Subscribe if you noticed I had to film this whole thing with an embarrassingly large pimple on my nose.

As a mechanic who’s worked in National chain stores and even dealerships I can attest that there is a “get it in and get it out…” mentality. Often times was told to “Toe-N-Go”. I can also tell you the attention To employee retention is just not there. I found when I worked for “Mom & Pop” shops there was more effort put in getting it done right the first time and being honest with customers. The industry is different from commercialized to independent. I’ve Since opened my own business that caters to the off-road industry and am active in my overland group. We aim to be a one stop shop that specializes in everything from maintenance, heavy repairs, aftermarket modifications and more. We Mark every one of our camber/caster plates with a reference mark, and write the torque spec on the Subframe. We don’t have an alignment rack just yet and have a near by Shop sublet them. After the alignment is completed we recheck the bolt torque as well as take note to see if any camber/caster plates have been rotated. Like Ronald Reagan used to say “Trust, But Verify..”

A good alignment tech is worth their weight in gold. I get laughed at on FB for paying $180 for an alignment but he touches every bolt, and then tells me what's going on where. I cringe every time someone says they just get the lifetime alignment from the chain shops because of stuff like this video. Now that you have an good shop with an honest tech, hold them close and treat them well! I always tip my alignment tech because he's so thorough.

I’m a high end trim carpenter. My company is a two man operation with myself and my dad. We care a lot about our work and our customers. I hear a lot of horror stories about contractors and it upsets me because it creates a stigma that the good workmen have to deal with. I’m sorry to hear about your truck. My mechanic is a family friend so that’s how I vet mine

This is the type of video we need more of. I tend to rely on professionals for my automotive work/repairs as well, but over the last several decades I have been learning what to at least look for as far as the work actually getting done. Good video, keep it up.

As a mechanic and shop owner, the large national chain stores need to be thought of as the "fast food" of automotive repair. They typically don't pay their technicians well and have a revolving door mentality on technician retention. As far as the specific issue you have with your truck. Being someone that appears to DIY a lot of thier own repairs, you not noticing that isn't the end of the world, you have found the correct repair already. But as a whole the biggest thing that can be done is having your vehicle inspected by a reputable shop at minimum. And preferably a shop that is highly detail oriented and specializes in the type of vehilce you drive. An added bonus is if the shop specializes in the type of modifications you have installed as well. Great video and I'm looking forward to seeing more about this issue as a whole. Thank you.

just ruined a set of new Toyos on my Bronco, with an alignment that i paid for but never happened. i feel your pain. Worse, i own repair shops, employ about 90 technician from entry level to master technician level. I'd love to have a conversation with you about how to fill the massive void of qualified technicians. Currently looking at how to create an outside of the box training platform, not associated with tech schools, gov't funding, required English, Math, onsite attendance, etc. the things that don't really matter in repairing a vehicle and create barriers to many men and women looking to enter the field.

Love honest learning videos like this. Thank you for another realistic experience, you’re a great grounded channel in the flashy spendy off-road side of KZfaq

I’m going to photograph my cams before the next alignment for sure.

When I was a kid I paid for new shocks and struts installed on my car. As an adult, I do them myself, it's an easy job. Also, when I was younger, I got an oil change, with new air filter and fluids (got upsold) and a free carwash. Drove around for a week before I found the air filter cover was not reinstalled. Since I learned to not trust shops and being confident in my own abilities, I haven't paid for vehicle service in twenty years. I do all my own maintenance. I enjoy buying new tools for the job and learning how to do my own wrenching. Sadly, if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.

Taco Tabs and alignment block reinforcement. And get some limit straps on those lower arms. Your stressing your CV axles in full droop You have the tabs for them. Diff drop spacers as well. Bring it to me I can fix that issue for you. Its best to get all the parts together. There really isnt a all in one kit. You need to have someone who knows their way around a 4x4. You enter into a different realm of car care when you go that full customs suspension. It has to be aligned with a racecar/ buggy type alignment setup. Sometimes caster and camber wont be achieved 100% dead on due to ne angles introduced. Its a huge learning curve from the straight axle days.

This is why I try to DIY almost everything on my vehicles except major engine work, and computer related issues.

