So I go to get my alignment done yesterday. I have a lifetime alignment package from Firestone, so I basically get unlimited alignments. The alignment guy is pretty cool over there. I parked my car right in front and got out and asked him if my car was too low to fit on the alignment rack. He took a look and said he had done cars that were lower, but if it doesn't fit then he'll just use some wood blocks to get it on

So after my car is finished, then they tell me that the camber is off on the right rear. I tell them that's fine, just adjust it. I had gotten a camber kit from them about 6 months ago when I did my first alignment. Then the sales person says, "No there's only a camber kit on the right rear. The left rear only has the OEM control arm still." So I look at them in amazement. About 6 months ago I had paid about $185 for an alignment kit and install on it. At the time I thought I was getting a full rear camber kit. Basically both left and right. I come to find out that the $185 I paid was only for one side! They had charged me $145 for just one side! When I got the work done I approved everything over the phone, and when they said $145 I just assumed it was for both sides since that was the going rate for camber kits that I had seen around the forum. I also took a look at the service slip and it says "R / Rear Camber Kit". At the time I got it done I thought that it just met Rear and the R stood for Rear. It was not made obvious to me that it was just one side. If I knew it was only one side, there is no way I would have paid them $145!

So to make a long story short, Firestone now wants me to pay another $145 to get a camber kit for the right rear. They said they would waive the cost for the labor, but I would have to pay for the parts. I don't mind paying the labor but I think Firestone's pricing was just ridiculous. I feel pretty ripped off because Excelerate sells both sides for $160 shipped. I was pretty upset so I bitched them out pretty good, but the store manager is apparently on vacation until Wednesday. So they said they couldn't do anything and I would need to talk to him.

Either way I'm going to try to get the manager to give me an additional discount, but if that doesn't work what do you guys think I should do?
A) Pay Firestone $145 so that everything stays under the Firestone and SPC warranty.
B) Buy just one single side from Excelerate or Comptech for about $80-95 and install it myself. (Problem is I don't have a ball joint removal tool
C) Buy just one single side from Excelerate or Comptech for about $80-95 and get it installed somewhere else.

 

If you have an autoparts store chain around you, lots of places have a "loan a tool" program where if you put a deposit down, you can borrow a ball joint puller.
Is this after you lowered your car though? I mean... why didn't they tell you last time that your camber was off on the other side?

 

I thought the right side already has an adjustable camber kit? How come you are paying another $145 to get a camber kit for the right rear again?

 

That's suppose to say left rear. The left rear is the side with no camber kit. Sorry about the type-o's above. It's suppose to say left rear at the start of the 2nd paragraph too. My bad

 

It wasn't off before. I changed some suspension stuff.

Has anyone done this install? How hard is it to install the SPC rear camber kit?

 

Did you get your damper replaced? I have the Ingalls kit and it was really easy to install ~ 45 min. I didn't have to remove any ball joint?

 

yea that's the same exact price my local firestone quoted me. i hinted them that i could get the whole kit somewhere else for less than $160, they still wouldn't lower that. you should've been more careful man, that's how they make most of their money. the spc camber should be fairly easy to install, but you will need some ball joint removal kit. they should run no more than $30 at Sears. once you got the tools, the install should be fairly simple.

KC

 

You will need a set of "forks" I forgot the exact name for that tool, but go to Sear and ask them for the forks used to remove ball joints and they will know what u mean. The kit should come with 2-3 forks. The forks are used to pop up the ball joint you see on the SPC kit, you might need to muscle it up. After that, the installation is fairly straight forward.

Do a quick search, I believe JTso wrote an installation guide a while back. If not, post back up here, and I will give you directions. I've done this before and it took me about 2-3 hours for both sides.

KC

 

Yeah the SPC and Ingalls are two different types of rear camber kits. On the SPC you need a special ball joint tool. I didn't realize that there were loaner tools available. Thanks Alin I just called the local Autozone and they said they had one! I'm thinking that I should just buy the kit and install it myself.

Has anyone ever used one these tools? Is it difficult to use?

 

Yep. I think you're right. I really don't have anyone to blame but myself.
Oh well. I guess you live and learn. Just sucks to see some of my mod money going to something that I wasn't planning on. Thanks for the info man. Like I said above I found a place where I could get a loaner tool

Did you have to remove the strut in order to install the camber kit?

 

Nope, you dont have to remove anything like that. I did have to unscrew a few hold-downs for the electric lines to get to the inner part of the control arm. You will have to remove the wheel of course. It will also help to have a lift handy to raise the whole suspension upward, that way the the ball joint on the control arm will come out easier.

KC

 

You might want to try intimidating the manager at firestone (tell him you'll boycott/sit outside with a sign/take an ad out in the paper telling people to avoid them/spread bad rep on the internet) into giving you a free left kit. It sounds pretty dishonest selling someone half a camber kit, honestly why would anyone ever want that unless they had a camber kit and one side broke for some weird reason?

 

Hahah, when i installed my SPC camber, i did not know you need a balljoint tool so i used a hammer. LoL! After Jtso told me that, i was like....WTF....ShieT.....No problems so far thank god!

 

drive you car into the place and then light it on fire.. saw that happened in the news the other day.

 

Look for me on the 10 o'clock news.

I think I got it all worked out though guys. They agreed to doing the left side for $110. They were originally going to charge me $185. I gotta go on a trip this weekend and I don't have time to do the install and get alignment so I'm just going to pay them to do it Friday. Last time I buy something from Firestone though.

 

'
get a single one on ebay for aobut 85 bucks and take it back in for them to put it on.. simple pimple.

 

Remove your blower, ECU, immobolizer, keys, and other related parts and FedEx them to me before you go torching the place.

Stories like this remind me why I try and do as much work myself in my own garage.

Good luck Kenny.

 

Actually its really not a bad price you got 2 alignments done + spc camber kits + installed with warranty for what $300?

 

That's what I thought too. But Firestone told me that they have a policy that they do not install customer provide parts

 

Haha. Thanks Gsclifton. If I torch the place you can have all of my mods

 

Well I paid $140 for the Firestone lifetime alignment package so I get the car aligned for free for as long as I own it. It's more like I paid $300 for SPC camber/warranty/ and install.