I just got back from the second tire shop that said that they wouldn't do an alignment on my car.

The first one was just some shop but this one was referred by a local professional porsche mechanic.

So as a last resort I dropped it off a the local Porsche dealership, I was suprised they would work on it. The one in SLC won't touch them.

What is so different about these cars?

So I know that there has to be some experience with this here, where have you taken yours?

QUOTE

What is so different about these cars?

rear camber requires shims most alignment shops don't stock.
all the front, and rear toe, are cake.

If you showed up with your own shims(from the section here with all the member manufactured stuff) they just might do you right, surprising the Porsche dealer would do it. You might want to call a few A/C VW shops to see who they use.

Clovis? Hmm.... If you're willing to make the long haul to the Bay Area, there are a whole bunch of shops who can and will align 914s. You can also do the alignment yourself, if you have jackstands (if you don't you're not a real 914 owner!! ) some string, a ruler or three, a level or plumb-bob, and a calculator that can deal with trig functions...

Google on "diy alignment" and you'll see a whole bunch of articles.

--DD

The Bay area shops would be my first choice but I would likely have to have it trailered up there so I didnt eat up a second pair of tires.

My tire wear tells me the rear alignment is fine, I was most concerened about the front. I should buy a bunch of the shims as I am sure I will need them at some point.

I will google the DIY alignment but I hope the dealer can do it.

I do my own Alignment. Just as Dave summarized. Although not sure what the jackstands are for.
Only addition I would make to Dave's list of tools is 4 pieces of aluminum or steel sheet or plate. Put a dollup of grease between two of them and then roll the tires you are adjusting onto the plates.

I NEVER lift a car to do an alignment on the front. I do have to lift the car to get a shim in the back if required but then go drive it around to get the car settled again.

Most shops can't get my car on the alignment rack.

You tie the string to the jack stands at the same height as the axle, and you measure toe angle from the wheel (or tire, your choice) to the string. The tricky part is making sure the strings are parallel to the centerline of the car...

--DD

I take my 914s to myself for alignment.

I use my alignment machine in my own garage.

Some of the reasons some shops won't touch 914s:

Problems with rusted rear suspension bolts (try breaking some of those off on a customer car)
No typical shop stocks the shims for the rear camber.
The videos don't show the "tech" how to do the rear.

All reasons that I used to justify my investment in my own alignment equipment. I now do all my cars, and I know they are done right.

QUOTE (Joe Ricard @ Oct 4 2005, 05:49 PM)

I do my own Alignment. Just as Dave summarized. Although not sure what the jackstands are for. Only addition I would make to Dave's list of tools is 4 pieces of aluminum or steel sheet or plate. Put a dollup of grease between two of them and then roll the tires you are adjusting onto the plates.

I use 4 plastic garbage bags, one under each tire. On smooth concrete you can move the wheels anywhere you want.


Bob

Well next time I will be doing it myself (the cheap way)

Well I unexpectedly got the car back from the dealer at about 5:30, They sourced it out to another local wheel shop Oh well at least its done

BTW they aligned the front but didnt touch the back because of the shims.

My car rides so nice with new shocks all the way around and turbo tie rods.

After the first few miles and a few good curves it seems I have a lot more oversteer than before I took it in. Could this be becasue of corrected toe in?

If you had lots of toe-out up front and had the rest of the setup tweaked to compensate, then going to a normal amount of toe on the front could lead to oversteer. Or, if "correcting" the rear toe actually meant putting in some toe-out there, that would definitely lead to oversteer!

If they didn't touch the rear suspension but added negative camber to the front, that could also lead to oversteer. Ditto if you have an adjustable sway bar in front and they loosened it up.

--DD

Ahhhh That's what Jackstands are for!!!!!
I just made up some sticks / post as tall as the hubs with a 2 x 6 as a base. I put a 10lb barbell plate on the end. so nothing moves once I get it set and the strings pulled tight.

Gonna put more camber in the front and take some out in the back. Because I went and bought a tire pyrometer. Looking to even out temps inside to outside. So now for me amount of camber is not an issue now that I can fine tune to this point. Pushing 2 degrees negative or so.... Economy digital from Longacre. I/O port racing supplies.

Plastic bags .... cool idea.

If your looking to align your 914 to factory specifications and you don't want to do it yourself, I would trust your local Porsche Dealership. Shit, if they can do the alignment on a $140,000 911 turbo they can certainly do a 914. The dealer did mine recently and did a first rate job. They charged me $175.00

anyone have a link to one of the "better" DIY alignment articles?

Rich Bontempi at HPH has a guy he takes cars for allignment. He is completely trustworthy and few know the cars better....

I take mine to the guy up the street.
I have the camber within .25 deg before I take it there, so all about all he has to worry about is toe, F & R, but have him verify camber & caster. It's tough to get 0 thrust angle at home.
I give him money so he lets me supervise