On December 8th I took my car to TredAlign to have my upper A-arms & shocks replaced, as well as receive a performance alignment. The owner of the shop, Robert, uses the handle MRR23 on this messageboard. I chose to visit Robert based upon a recommendation by Larry Skipper.

This was the first 4th-gen suspension he had worked on. It didn't take very long for Robert to come up to speed since he has a 3rd-gen whose suspension is very similar. He had performed some research in advance to prepare for the discrepancies.

The rod & nut on both stock shocks were pretty corroded. He did a good job of saving the first shock, but the second one had to have the threads cut off to remove it. No matter, those deCarbons had 70K miles on them, and should've been changed 60K miles ago! I could have saved him some time by letting him know I didn't want them back.

He had to drill out the rivets holding the balljoint to the stock upper A-arms. After attaching the arm to the driver side shock/spring assembly and installing it, I chose to review the a-arm installation instructions They recommended putting the bolts in upside down so that the bolt head was by the boot to prevent cutting the boot. He moved the outside bolt immediately and didn't think the inners would matter. We did the passenger side the correct way, and ended up changing the orientation of the other two on the drivers side later during troubleshooting. The bolts didn't cause a problem, I just wanted them to be consistent.

He performed an alignment to my specifications, with me sitting in the car. He measured everything possible. There were a lot of items on the alignment report which I've never seen on the same report from a dealership. Guess the guys at the dealership either don't know what they mean or don't want to take time to explain them - which Robert did wonderfully.

So I backed off the ramp and took it for a test drive. As soon as I cranked the wheel the other way and drove towards John Young, I knew something was amiss. Drove it over the railroad tracks then came back. Told him there was a noise only in the driver side front fenderwell and he rode with me on a test drive. When I told him the a-arms used aluminum impregnated nylon bushings, he found it hard to believe the vendors claims that they shouldn't make any more noise than stock. However, the passenger side was quiet. Hmmm...

I don't recall what he did as a result that same day. However I do know the noise didn't want to go away. I brought it back a weekend or two later, and he pulled the assembly again and re-tightened the shock rod nut. Took it for another test drive over the railroad tracks and....no noise! Made a u-turn to come back and the noise came back So at this point I'm sure it's the nut but he's still skeptical of the a-arms making noise. I believe he pulled it off again and checked the nut, and it didn't appear to have moved. He put on an ASP underdrive crank pulley for a very reasonable rate that day.

Came back at my next opportunity (I showed up late and threw off his schedule). He finished turning the rotors for a 3rd-gen customer he had there, and even with reduced time he wanted to get the car on the rack and get it resolved. We replaced the shock bolts under the master cylinder with hex nut versions instead of the T50 torx bits which come stock. Also relubed the driver side a-arm, then attempted to replace the nylock bolt on the driver side shock. I bought a new pair from Home Depot and used the old nylock as reference on a their bolt sizing display. Bought what was supposed to match, but it didn't. Slightly wore down the lead-in threads on the shock rod while trying to use it. Robert had to work some magic to get the old nylock back on, then tightened it down yet another time.

Took it for another test drive, and again it's quiet, just like last time...so I didn't hold my breath. Took it across the tracks and waited for that dreaded u-turn. No Noise! Whoo-hoo! Drove it back to the shop and reported the good news to Robert. He said, "If it returns we know what it is - if it doesn't we know what it was!" heh

I should mention that we ran past the scheduled Saturday hours of the shop on the last visit. Roberts shop shares the alarm system of the building he is in. He went over to the primary building and somehow arranged for an extension. Ended up running 30 minutes late on a 15-minute extension. It has been over a week and the noise hasn't returned.

Still plan on going back to tweak the alignment. Robert has very good rates, a great work ethic, and I would recommend him to anyone. He has a combo TV/VCR which my daughter used to watch movies on the second visit. So if you have a child (or the mindset of one) you won't be bored if you bring the tapes.

