Good Alignment Shop?

[Eurorcr]

***Edit***

I found an awesome shop that did a great alignment the old fashioned way with strings. This means cars with extra diffusers and aerodynamics can be done. They specialize in chassis setup primarily with highend BMW's, Audi's, Porsche's etc. but are now branching into the Japanese markets. They just purchased a new Civic Si they are turning into a racecar with $$$$ Moton coilovers. They set my car up perfect for the track. See post #20 for more details.

***End Edit***

Anybody know of a place in the Metro Detroit area that has a good reputation on setting up race car's with specific alignment specs?

Thanks!

[06mr2024]

There are a few places listed in this old thread on mievo.net...not sure about race though ...hope it helps..

Link - http://www.mievo.net/talk/showthread...ight=alignment

[Eurorcr]

Thanks so much for that link. I see that Bruce's comes highly recommended. Unfortunately, that was where I had planned on going in the first place but heard they are no longer in business.

Anybody know if this is true or not?

[PPI]

/\ I drove by Bruces and they were closed...
on another note, I have a new tray to test on your car.

[Eurorcr]

/\ I drove by Bruces and they were closed...
on another note, I have a new tray to test on your car.

Give me a call so we can set up a time for the test fit.

Thanks to everybody with Alignment shop reccomendations!

[RSboy]

Go to the Belle Tire on gratiot and 10mi. Ask for Matt Hickmott. He was good and took the time to get my car setup right. Might have to get it done again for next track day in spring.

Ask overlord Bob about it, he recommended them.

[PPI]

/\ I might give that place a try as I will need a new alignment.

[EvoGLH]

Call the Belle Tire (586)-779-5400 before you go & make sure that Matt Hickmott is there.

They have a new Mgr. there who can sometimes be a bit of a prick & will try to get the guys to rush jobs: stand your ground, and don't let it happen -- dropping 'hints' that you appreciate them taking the extra care, time & attention that a car like ours requires, and that you'll pass the word on if they make you happy does wonders...

I've tried to train 'em right so they treat you guys well and do a proper job.

They'll even let ya sit in the car while it's aligned - if you're the only/main driver, or are going for a specific setting, that's the proper way to have it done!

* Note: certain chin extensions/spoilers (particularly on lowered cars) can interfere with the alignment rack safety stops, so be warned!
If possible, and with your permission, Belle Tire can/will temporarily remove & remount them afterwards (at no extra cost, as far as I know.)

Remember to tell 'em the 'Smiley' yellow Evo sent ya. (hahaha)

Reminds me: I have 2 cars that need to have alignments 'tweaked' again. Free adjustments & 'corrections' for 3 months, ya know!


If that Bell Tire doesn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling, Slim's is a 1/4 mile south of the Bell Tire, just east of Gratiot.

[Gideon201]

Unless there is something else wrong with my car, I am in need again already. It has only been 2 months since my last alignment. Which I got at Moran Mitsubishi under warranty. A couple of days ago I could let go of the wheel and the car would make a left turn on its own.

[EvoGLH]

Gideon - Moran may realign the Evo again at no cost, as long as it wasn't thrown out by a pothole impact, etc.

Did this develop gradually, or suddenly?


Hopefully it's not a situation I once had:
Arnold Mitsu once aligned my Evo to OEM specs: fine at first, but began pulling to left within a few hundred miles & got worse.
Took it back, and it still didn't feel 'right' even after they'd rechecked & realigned it a couple times, so...

I stopped by the 10mile & Gratiot Belle Tire and had them do a free alignment reading.
I sat in the BT bay watching 'em like a hawk the whole time, and no tools ever came near my Evo: they let me climb into the pit & showed me exactly what they found -- Arnold Mitsu had failed to tighten everything, and had left one strut bolt loose enough to be turned by hand!

[Gideon201]

Did this develop gradually, or suddenly?

Hopefully it's not a situation I once had:
Arnold Mitsu once aligned my Evo to OEM specs: fine at first, but began pulling to left within a few hundred miles & got worse.
Took it back, and it still didn't feel 'right' even after they'd rechecked & realigned it a couple times, so...

