How to not let a shop damage your clutch

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player1up

player1up

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I've got to take the car in for an alignment and was wondering how to go about making sure that the idiots at the shop don't smoke my clutch.

Now I may sound a little paranoid but I've been at those places and hear how they treat cars. On one sad occasion after I had tires put on my 5 speed ranger, I noticed that my clutch "felt" different..like a little soft (not as grabby as a 4 month old clutch should be). Finally got to the point where it was REALLY bugging me and when I pulled the inspection plug, it looked like it had been nuclear hot (blueish metal with burnt smell). Never did go after them as it was months later but I did learn a valuable lesson that day.

I can't just walk in there and say, " I want you to do an alignment but you aren't driving my car" can I??

Sad state of affairs but I don't trust a whole lot of people with my car ESPECIALLY pimple faced morons that have never driven a stick and think they can learn at my expense :angry7:
 
player1up......LOL on the "pimple faced morons" :toothy10:

The road test is crucial for the alignment procedure. I understand your concern and maybe you can wait with the car while the alignment is being done and then ask if you can ride along for the road test. Make a friend of the tech that's doing the work. Find a small owner operated shop if possible which may increase your chances of the ride along.....:cheers:
 
Do they know you? I have agood relationship with my tirestore but the young monkeys he hires come and go. Last time I was there,they had to change tires on my 4x4. The centre caps are chrome cheapie junk and wouldnt come off easy so they hammered em out. Talk about bashed. Next time Im there I'll speak to the owner and Im sure he'll fix it.

But my point is this. Maybe if you dont know them, stick around to make sure they arent doing donuts and burnouts. Or ask to drive your car on the hoist. Claim the car is set up special and the clutch is touchy. Then take the key with you to the lounge area. When they want to test drive it,go with them.

After all they dont need the key for an alignment.

I actually forgot one time to leave the key when I was having a blown tire replaced. They simply pushed it in and out on a jack...
 
Not saying that there is anything wrong with having pimples... just being a moron :lol:

Thanks for the replies! I'll have to keep them in mind when I take her in.
I'm not friends with any shop around here, but it's time to start networking. The duster has yet to see the inside of a shop and I did the alignment when I rebuilt the front end but now that I'm out on the hwy more often I need it done right.
I'm right there with you about the young monkeys..had some break 2 wheel studs on my 75 before the guy figured out the thing was set to tighten...I was actually standing at the desk looking through the window and could see him looking at the air gun like it was broken :lol: and I can just picture those guys rolling a car around on a jack..must be easier than asking you for the key. That is the kind of crap I'm talking about though ...moronic...

Thanks for keeping it in perspective, I guess I am being too up tight :)
 
No,your not being too uptight. You can never be too carefull with something you have a lot of time ,effort, money and love into.

And these younger guys...sometimes it's a moron,sometimes it's a learning curve..
 
Don't take anything to WalMart or Sears.... that's where those pimple face morons hang out. I take my stuff to older fellows where they have pride in their work and treat you car as if it was their own. I got mad up at Sears because this idiot put wheel weights on the outside of my wheels AFTER I asked them not to. He gets mad goes out gets my truck and comes flying in shop because of his mistake. There was almost a fight buddy! That manager was trying to calm me down the whole time. I stood right at the window and watched every single little move that joker made..... if he would have thrown something at my truck, over tighten my lug nuts, there would have been a fight. I watched him until he backed the truck up and apologized. I was so fired up I didn't say a word to the little punk!
 
Most reputable shops know not to let the oil change clown ( like my son-in-law ) drive certain cars even if he begs to. LOL
You could disonnect the battery cable and tell them to push it on and off the front end rack. Blame it on screwy shifter linkage or whatever. It wont be the first they've pushed. Then again , if you might get your panties bunched up over some hand prints... nobody will want your business. Good luck
 
mullinax95 said:
Don't take anything to WalMart or Sears.... ...........
Click to expand...