As someone who owns an alignment shop, I do not think they are right about the cams. While I have not had issues with the cam stops on Tundras or Tacomas (normally it’s more that the freeze up in the bushing), fords are set similarly, but without cams at all. They simply have a washer on each side and a bolt that goes through a slotted hole on the lower control arms. As long as it is tightened and has washers, it shouldn’t move. I don’t really see a difference is that setup and just removing the cams on a tundra/tacoma. The only issue I have seen is where someone tightened the cam over a cam stop and it worked itself loose over time, but so long as the cams are on flat metal against the frame it shouldn’t cause any issues.

About your alignment issues... 😳😯🤯 Now, I'm going to run out and check under my rig! Thank you once again, Sir! 👊🏽

Look at who people in the local rally/racing community use if you’re in a more populated area. When you have shop techs and owners who deal with motorsports regulators, you can be reasonably assured that they have a proper eye for detail and care.

One of the first things I do on a Toyota I plan to offroad is install a Cam Tab Gusset kit from Total Chaos, or Marlin Crawler to avoid this kind of thing. Also be sure to put anti-seize on the cam bolts or they'll practically weld themselves in place.

Excellent video. Every car/truck enthusiast is experiencing these issues since Covid. Hard to find good shops! Overall excellent advice and excellent presentation on this topic.

As a Mechanic myself, I can attst to lack of blue collar professionals. Work in a fleet now and we are at half staffing and have been for years now😢. Only ever worked in mom and pop shops so we took done right first time to heart. Mistakes happen but they’re fixable, it’s what we do. Have seen those bent tabs often on Toyotas , mostly off-roaders but like you said they’re is a healthy aftermarket fixes for it. Just get a quality and well known brand and good to go. Love your videos, keep up the great work!

I’ve only taken my Tundra to the dealer from mile 1 for service. They’ve managed to cause more damage than good. From over torqued lugs that caused them to mushroom, cross threaded the bolts to skid plate, unable to diagnose key fob issues then ran out of warranty. I’ve decided to do the maintenance myself I feel your pain. I agree, no one has a good work ethic these days. Alignments are easy. You can get used machines pretty cheap these days to do it yourself

I am a Toyota MDT and I see this from aftermarket shops all the time. A lot of tundra and tacos come in with the eccentric upside-down too. This is more often than not caused by the alignment themselves. If you don't take the weight off of the control arms and try to force the eccentrics over it bends the tabs down. I'm sure very rough roads can cause it but I'd put my money on the tech who did the alignmwnt. You can weld the back side of the tabs to strengthen them. You can bend those tabs back upalignment on this truck. Most dealerships will sublet that or refer them to another shop because they don't want to deal with it.

Appreciate you making a video on this! I’ve had a nagging pull to the right for a while even after getting several alignments and rotating tires. Gonna check for this next time I’m under my 4runner.

Incompetence is the true pandemic. I've had so many similar experiences that I now do 95% of my own maintenance, just so I can have the peace of mind knowing it's been done right. Alignments were not on that list, because I don't have the equipment to do it... but now I'm going to have figure this out too or I'll have alignment anxiety thanks this new information. Wonderful.

Alignment Depends on Caster Camber KPI Toe In /Toe Out Bigger Tyres and Long Travel Kits throw out the Wheel Alignment. Bigger and Heavier Tyres will change camber (Dynamic) at ride height check the Tie Rod End Angle any angle from parallel to ground will lead to bump steer and alignment issues

I really appreciate you bringing this to light. I’m 62 and have done most of my own automotive work since I was about 14. Due to time constraints, back issues and now being able to afford to pay someone else to do the heavy work I send work out. It really pisses me off when a tech or a shop owner thinks I’m an idiot. I’ve been lied to multiple times over the past few years. DON’T tell me my truck needs a new rack when my truck doesn’t even have a rack and pinion. Also at the current labor rates I expect the job to be done correct the first time. I could on but my thumb is getting tired. Damn Mike L. why did you sell your shop and retire!!!

Great discussion about the lever lowering bar of shop skill and accountability. Subscribed.

Thank you for this information! It is so good when we find someone we can trust!

