Hit 500 alignments done in two years at my old shop

I was just going through my old work logs and realized I did an alignment every 1.5 days on average. That many hours under cars really taught me how to spot worn ball joints just by feel during the adjustment. Anyone else keep track of how many alignments they crank out?

2 comments

2 Comments

ray_hernandez17d ago

Wait, you track your alignment numbers too? Honestly that's awesome, I thought I was the only one who kept a rough count. I did about 320 in my first year and a half at a busy tire chain and man, by the end I could tell if a lower ball joint was loose just by the way the cam bolt turned. Like you said about tire wear patterns, I learned the hard way that a perfect alignment on paper means nothing if the strut mount is shot and the car still pulls right on the highway. Ngl I used to argue with my old boss who only trusted the printout, but I'd show him how the inside edge of the right rear was bald and the toe spec was green, and he'd finally get it.

hall.nina17d ago

My old shop had this old Hunter machine from like 2006 that had a mind of its own, but I still somehow hit 400 in about 18 months before I quit. The thing nobody talks about though is how tire wear patterns tell you more than the alignment rack ever will. I learned to check the inside edges first because if they're feathered you know it's a toe issue before you even start, but if it's just bald on one side you're dealing with camber problems that might be bent parts. The numbers on the screen can be perfect but if the customer's tires are still cupping you gotta trust what you feel in the steering wheel during the test drive more than the printout.