Walmart.... how did you know that's where I had the clutch in my ranger smoked..?? :toothy10:


Red, That's what I don't want to happen...I'd rather not be an a-hole first to get them to do the job I'm paying for. or worse, have them do a chitty job BECAUSE I'm a jerk..
Maybe they'll see it's a classic and be scared into not screwing up. Also have to find a shop that will align it to todays specs without f'n with the ride height
 
Key is definitely needed for the alignment unless your steering column does not lock. You must be able to turn the wheels on the turntables to measure caster.
 
Luckily I am friends with the owner. He lets me drive my car on the rack and lets me watch. He knows how I am with my baby.

Fred B
 
player1up said:
Walmart.... how did you know that's where I had the clutch in my ranger smoked..?? :toothy10:


Red, That's what I don't want to happen...I'd rather not be an a-hole first to get them to do the job I'm paying for. or worse, have them do a chitty job BECAUSE I'm a jerk..
Maybe they'll see it's a classic and be scared into not screwing up. Also have to find a shop that will align it to todays specs without f'n with the ride height
Click to expand...


Yeah.. take your time and shop around for someone to work on your car. I try my hardest to not let anyone work on my vehicles if I can help it... you always run into some asshole. The only one I can't do myself is the alignment and tires most of the time. I have one fellow who I trust to the mechanic stuff that I can't do or don't have enough time to do it myself. He has a 66 Chevy Impala he is restoring so he and I talk cars and shoot the sh-t.
 
I know I wouldn't let just anyone drive or even touch my car. I definately wouldn't trust some punk from a tire shop to jump in my Barracuda, after its finished, w/o me in it. A few weeks ago the local tire shop couldn't even keep from breaking the parking brake release handle in my Ram. I'm still waiting for them to get me the part so I can replace it myself. If it wasn't for them being the only place locally that I could get 35" tires for my 16.5" rims, I'd be damned if I'd ever go back.

Back when I lived in Summerville, SC there was only one person I would ever let align my cars or trucks and that was Sam from Sam's Frame and alignment in N. Charleston. Sam was a really nice older fella that always did a great job for a very reasonable price. I always set the ride height before I went there, just because I knew exactly how high I wanted it to sit. He let me hang out and BS with him a few times while he did the alignment. Hell, he would even let me drive my cars on and off the rack. I used to tell all my friends to go there. After I got back from Turkey I went back to look for his shop and it looked like he had closed up. I sure hope he's doing well.

I guess my point is to find somebody you trust to do any work on your vehicle. It may cost a little more, but the piece of mind is worth it. I'd suggest talking to racers in your area and find out who they trust for their alignments.
 
There is NO WAY anyone is driving my car. I'll take mine to someone that I know when the time comes. I actually know 1 person I'll let drive my car for those puposes.
 
I know exactly what you're saying. Years ago one the young morons broke 3 wheel lugs in a brake drum on my '69 340 Swinger because he didn't know about left-hand threads on Mopars. He didn't seem to get it even after I explained it to him.
 
There is no way in hell anybody else is driving my Demon. It is not a real easy car to drive in the first place. Nobody at those shops knows what a manual reverse valve body means and I have a spool rearend. Add in 425+ HP and that is a recipe for disaster. I have a place I go to for alignments and they let me put it on the hoist as they don't want anything to do with behind the wheel.

Jack
 
After careful consideration, I'm on the lookout for a shop that will let me tell them the specs and let me drive my own car.

I've found a few possibilities. A co-worker is friends with the manager of a local tire kingdom and said the guy takes any kind of work ( will align lowered/lifted vehicles ) and will set it to whatever I want. Apparently the guy is a car nut and at least one of his employees drives an old mustang sooooo.... I'll go test the waters with some questions.

Ocdart, Did he put the air wrench in his left hand :toothy10:

I've seen a clutch obliterated in a matter of seconds on a 425 hp car...seconds people...turned it to shredded fibers on the inside of the bell housing. yikes
 
Do what I did with my Dart (even tho it's an automatic) when I took it to Firestone. I drove it up onto the rack and off and I test drove it not them!
 
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