Excellent video. This is information that needs to be out there and you did a great job delivering it. I learned this lesson in a very similar fashion about 3 years ago. I now only trust 2 shops in my area and prefer to use just one of them for anything that I can't do myself. Both are mom and pop shops. I only let the national chains mount and balance my tires lol.

Total Chaos Gusset kit was one of my first mods along with the spindles. Thanks for the clip. Great to know I’m working with the right shop.

Great video, I’ve felt like this before and you did a good job putting it into words.

Thanks for an excellent video. I learned a lot and agree with you on the challenge of selecting a shop to work on your vehicle. Carry On Sir!

This is an amazing video. Thank you for sharing your experience.

You made a good point with the alignment issue, I think it applies to any off roader regardless of make and model. We tend to stress our vehicles more than the average driver, I will reiterate a point you made. Learn the basics of every suspension component, you don't need to be an expert like you said, you just need to know enough to spot shoddy work or potential problems. Keep up the good work! Your videos are well worth the time to watch and I tend to learn something new with each one.

I forgot to add to my comments your included in who I pay attention to. The posting about overloaded rigs caught my attention and hence my last suspension upgrade to include weighing my gear and trimming down what I carry. Thanks for the advice and great channel.

Absolutely agree, I went to local shops about three years ago, because of the same issue with large corporations. I actually talked to one of the managers, and he gave me the rundown of the corporate two-step, the hierarchy, the low morale, The managers fighting in front of customers. It's a circus. Go to an owner operator, he's got more skin in the game than somebody punching a time clock. Plus, the pay is so low that these kids are not trained. Things every single time not the fault of the people under the roof, but CEOs focused on the bottom line.

We are a small off-road shop in Castle Rock Colorado. We focus on off-road vehicles but work on almost anything. Wheels, tires, suspensions, brakes, accessories, and custom fabrication are the main things we do. We LOVE having our work scrutinized! If you want someone that cares, give us a call. We want to work on your passion! As for this video, sorry you are running into this issue. We find that a good alignment shop is hard to find.

I sympathize with you, as a retired mechanic l also have trouble finding a decent mechanic. Most can’t even tie their own shoes. I have had the same experience with seemingly straight forward repairs that can’t get done. I do what I can but most are too strenuous for me ( l am 75).

That's why I Loved my LSK long travel kit: you set your alignment perfectly and weld in the control arm tabs so they never move again.

Thank you! I had no idea as I rely on mechanics to do alignment. As you said we can learn everything and need to rely on others. Finding a good shop/mechanic is critical. I know it’s a good shop when they answer my initial questions, call with additional problems when encountered, and always spend time explaining what was done when I come to pick it up. You right, that good shop is not a big chain nor are they quick to get into. Thanks for the education on alignment and how to spot a less than dedicated shop.

Thank you for highlighting this. Yup, it's a HUGE problem. It wasn't until I started doing some of my on auto maintenance that I saw all the problems and broken parts caused by "professional mechanics". My sister insists on doing her own maintenance for this reason. Great Video and a good question for the audience...

Very well put. We do put to much trust in many things. Thanks. PS. We probably do that in many areas of our lives......

thanks i have 2011 love my truck i have king shocks. seem to pull to the right all the time and for years it shimmies over 50 to about 65... been to many shops...im gonna have to take a look at this that your showing..

Thanks for the heads up.

Great video. I’ll be 59 this year and I still do all of this type of work myself. I have also tried to outsource to local shops, and all they do is charge money and make a mess out of the alignment. My wife took delivery of her brand new jeep, Rubicon. Prior to heading out west last year, I replaced every single stock suspension component with Clayton Offroad products. I needed this to be right, so my son and I did it ourselves, including the alignment. Sad reality but if you want it done right, learn how to do it and do it yourself.

Really good video. Thanks!

You are so right, I do all the work on my Defender (95') BUT also have a good friend who runs a Defender customization shop, he helps me when I need special tools or knowledge but does not do the work, I have to do it, he teaches.. So they are out there but rare and far between.. For my LC200, I have been going to dealer bc I just don't know who to trust and I know I can't trust them but I get the service stamp in my book so to speak..so its worth at least something (and they re mostly reasonable with pricing as well) - another good Vid !! Keep it up !!