Be prepared to defend owning a 4th-gen, using tires designed for Porsches, dynoing with the hood up, and remove any shock tower braces until he's done with the work

TredAlign is located near John Young Parkway & OBT. If you take JYP south from OBT, make a U-turn at the first light (Strader, I believe), he's the first entrance on your right.

His hours are 8-5PM Mon-Fri, and 8am-noon on Saturdays. I don't recall the phone number, and it's not in the phonebook. It's listed under the larger company with whom he shares the building. Hopefully Robert will post the number.

Thanks TredAlign!

 

Robert at Tredalign 407-295-7073

I will second Jim's recommendation, Robert is great and he is one of the few people I would not hesitate to let work on my car.

 

you guys are too kind. thanks for the great compliments there jim. the events on his car were pretty much the way jim explained it. right down to the "If it returns we know what it is - if it doesn't we know what it was!" jim we still need to bring the caster down as you want. the 15th will be fine.

soma07 - when he brought his car to me, he had been doing the alignments at his father's shop. couldn't get it to stop wandering. found out it was his lower ball joints.

www.asbdcnow.com/tredalign is my website.

(407)295-7073 is the phone number. my name is robert. and i can pick on you 4th gen guys. i've owned 3 myself over time.

 

Hey Robert. I am just about ready to get my struts and shocks done and install that nitrous. I picked up that fuel pump from Jim the other day. I have to send out the MSD to be repaired but the rest is there.

What would you charge me to install the struts and align the car? It is lowered about 1.5". I am installing some KYB shocks and struts. I would normally do it myself but my compressor died and we had a hell of a time with the springs without it.

Thanks
John

 

same deal i gave jim $100 for the struts and align.

 

$100 labor for front shocks on a 4th gen?

Isn't that pretty involved. I thought you pretty much have to pull the entire shock/spring assembly out right?

If that's the case, how much just to change out the front shocks on my '02 SS? At the same time, I want to change springs. But if they're out anyway...

I don't need the backs done. And I don't need an alignment either.

 

yes it involves pulling out the strut spring assembly. it's just like a strut assembly on a fwd car. you can ask jim i've got it down to a science just by removing his 4 times on the left side. i have the best prices for f-bodies. it's called cash talks. major discount for fellow f-body owners. it was easier than i thought it would be.

are you putting lowering springs in? or stock replacement? because springs will change camber ( the tire leaning inward/outward from the top of the tire). but $60 to do just the front shocks/springs.

 

Correct but its really not that hard if you have air tools and a good spring compressor. IMO the toughest part is getting that stupid nut off the top of the shock.

 

with jim's car, the strut mount collected water and the nut was rusted onto the studs. i had to cut one off. so there's another problem there.

 

They all do that. I have done a bunch of them now, including my own. My car usually never sees rain, and it was still rusted on. Tell people that are doing springs to do struts too, and just hack saw the old strut in between coils (the top of the strut...obviously not the cartridge). Saves BIG time and aggrevation.

 

How about coating the nut with some heavy grease before putting it back on the car? You'll never see it once its back together and that should keep the moisture away from it so it doesnt rust again.

Obviously it wont help the first time but if you ever have to do it again it might save you a headache.

Just an idea...

 

That is a good idea. I always try to paint/grease/anti-seize everything like that....

 

Yeah, I'm putting my DMS springs and Bilstiens on. But I always get lifetime alignments at the Big10 in Oviedo. Ron does all my tire and alignment servicing. He even agreed to do a lifetime alignment with non-stock measurements. That's why I won't need you to do the alignment.

You make it sound pretty easy. I do have air tools and a pretty good mechanical aptitude. But for $60, I think I might just avoid the whole headache of tearing it apart in my driveway and being without my car for a couple days. (And yes it will take me that long. I have a problem sticking to tasks at hand. I have a million projects around here. All half way completed. )

Do I need to schedule a date and time or just show up. Drop off? Or can I wait and watch/help?

 

call me up and we'll figure out a time convienent for you. if you want to stay and help that's fine. i won't charge extra for the help. plus you would need a spring compressor or take them to your friend. they really aren't all that hard to do. simpler to change springs in it than a third gen.

(407)295-7073