Too low for NTB

[Astral]

I went to put on new tires last Friday morning. I had to do it urgently, because I discovered the night before that my rears were showing some cord. (I was originally planning to do it on the 30th). I was about to drive over 1K miles over 1.5 weeks, and tires showing cord was too much risk.

The night before, I noticed something strange trying to rotate my tires: I couldn't get my jack under my car like I used to be able to (after I got my car lowered). I suppose the suspension has settled a bunch, as the last time I raised the car was 500 miles or so after the suspension install. I had to use the scissor jack to get the job done.

So Friday morning I went to NTB. They took my car in, and then I was listening to my engine being revved (low RPMs) for longer than I expected. The tech walked several times to the manager. 15 mins later, he got back to me and told me that my car was too low. They couldn't get it up on the lift to change the tires, and they couldn't get it up on the alignment rack either (and to get the car halfway over on the rack, they had to use boards).

Heh.

Actually, not that funny, because I had to leave that morning. I went to another local place, Hogan Tire, which had a crazy high price ($35/pop to mnt/balance tire). They had a different kind of a lift, the kind that is a rectangle board that raises up from the floor. The car couldn't get on going forward, as the front lip and the esp. the mudflaps were too low. However, we were able to back the car up on the lift, with maybe 1/4" clearance.

So yeah, I got my tires changed over (the guy there did a good job), but Hogan's alignment machine was even worse.

I need to find a place with a flat alignment rack. My original alignment is probably no longer valid, as the car settled more.

That, or time for new springs (raise the car up a bit)

 

[ForceFed]

We have this problem with the tC all the time.
Luckily we have a local place that specializes in doing work on extremely lowered Vehicles....Beleive it or not they are called Acme Springs.
hey even make Custom Springs in house.
Heres the tC....
Before

After

 

[Astral]

just such a new problem to me! tc is looking good lowered there!

 

[BHOUST528]

hey astral, i know you got the tires put on already but not for nothing try finding a super wal-mart with a tire and lube express and get tires mounted and balanced there its cheap as hell but downfall no alignment machince...

 

[altspace]

Yea, I got your message about that. Actually it did not surprise me because when I was changing my wheels I noticed that she sits much lower now as well. Although the rear has much more weight with the sub box so I know that accounts for it too. The jack barely fits under with not even a 1/4 inch space.

Glad to hear ya got them changed though. Did the $35 also included discarding the old tires? My local shop charged me $80 total to mount the new tires onto the new rims.

 

[bazooka joe]

oleg, there's a shop down my way if you get stuck...let me know...they've done my car it it's probably as low or lower...they take care of me and my friends as well...

 

[Canecreekfreak]

I got my lowered Miata aligned at Direct Tire in Norwood on Rt. 1. They didn't mention any problems getting it up on the rack, but I didn't stick around to wait for it. They have a location in Watertown, too, so they might be able to help you. They charge $150 for a 4-wheel alignment, but they should have an online coupon to help save you a little cash.

http://www.directtire.com/locations.html

 

[altspace]

oleg, there's a shop down my way if you get stuck...let me know...they've done my car it it's probably as low or lower...they take care of me and my friends as well...

Nah...he's much lower. It may not be visual. Could be the jack point is much lower on an 8.

 

[altspace]

They charge $150 for a 4-wheel alignment, but they should have an online coupon to help save you a little cash.

Holy cow! $150?

 

[tsunami]

i had this same problem at an exhaust shop... they ended up having a lift that the swivel platforms were removable so they were able to remove the stand off platforms that go under the jack points and were able to use just the arms to lift the car up. and i have had my car aligned at sullivan tire since lowered with out an issue... i thought they had those in mass as well as maine?

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Holy cow! $150?

They have a $25 off coupon online, and it's a 4-wheel alignment that I'm pretty sure is guaranteed for as long as you own the car. And they'll do what ever specs you want. Not the cheapest- no- but they take the time to do it properly.

 

[DE31]

during my alignment with my old coilovers, they put it on the ramps then raised it up from underneath. after the alignment was done they lifted the car up again, and removed the swivel plates the car was sitting on, lowered it again and couldnt get the jack pieces off the car.

they had to jack it up again put the plates on and lower it again, all the time my mechanic looked at me shook his head and just said "your cars too low"

 

[lowandslow]

Funny thing about protege5's... They aren't even that low. I mean sure we can tuck tire, but look at the ground clearance. What do the guys do with "real" low cars.

My buddy has a 1997 Jetta VR6 on coilovers with 1/4" wheel gap, which is more than you and I have, and he scrapes his subframe on truck ruts in the road. Plus he can't make it over speed bumps without scraping subframe. He has already busted a hole in his oil pan and destroyed an oil pump on a raised manhole cover.

One of the reasons I love my P5, you can have the slammed look without all the nuisance.


We need more shop like this, level hoists with the floor. This is my local speed shop

http://www.mopacautosupply.com/shop1.jpg

Your car looks great!

Matt

 

[Hughes412]

Their dumb, that's why the NTB and Discounts here keep 2x4s in the shop.

 

[Astral]

They have a $25 off coupon online, and it's a 4-wheel alignment that I'm pretty sure is guaranteed for as long as you own the car. And they'll do what ever specs you want. Not the cheapest- no- but they take the time to do it properly.

I was considering Direct Tire (same price, $35/tire), but my friend who went there several years ago and got charged a "lowered vehicle fee" (his car was lowered, but not much, it was a VW Golf). So I decided against them (and didn't want to pay $35/tire anyways).

I didn't get charged a disposal fee, that was built into the $35 mount-n-balance cost.

 

[Astral]

Their dumb, that's why the NTB and Discounts here keep 2x4s in the shop.

They used some wood blocks to get the front up on the alignment rack, but they couldn't get the rear up as they said "it doesn't have enough torque to go up on the ramp, it's just spinning the wheels." I didn't think of it at the time, but they probably could've driven the car on the wood blocks (not sure if they are 2x4's or not) and jacked it up w/ floor jacks then. But if they didn't think of it, then it's actually good that they didn't do the work.

 

[chuyler1]

Not that you would want to buy tires from the dealership but Mazda Gallery has never had a problem lifting my cars.