When I got my car back it was better, so I know they did something, however it was horrible work in my opinion. Being that it has only been 2 months, that kind of worries me. I guess I will just check out other places for an inspection to see whats going on. That won't happen for a few weeks though since my car will be at PPI for ports and coats. ^^

[AfireINSIDE]

I went to the belle tire for Matt he did the EXACT specs I wanted spent about 2 hours doing it for no more money, got yelled at too because of it! I will be going their after springs

[johannes]

For an of you guys on the West side, "Muscles" at Belle tire in Novi has done about 10 alignments for me and has gotten pretty familiar with Evos. Nice guy too.

[MitsuJoe]

Any place in michigan with corner scales and the knowledge to setup a race suspension?

[Bullet]

Any place in michigan with corner scales and the knowledge to setup a race suspension?

I have a buddy who can corner balance with scales. His name is Jason Kolk and he is in the waterford area/metro detroit. if you need his contact info its- baumer02@comcast.net. He is very good and does percise scale/alignment set-up's. He is a Racer/Autocross/Track guy and knows his stuff!

Just tell him Scotty O sent ya!!
Scott

[Applejack]

Deleted - I'm no longer doing alignments on the side. Don't bother asking.

[Bullet]

I just joined the board and found this thread. I'm the guy that Scotty O is talking about.

I do corner weighting and alignments on the side (I'm an engineer from 8-5) and I've been doing a lot of work for local Detroit SCCA autocrossers in the last three years.

Evo's are relatively new this season to me as I've just started autocrossing one this year. I'm co-driving Dave Heinrich's (Silencer) STU car for this season. We've setup Dave's car a few times this year and I'm sure we'll do it again.

Here's a picture of my equipment setup on my Mustang.


I noticed that Scotty had my old e-mail address in his post, so if you've tried to get a hold of me, I apologize. My e-mail address is: jason dot kolk at comcast.net
Feel free to contact me to discuss your project and what time may work for both of us. I'm now located in White Lake just south of Alpine Valley ski area.

Welcome Jason!!
I will stand by Jason's dedicated work experience as He has set up a couple of my cars and I will tell you this, the man is a genius when it comes to suspension set up and alingments!! x10

BTW His Mustang is Sweet too! which has many suspension mods performed by himself.

[2Blue4uSTi]

I just joined the board and found this thread. I'm the guy that Scotty O is talking about.

I do corner weighting and alignments on the side (I'm an engineer from 8-5) and I've been doing a lot of work for local Detroit SCCA autocrossers in the last three years.

Evo's are relatively new this season to me as I've just started autocrossing one this year. I'm co-driving Dave Heinrich's (Silencer) STU car for this season. We've setup Dave's car a few times this year and I'm sure we'll do it again.

Here's a picture of my equipment setup on my Mustang.


I noticed that Scotty had my old e-mail address in his post, so if you've tried to get a hold of me, I apologize. My e-mail address is: jason dot kolk at comcast.net
Feel free to contact me to discuss your project and what time may work for both of us. I'm now located in White Lake just south of Alpine Valley ski area.

Last Tuesday Jason was kind enough to align my car.
I'm currently in the afterglow of a Grattan experience and as part of that want to say that Jason does a great job. He took the time to explain each step as well as provide the a computer printout of my alignment settings.

Now about Grattan, I remember on several laps watching me gain distance in corners on various types of vehicles. I attribute some to the parts I changed and a large amount to the icing on the cake(performance alignment) provided by Jason.

Check him out, I know I will in the future.

Darryl "Kolkprepared"

see u at the racetrack!

[Z_lancerman]

Besides going to Detroit, does anyone know of good shop near Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti? Now that I've got my coilovers on, I need to get it done but I want it done to my specs and get the same kind of treatment some of you have received from Matt at Belle Tire.

[otter]

I just got my alignment done at the Belle Tire on Carpenter. I didn't ask for custom specs, but their service was great. It'd be worth giving them a call and asking if they'd do custom settings.