Wow. I’m glad I watched this but sorry for your experience. I’m actually going to inspect these parts on my rig today.

I need to get mine looked at. I had new tires and wheels put on and started seeing wear on my new tires a few weeks after. Thank you for this video n

Man... sorry to hear about your experience. Guess ill be inspecting my tundra more vigorously.

Thank you for this information brother when I get home I’ll check mine now…wow I’m afraid to even look!!!

I feel your challenge. I stopped going to the original stealership, and back to a previous independent shop. I used to drive 3h30 away for a proper motorcycle "tune", as another example of finding worthy shops

Thanks, I needed this knowledge. Having the same problem.

I finally found a tire shop that gave me a great deal and really good service. They were honest enough to say that they couldn't align my 4Runner the first time I replaced tires because of those bolts on the lower control arm. When I went back in to get suspension work done, they then replaced the lower control arms. I also found a shop that rebuilds hot rods and off road vehicles. They've been in business for decades in the same place with the same owner and have worked on my full size van tow vehicle and my 4Runner. This shop isn't even local to me, but I'll drive to use them. They rebuilt my rear end and added a Posi unit in the process in the van. I hope I leave this miserable world before they close down. My son had a supercharged NSX and took his car to a shop over 30 miles away because they specialized in that model. In fact, when my son decided to sell his NSX, that shop made him a great offer so that car became their advertising model.

Gotta say watching Nate and Max Powell have given me some insight, coupled by my local Toyota Dealership service department. I've used the same outfit that Max uses and between the two its worked out well. I also follow the Taco forum. I also have the dealership do a 2nd check after a 3rd party service such as alignment or if I've done my own work. I'm retired so I know that not everyone has the same resources.

I feel your pain… lol. I decided to buy a rope alignment kit for the racecar, might use is also on the truck… so difficult to trust people

First video iv seen on the channel. I'm looking at buying a 21 or prior tundra so thanks for the head ups on alingments! There was a old man at the CarX in Carpentersville Illinois. He worked on my families cars for years, everything from oil changes, to clutch replacements and two motor swaps on my dads Pathfinder and Xterra. Since he left, iv tried 10 different shops over the past decade. The worst was midas

Many auto shops pay their mechanics on a system that encourages speed over quality. So basically if a mechanic can pump out 12 hours worth of work in an 8 hour day, they sometimes get paid for 12 hours of production regardless of quality. I still think it is up to the individual mechanic to determine if the paycheck covers sacrificing their integrity. When you work 40 hours but get paid for 60, it is hard to slow down for some.

I try to pay attention to everything under the truck when I go under. I will go under for the problem and then spend a stupid amount of time looking at everything thing else . Looking for rust, loose bolts , wires , air lines …. Any movement on my cam plates from the marks I made after getting it aligned. Leakes , wet spots ect .. anything and everything that I can look at I look at. I mean I do a little plotting and planning on up grades or what I need to do.. like get thicker armor under my front diff and some armor on my Gtank . BUT YOUR point is very very valid.

So this is the first thing I did before upgrading any suspension on my Tacoma. Some of my tabs were flat ended up using the marlin crawler cages. It’s a long job, but it’s worth it in the end to hold an alignment.

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing this!

I agree 100%. That's why I watch channels like yours and appreciate the real life information and education you deliver. It's unfortunate but I have to educate myself as much as possible just to have enough information to have a general idea of why I am taking my vehicle in for repair or even basic service. Off roading and camping is just a hobby for me so there is only so much I can do to "pre-educate" myself.due to my other responsibilities. I have been lied to, cheated, hoodwinked, bamboozled and everything else once too many times and most of it has been in the past 5 years or so. What should be a simple process to have your car repaired has become more stressful and aggravating that it should be. However I find that to be the case for a lot of other trades as well like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, appliance repair etc. It's just not the same world today. Enough ranting but again, thank you so much for the content you put out. It is extremely helpful.

i've brought my vehicles to the same shop since i was 17, i'm now 39. it's the 3rd generation of mechanic working on my truck every time, i even went to school with him and his sister who works the front desk. i have never once had to call him back about any issues and he's always been brutally honest about any issues or anything i need to watch. his dad worked on my parents vehicles and the grandfather on my grandparents. i'm in NY and will be moving to NC in a couple years, i will be bringing my vehicle back up for anything major just because i know i can trust him.

