it you can help to avoid that scam. I think.

 

Alignment? What's that? hhahahahah Something I do with two pieces of angle iron, some c-clamps and a tape measure

 

I've got that firestone alignment deal on my truck too. Now I'm not lifted, but I have had some other experiences with firestone. The quality of service you receive depends upon the shop you take it to.

The shop I took it to when purchasing the alignment has gone through several different managers. When they were done with the alignment, it vibrated worse than before and they wanted to replace my brakes to the tune of $350. Brakes didn't need replacing and I took it to another firestone that had a road force balancer. That took care of the vibration.

I won't take it back to the first shop because of the crappy service/scams. I'll take it back to the second shop. I watched them hand torque my lugs.

 

I have had the lifetime alignment since '05. I can tell you it has been the best investment I made in regards to the truck. All they did was note that it was "lifted".

I have changed my suspension about half a dozen times and they do it up just fine every time I come in. Sure they asked questions about how my alignment is always so f'd but I am as vague as I can possibly be. The shrug shoulders and say huh technique seems to work.

I think I have had 9 or 10 alignments done so far and at just over $140 its a freakin steal.

 

I'm heading in for my life-timer program as our loacl Stone' has a so-called self appointed lifted truck expert.

When I first did my Billies at 2.5 and put on the 285's I had a wobble that was balanced away by the third times a charm attempt. I was happy and pleased that I had a good driving truck without having to do a set of UCA's....

Then I read Toku's sticky. Now my truck feels wrong with 1.5 Caster....I'm going to let the so-called expert take a crack at a differnt setting before I go ahead with the LR UCA's...I know I cant get the 2.4 caster with the stockers but since I can get it done again after putting on the UCA's I figure why not.

I'm getting picky and probably wont be happy until I have the LR UCA's set at 2.4 caster and 0 camber.....

 

ive had life time allignment from firestone and its always been great for me....especially houston roads you do need life time allignment ....

 

If the shop is crooked they will get you any way that can...I have gotten the Firestone lifetime on both my Taco and my scion and they have done great work everytime. They check (not always adjust cause it doesn't always need it) all the points in the front and even checked and helped me align the rear end on my Tacoma.