Dealer rip-off or legit? (wheel alignment)
10-30-2003 | 01:23 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 184
From: Carbondale, IL.
Dealer rip-off or legit? (wheel alignment)
Called the closest Nissan dealer today for a 4-wheel alignment price and am not sure if this place is a rip-off or not..
1997 SE
4-wheel alignment = $64.99
installation of CAMBER BOLTS on front = $68.99
Total for 4-wheel adjustment = $134.98 !
----------
Is this legit? He was saying that it is 30 minutes per side to install these bolts..
WTF?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
1997 SE
4-wheel alignment = $64.99
installation of CAMBER BOLTS on front = $68.99
Total for 4-wheel adjustment = $134.98 !
----------
Is this legit? He was saying that it is 30 minutes per side to install these bolts..
WTF?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
10-30-2003 | 01:29 PM
#2
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Installation of camber bolts is a 5 minute job once the car is up and the wheels are taken off.
$135 is on the steep side, but as long as your car is tracking straight now, don't worry about it.
Curious, why did you need camber bolts? Is your car excessively lowered?
If it's not excessively lowered, then bad camber usually means bent suspension components.
$135 is on the steep side, but as long as your car is tracking straight now, don't worry about it.
Curious, why did you need camber bolts? Is your car excessively lowered?
If it's not excessively lowered, then bad camber usually means bent suspension components.
10-30-2003 | 01:37 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 184
From: Carbondale, IL.
Originally Posted by njmaxseltd
Installation of camber bolts is a 5 minute job once the car is up and the wheels are taken off.
$135 is on the steep side, but as long as your car is tracking straight now, don't worry about it.
Curious, why did you need camber bolts? Is your car excessively lowered?
If it's not excessively lowered, then bad camber usually means bent suspension components.
$135 is on the steep side, but as long as your car is tracking straight now, don't worry about it.
Curious, why did you need camber bolts? Is your car excessively lowered?
If it's not excessively lowered, then bad camber usually means bent suspension components.
Hi
the car is stock springs and shocks, only mods to that area is a fstb and an rsb.
This was a quote over the phone.. Said they did one last week and it needed the bolts as well. Something about a different size bolt and none of the 96/97 models he has seen had the bolt(s).
The car has never been aligned, 73k, 1997 model.. A little bit of wear on the edges of the tires, a little pull to the right (drift) though.
I'm lost..
10-30-2003 | 01:49 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 184
From: Carbondale, IL.
Originally Posted by big_al
I went to NTB a few weeks ago, $60
I asked what these magical camber bolts did and the SA said "I'm not the mechanic, but they must be pretty important"..
Can someone explain exactly what they allow for, that the car can't do now?
thanks
10-30-2003 | 01:50 PM
#6
Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 49
From: Knoxville, TN
camber
Yeah i was looking at going to an NTB cause I have used them before. The question i had was how much it should be to get my camber bolts installed? Tom says it is an easy process, so i was wondering how much so i dont get ripped off?
thanks
thanks
10-30-2003 | 02:50 PM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 458
Ahh.....camber......
Camber is the pitch of the tire either to the car (negative camber) or away from the car (positive camber). Caster on the other hand is the pitch of the front of the tire towards the car (negitive caster) or away from the car (positive caster).
Camber is important because it allows for the car to have a flat footprint.....or should i say a flatter foot print when going into a turn. Imagine your tire is completely vertical. Now notice how the tire contacts the pavement with the most availible area. Now imagine the tire has a 2° pitch to it. See how the foot print of the tire is slightly reduced, and it is more on the inside edge. When you go into a turn, the wheel straigtens out, or becomes closer to vertical, thus allowing you to grip better in the turns.
Every auto maker allows for some camber in their design. You can check your Max manual for the recommened settings. Most performance cars are set to 2° while high end race cars/rally cars (non-street) are set from 3° to 4°.
Camber is simple the setting that allows the least resistance when trying to go straight.
Its amazing what you pick up while getting merit badges.........
Hope that explains it a little better.
Camber is the pitch of the tire either to the car (negative camber) or away from the car (positive camber). Caster on the other hand is the pitch of the front of the tire towards the car (negitive caster) or away from the car (positive caster).
