SLowEvo

I recently took my car to get an alignment and the shop told me they couldnt fix the front alignment because of a bent control arm. my question is I never hit any curves so how did I get a bent control arm? could bad bushings cause this? or shut up and just buy another control arm!

abounly

iTrader: (27)

Or you alignment is trying to scam you. Check for yourself to see if its bent

SLowEvo

what do i look for?

MIGS

iTrader: (15)

LOL

i HIGHLY doubt your control arms are bent. the front lower control arms are thick and heavy as hell. Usually when a shop cannot do a proper alignment its because:

1. your eccentric bolts are rusted and thus the alignment shop cannot see the "notches" on them to measure the camber degrees.

or

2. the bolts are fused/rusted onto the control arm and thus the arm needs to be replaced altogether.


Do your wallet a favor ans find another alignment shop.

SLowEvo

man i just purchased a life time alignment with firestone! should i try another firestone?

imDementeD

iTrader: (7)

^ might as well try another firestone if you have lifetime with them

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

Yeah, you might as well try another Firestone. I just got the lifetime alignment at Firestone last month.

sc3tech

iTrader: (3)

usually you can see it, theres just a difference side to side. also they look at the sai measurement. or .... they dont know what their doing

SLowEvo

ya im going to take it to another shop! the guy took like an 1 hr to try and fix my alignment. then he came in and was like ya i couldnt fix your front alignment cuz your control arm is bent.. he didnt show me anything.. and there was a long wait for other cars to get their alignments..

t70 supra

iTrader: (-4)

the shop i am in we show our work to any customer before we fix it.

good2go

iTrader: (6)

As was mentioned previously, it's highly doubtful that your LCA's are bent. It is MUCH more likely that your front LCA bushings (particularly the rearmost ones) are worn out. That alone could cause grief for the alignment tech. If the control arm is able to move around, you can never get the alignment set right (or at least until the car is moved again).

$.02

SLowEvo

if the bushing are worn theres no way to fix my alignment

good2go

iTrader: (6)

Yes, that is correct; if they are worn to the extent that the control arm isn't held firmly in one set location (ie. there is sufficient play to move the arm back and forth), then no alignment can be made, as an "alignment" is substantially the setting the correct fixed location of those arms.