I feel your pain...I've accepted the fact that I need to do a solid once over on shop serviced vehicles. Of course, they probably get a chuckle out of some of my "fixes" too, creativity is both a blessing and a curse. ;-)

I agree with all of your experiences and recommendations. I've had factory certified mechanics at multiple dealerships break my vehicle, and it was only on my after work inspection that I found their bad work. In my local Jeep club of over 1600, we all agree on two local shops, that appointments are always backed up for more than 2 weeks to get in.

Thanks for sharing this valuable information. I'm going under Tundra right now to check. Someone once told me in life, "Dont expect but inspect".

Good advise !!

Topic is on point ... I have a buddy who recently decided to jump from the stock 265's to 285's on his Tacoma requiring a second set of UCA's in order to move the wheel forward enough possibly avoiding the cab mount chop. (that's a whole new topic, who do you want cutting and torching on your rig?) The manufacturer of the new UPC's supplied alignment spec's which a local shop ending in "wab" stated ... "no problem". After picking up his rig he found the specs to be all over the board with the pending excuse of "we are required to align to manufactures specifications". Longer story short the truck now had handling issues and he had to have a warranty alignment done out of state. Finding a shop that is privately owned and that you can trust seems to be the ticket these days.... or do the work yourself.

I do almost all my own work on my cars. Great video

Thank you for heads up, I agree. Is hard to trust people now this day. There is no integrity. Good luck to you 🍀.

This is why I do all work on my vehicles. Literally everything. Remember- all those fancy machines and electronics and whatnot didnt always exsist. Yet the methods exsisted to get the same work done. I do my own alignments. At my old performance shop we did alot of race cars and we would do string alignments on every one of them. Super simple. Effective. Level and a magnetic camber bubble level.

I have a Toyota Tacoma and a 4x4 Sprinter van. This problem is even worse on my Sprinter because the MB dealer will not touch my suspension because of my mods. Most shops have no clue even how to properly jack-up my van. An example, you cannot jack a Sprinter by the rear differential. The diff cover plate hangs over a bit and a jack will deform this and cause a leak. I've replaced my diff cover so this is not a problem.

As an automotive technician myself, i can say most do not get payed enough or care enought to point out that problem to a customer. Most go by the philosophy that " if its in the green, its good to go" with no forethought that because the tabs are bent that the alignment will come undone at the first obstacle or washboard roads we would encounter offroad. I am also leery of major chains and dealers and in general whenever i dont want to work on my own truck i take it to the local mom and pop shop who always take their time to do a good job and let me know if there's an issue with anything. Also, i don't offroad a Toyota, but on my truck i tack weld the camber tabs in place, as i find that only has to adjusted after major suspension changes like control arms. So i just tow N' go(as they say) after every few offroad trips when the alignment gets out and i find that speeds up the process

I'm one if the few young guys that tried to go into the trades. Both the jobs I had in mine, nobody cared about their work and nobody had any idea what the specifications were that we were supposed to be working to. Management always ends up hassling me because I can't keep up with people who are doing half the work that I am. Now I can't even get a job because I've quit too many.

I like to combine cam tab reinforcements with marlin crawler lca gussets to really reinforce the lca pivots and cam tabs. I take all of my clients vehicles personally to my alignment guy and i get under the lift with him. its a great business relationship and ensures we are aware of any current issues. ive gone through alot of alignment shops in the last few years before i finally found someone that knows what theyre doing

This is a good one. I had my cam tabs reinforced with gussets a year and a half ago that fixed this issue. This is very common on Toyota trucks.

Good info. Regarding less than professional shops... we all have been there. I do as much as possible on my F250. If a shop does it, I expect them to make errors/break things and to gaff it off for me. I check (when all possible) work for fit and finish. This goes for the dealership or the local shop. Unprofessionalism (good enough) is the rule for a majority. When you find a true professional...tell them about their work and support them.

