So get this. I got the truck lifted last week and I noticed it has been pulling a little to the right. Nothing drastic but the wheel always favors the right side, expecially at low speeds. So I stop off at the dealer on the way home figuring its quicker to let them realign it than drive all the way back to the 4x4 shop. The dealer says, "Well because its lifted we have to double the price to $130"
I start to get into it with him on how the lift in any way changes the alignment and his only response is, "Well we need to put it on the lift for lifted trucks and that is a special thing we do."
So I say forget it and call up the lift shop. The tech says to wait a 1000 miles or so to let the new suspension seat itself, then bring it back in and they will give the components a once over and realign the truck. I told him how much the dealer wanted and he laughed saying our new trucks take less than 10 minutes to align. He then quoted me a whopping 10 bucks to get an alignment. Finally a shop I trust and wont bend me over every chance they get. Its bad enough I cant find a place in DC to do the work myself (aside from FE Alignment). I looked into storage units to use as a garage....they are about $150 a month...hell I dont want to live there!

 

Eddy, this sounds familiar. After installing my daystar, I had an alignment done. The shop told me they charged extra for a lifted truck for similar reasons as you stated. However, they charged me the regular price because the didn't consider my truck to really be lifted with the daystar.

My alignment was $65. I can not remember what they were charging for the lifted. I seem to think it was around $100.

BTW, where you from in DC? More importantly, where in the hell do you park that thing in the city? I am originally from Hyattsville, MD, so I know DC pretty well.

 

I live in Falls Church/Arlington Va. But work right on the Potomac in one of the high rises looking over the city. A lot of the buildings here have garages...which I cant fit in, including mine. However, I park on the outside deck right next to my office (can see my truck from my window - 50ft away) which has no roof so I am good to go. Most of the people on that deck drive trucks and vans since they cant fit in the garages. A lot of the problem even before the lift wasnt the height in there, it was the turning radius to get in and out of spots. So the lift changed nothing really. Besides the lift was a must!

 

Eddy, I hope your rolled over the shop managers car with your new lift after he quoted you that price!!! Bastards!

Wow, Falls Church... thought you were close to my future sis-in-law when you mentioned Tysons in a post. I'll tell her to be on the lookout for that truck!

 

Yeah I am only a block or two from the Tysons shopping center.

 

She used to work at some bank right in that area. not sure where her new place is...

 

10 bucks to get an alignment sounds like

 

Considering he just blew a huge wad of cash at that same shop for the install, a $10 follow-up check sounds like an honest deal.

 

I love it when you find a good honest mechanic ready to back up his work and products!

Oh and my Procomp lift put a little pull to the right when it was first installed as well not too drastic just a slight pull.

 

Yeah like I said, its not like I am fighting the steering wheel to keep it straight. I know tires wear a whole lot faster with the alignment off so I wanted to get it straight asap.
I know $10 sounds like BS. I have never seen one for less than $40 to be honest. But I did just cut them a check for $800 and plan on letting them do all the no warranty work on my truck, so I can understand $10 just to bring it back it and check their work. Like the tech said, they stand behind the lift installs because if anything went wrong they would be liable. Oh and he didnt say $10 he actually said $9.95. lol
I was like, "You mean $995?!" and he laughed and said I was too used to people ripping me off in DC. "The new trucks are a simple 10 minute adjustment."
Thing is once you find a good mech, you hold on to them, he knows this so why screw me. Not to mention I am a ME by trade, so its unlikely he is or would try to pull something over on me...

"Um yeah your dipstick is bad and we need to replace it, that will be $500. Oh and the rear thing-a-ma-jig is also damaged so that should be another $400. "

I plan on taking it back in for the realign and checkup in about 1000 miles.

 

You forgot the Johnston rod needs to be replaced too; add another $700. bucks

 

Thats not a flat tire. Thats radial depressurization, its bad, real bad. Itll run you about $800.

 

and you need to replace your turn blinker fluid and the muffler bearing is out. Oh yeah, the kanuter valve needs adjusting as well. hahaha.
Sounds like you found a good mechanic thats a keeper. I wish I could find one here in Nor Cal. All places I call want 100 bucks for the alignment. Congrats on the lift.