Camber is important because it allows for the car to have a flat footprint.....or should i say a flatter foot print when going into a turn. Imagine your tire is completely vertical. Now notice how the tire contacts the pavement with the most availible area. Now imagine the tire has a 2° pitch to it. See how the foot print of the tire is slightly reduced, and it is more on the inside edge. When you go into a turn, the wheel straigtens out, or becomes closer to vertical, thus allowing you to grip better in the turns.
Every auto maker allows for some camber in their design. You can check your Max manual for the recommened settings. Most performance cars are set to 2° while high end race cars/rally cars (non-street) are set from 3° to 4°.
Camber is simple the setting that allows the least resistance when trying to go straight.
Its amazing what you pick up while getting merit badges.........
Hope that explains it a little better.
10-30-2003 | 04:24 PM
#9
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 184
From: Carbondale, IL.
So the max would do well having these bolts then I take it? Just hate to put out some $$$ if it's not necessary..
njmaxseltd: are those bolts something the average joe can install or ??
njmaxseltd: are those bolts something the average joe can install or ??
Originally Posted by LastBoyScout
Ahh.....camber......
Camber is the pitch of the tire either to the car (negative camber) or away from the car (positive camber). Caster on the other hand is the pitch of the front of the tire towards the car (negitive caster) or away from the car (positive caster).
Camber is important because it allows for the car to have a flat footprint.....or should i say a flatter foot print when going into a turn. Imagine your tire is completely vertical. Now notice how the tire contacts the pavement with the most availible area. Now imagine the tire has a 2° pitch to it. See how the foot print of the tire is slightly reduced, and it is more on the inside edge. When you go into a turn, the wheel straigtens out, or becomes closer to vertical, thus allowing you to grip better in the turns.
Every auto maker allows for some camber in their design. You can check your Max manual for the recommened settings. Most performance cars are set to 2° while high end race cars/rally cars (non-street) are set from 3° to 4°.
Camber is simple the setting that allows the least resistance when trying to go straight.
Its amazing what you pick up while getting merit badges.........
Hope that explains it a little better.
Camber is the pitch of the tire either to the car (negative camber) or away from the car (positive camber). Caster on the other hand is the pitch of the front of the tire towards the car (negitive caster) or away from the car (positive caster).
Camber is important because it allows for the car to have a flat footprint.....or should i say a flatter foot print when going into a turn. Imagine your tire is completely vertical. Now notice how the tire contacts the pavement with the most availible area. Now imagine the tire has a 2° pitch to it. See how the foot print of the tire is slightly reduced, and it is more on the inside edge. When you go into a turn, the wheel straigtens out, or becomes closer to vertical, thus allowing you to grip better in the turns.
Every auto maker allows for some camber in their design. You can check your Max manual for the recommened settings. Most performance cars are set to 2° while high end race cars/rally cars (non-street) are set from 3° to 4°.
Camber is simple the setting that allows the least resistance when trying to go straight.
Its amazing what you pick up while getting merit badges.........
Hope that explains it a little better.
10-30-2003 | 06:56 PM
#10
i have a camber bolt on the passenger side front. I got cut off in the rain and slammed into a curb, i need a new steering knuckle. and the camber bolt is on for temporary. hahaha it sucks. But my car was a way out of wack and i got one camber bolt and an alignment at kuffman tires for around $65
10-30-2003 | 07:56 PM
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,617
From: Detroit Metro Area
Sounds like he hasn't gotten it done yet...
You shouldn't need Camber bolts. If you have a stock suspension (stock ride height) and you need camber bolts something else is broken/bent and should be replaced.
You shouldn't need Camber bolts. If you have a stock suspension (stock ride height) and you need camber bolts something else is broken/bent and should be replaced.
10-31-2003 | 03:54 AM
#12
Originally Posted by Stereodude
Sounds like he hasn't gotten it done yet...
You shouldn't need Camber bolts. If you have a stock suspension (stock ride height) and you need camber bolts something else is broken/bent and should be replaced.
You shouldn't need Camber bolts. If you have a stock suspension (stock ride height) and you need camber bolts something else is broken/bent and should be replaced.
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