Total Chaos cam tab gussets. One of those mods that are done right away when people start messing with suspension. Almost always done with LT kits. List of things people miss and pay for right away 1) Cam Tab gussets 2) Frame plating the front and rear. Mostly the front during the LT install. Abuse will cause the frame to push inwards 2.5) Shock tower cross brace. Related to above issue. Prevents shock bucket from cracking or pulling apart. 3) UCA gussets 4) TC spindle gussets or a fabbed spindle from Camburg 5)Bracing the rear axle 6) bracing or boxing the rear of frame. Prevents the bed from smashing the cab. 7) forgot as I was typing. Edit: Core support. Radiator, headlights. Don’t need a full engine cage but those areas should be addressed. Also once you’ve fixed your cam tabs. You’ll still have an issue with a correct alignment because of the Camburg Uppers. Notorious for having issues. The bigger Uniball size is the cause. I’d swap to Their Heim uppers for more adjustment.

I feel this. I had a professional shop install shackles upside down too.

Thank you for this post. I recently decided to work on my own truck and was abhorred and disgusted to find sub par work throughout. Every single maintenance item was done poorly- from my diff drain plug and fill plug being switched to my oil filter being over- torqued, it’s hard to find an honest mechanic. This is where the old adage, knowledge is power, applies!

I had a similar experience (this is a long one). Mine is a 2008 V8 Nissan Pathfinder and they have IFS & IRS. Now, I had put the 2" Bilstein 5100's in the front with new V8 coils and new LCA's and opted for the lower adjustable cam bolts for it. I had put new rear coils in it with a Rancho 1-3/4" spacer too. I took it to a regional chain here in NJ. They were told multiple times, because I wanted it to be clear, that there was a 2" strut lift, and a rear spacer lift and that it would need a four wheel alignment. I should have known I was in for a ride after I took it down the street and let go of the steering wheel and it damn near made a 90 degree right turn. I immediately took it back to the shop, and the said that I would have to wait till the next day to have it looked at. I took it back to the chain, and when I left it seemed to go straight and stop straight. But something still didn't feel right. Then one day I noticed... the rear tires were worn really bad on the inside. So, I bit the bullet and took it to OK 4WD here in Jersey on the PA border to get it aligned. They told me that they couldn't do it without replacing the rear suspension and that there was no way in hell that the chain store could have done a rear alignment on it, because all of the bolts were frozen inside of the bushings. They gave me the printout (which the other place never did), and I headed back to the chain store. Of course there was a new manager, and he listened to what I had to say, and looked at the print out too. I did get my money refunded, but I was still out a pair of MT Baja Boss AT's. Their corporate wouldn't pay to replace the tires, just gave me a store credit for not even a third of what they cost. I did take it to another shop to have the rear UCA's and LCA's and spring bucket arm replaced. He did do an alignment on it, showed me the results, and straight up told me that he could only get it close in the rear, and that I would need to take the spacer lift out and drop the IRS subframe to get it to align. I'm now (and should have then) preparing to do a Titan swap in the front, and an Armada swap in the rear.

Will do my own alignments from now on. Had alignment done on my truck and my front tires wear out in less then a year. Check the alignment myself and it was way off from spec. Aligned it myself in my driveway and 1.5 years later tires still wearing normally.

I’m sure under normal use, with stock wheel offset/backspacing, and suspension height, those cam stops probably hold up quite well. You are totally correct that the industry is losing far too many mechanics with vast knowledge due to age, at this point, you’ll have to take your loss and chock it up to missing the install of the cam tab reinforcing kit. Happy trails!

This is why I’ve tried to do everything myself on all my cars unless it’s some kind of welding or mounting tires

I feel your pain. Smaller specialty shops are definitely my preference for all of the reasons mentioned. Poor shop reliability has had me doing more and more of my own work with, frankly, better results.

Reminds me to get my 1st gen Tundra aligned. Thanks! …getting good techs (electrical, plumbing, hvac, roofing) for home is super hard and crazy expensive - it’s everywhere… 😔

i bought a used alignment kit "Haweye", and you prob need to make custom brackets in house if you go crazy on the lift, the max adjustment is not enough on stock brackets ,, "TIP" load the car like you drive it fully loaded for trip, and do the control

I had work done on my Jeep Gladiator Rubicon at a few different shops. Found Zeus Off-road in Burnsville MN and they have done excellent work at fair prices. Will keep going there even though it an hour drive from my house and I need to typically leave it as they are so busy.

