Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

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thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Id hit up Don's Tires on Western for mounting and balancing. they did mine when i lived over that way for $40 if off the car

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Chris Harp
2009 Mazda RX-8 | 2018 Toyota Tundra | 2011 BMW M3
Buck05Sti
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by Buck05Sti »

Does anyone still do the lifetime alignments?
Ryan Buckingham

2005 STi- STU #20

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thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Buck05Sti wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:28 am Does anyone still do the lifetime alignments?
Yeah Firestone does. I think any of them do. Douglas James Smith (not sure why he has three names) is at the one in Alcoa.
Chris Harp
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Buck05Sti
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by Buck05Sti »

thrdeye wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:04 am
Buck05Sti wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:28 am Does anyone still do the lifetime alignments?
Yeah Firestone does. I think any of them do. Douglas James Smith (not sure why he has three names) is at the one in Alcoa.
Cool. Looking for someone that'll let me be back there and mark toe settings.
Ryan Buckingham

2005 STi- STU #20

2004 Z06 Commemorative Edition (gold chain not included)
thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Use a metal scribe if you can. Paint and other stuff will ultimately wear off.
Chris Harp
2009 Mazda RX-8 | 2018 Toyota Tundra | 2011 BMW M3
Buck05Sti
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by Buck05Sti »

thrdeye wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:25 am Use a metal scribe if you can. Paint and other stuff will ultimately wear off.
how much toe out did you run? 9/16"?
Ryan Buckingham

2005 STi- STU #20

2004 Z06 Commemorative Edition (gold chain not included)
thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Depended on surface. Usually about 1/4 out on asphalt, and yep at Peru or similarly grippy concrete I ran 9/16 to get the car to turn. Keep in mind that the WRX didn't have fancy diffs, whereas the STi does and transfers power better and usually doesn't understeer as badly as a WRX. I would be surprised if you needed as much as I ran, but it will take some experimentation and testing.
Chris Harp
2009 Mazda RX-8 | 2018 Toyota Tundra | 2011 BMW M3
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MARKP
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by MARKP »

Doug at Firestone Alcoa is good. He did the Focus, let me come hang out in the back and ask him some stuff. Seems to be good at what he does.

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Mark Pilson
03 Z06 - Sword
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thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Anyone have any recommendation on where to go for a quick leak check and recharge of A/C system? E46 M3.

Also, what part of knoxville has the highest rate of grand theft auto?
Chris Harp
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01badz28
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by 01badz28 »

thrdeye wrote: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:45 am Anyone have any recommendation on where to go for a quick leak check and recharge of A/C system? E46 M3.

Also, what part of knoxville has the highest rate of grand theft auto?
Had good luck with Mr. Cool in West Knoxville with AC repairs in the non-german cars.

I wouldn't take that M3 to East Knoxville.

All my cars have Millenial Theft Deterrent Devices - so I'm not worried about any them getting stolen.

Also, if you can successfully steal the Camaro and get it out of my garage before I shoot you, I figure you deserve it more than I do.
Ryan E. Jarrard
2001 Camaro Z28, SM #24
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MikeKelly
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by MikeKelly »

01badz28 wrote: Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:05 am
All my cars have Millenial Theft Deterrent Devices - so I'm not worried about any them getting stolen.
For your shopping pleasure: https://thecurbshop.com/collections/tmg ... gLslPD_BwE

I was really surprised at how many different shift pattern options they offer.

18 different options on this particular piece and some interesting reading on "dogleg" shift patterns too:

https://thecurbshop.com/collections/tmg ... inyl-decal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-leg_gearbox
Mike Kelly
"Still got the shovel..."
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disneyd
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by disneyd »

Hey, where is the best place now to get an easy race alignment done? Is that Doug guy still at Firestone? Which Firestone?

I had the Z06 done last weekend at my usual place in Maryville and ended up with almost one inch total toe in the rear, which is non-optimal. Some of it may have been a botched conversion from inches of toe to degrees, but correcting for that it was still off by a factor of two... so I don't trust their machine. It should be a quick job as the caster/camber should (hopefully) be correct, I just need the toe set and to make sure the thrust angle is straight.
- Dave Disney
thrdeye
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by thrdeye »

Yeah, Douglas James Smith is his full name on face book. Address is 311 S Calderwood St, Alcoa, TN 37701.
Chris Harp
2009 Mazda RX-8 | 2018 Toyota Tundra | 2011 BMW M3
lcoleman
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by lcoleman »

Edit -- no longer with EAG, nor do I recommend them.
Last edited by lcoleman on Mon Oct 05, 2020 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best shops for services (Alignment, Tire Mounting, etc.)

Post by Nick2500cd »

Does anyone here happen to be able to program a smart key for a Nissan/infinity? I have another key coming in the mail and was about to call a locksmith/dealer but I wanted to see if any of y'all had the tools to do it first! Or perhaps, the ability to disable the nats in the ECU through tuning software! Either would work well I think.
Nick/Thorne Browning
'98 Civic HX
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