First video of yours I have watched and I am now hitting that subscribe button. Your 'copy" is pretty great and you sound like the kind of guy I want to hear more from. And, what do you know, I just realized that you are the guy who bought Nate's FZJ80. Cool.

You are right on. We must learn about and take responsibility that it gets done right. Cause it's a train wreck out there. + do what you can yourself. And find a local small shop that cares and charges accordingly for what you cannot do.

Lol Ford doesn't even have the eccentric or anything to lock the bolts in place. Just an open slot. I fought and fought to get my f150 remotely figured out and finally found a good shop. SBC sells a great kit for the f150. If I ever lose my job I'm opening a tire and alignment shop lol.

I was an mechanic for 27 years at a national chain shop. I was considered to be one of the best alignment guys in the city, and I strove to do everything, not just alignments, as perfect as humanly possible! But the sad fact is, I was a rarity! It all boils down to whether a person takes pride in their work or not! I did. It was either going to be right, or I wasn’t going to do it. Now that I’m retired, I do all of the work on my own vehicles that I can do. I have a pretty well equipped shop at home, but I can’t justify buying an alignment machine. I cringe every time I have to take a vehicle to someone else! It is beyond frustrating because it seems that no one cares about the quality of their work! I considered my reputation to be very important, but as I said, I am rarity! I don’t know the answer!

This is exactly why I do as much as I can myself. The mechanic shop that I do use when it's something I don't have the equipment for, was recommended by a coworker/friend. They were quickly vetted when they could have ripped me off but didn't. Their parking lot is always full and you are going to have to wait a few days to get whatever service done. I always recommend them when people ask and they do.

I've welded my tabs and have had no issues for many miles.. even offer it as a service at the shop I work at

Thanks for this video!

I feel for you good sir, that really sucks. This is why I never trust stealerships and mechanics if i need work done. I’ve been slowly educating myself and acquiring a bunch of tools to just do it myself over the years and i can’t wait to teach my son and daughter. If i had your lift i would get so much more work done efficiently

You gave great advice, that to understand at least at a basic level what is going on with your vehicle, sadly is a must anymore, when it comes to anything. But as a auto tech myself, the best things a customer can do is tell the service writer absolutely everything they can think of, and to ask for and look at the before and after alignment print out. Before i was trained to do alignments, i had much the same story, 6 alignments in 1 month trying to make a car go straight down the road with all new suspension under it. A GREAT alignment tech found the wheelbase was off from age despite everything on the alignment specs being dead on. once that was corrected it drove beautifully. And if you find a good shop or alignment guy, treat him well, tip him or bring treats to say thank you

Thanks for making this video. If I start noticing bad tire wear on my Tacoma, I'll have to find an honest shop...

Honestly I'm surprised you took this long to figure it out! First set of coils I purchased, I was working under the truck and couldn't move the tabs because they rust and seize. I bought another arm, new bolts. Never even thought about the actual tabs until some threads popped up a few years back!

im surprised it took you that long to find out. that was the very first thing i heard about when i got into toyotas with cam tabs around 7 years ago. also i always check the torque on the cam bolts after alignment. one shop didn’t torque them down and had terrible creaking sound. never went back there.

I do ALL of my own work in my own garage. What I've learned with vehicles going off road is It's hard to have one perform like it should all the time in both environments. I have an off road truck that I just get the alignment close as I can and if I'm doing a lot of driving on pavement, I go get my in town ride. If I want to hit the off road park hours away, I trailer it.

I have a small bicycle shop and workshop. Based on the customers return rate assume that we are doing good work. So my advice is find the shop where you believe to guys and become their regular customer, create relatioship. If you will, they will provide you with benefit of special short lead times and so on. The same as we do. For good customer I will stay overtime with no doubts just make him/her happy. Because I know that he will return an spend much more money with us. He will tell his friends about us and I will have a base of customers who value the good quality work and wish to spend bit more money for such work (compare to big anonymous shops)