85euro928

Anyone have any experiance with having an alignment done on a John Bean machine? I did a quick search and it looks like the machine is made by Snap-on Equipment. I need to get a four wheel alignment before heading off to SITM and was thinking of taking my car to Midas where they use a John Bean machine. Not too many options out my way on Long Island.

Bill Ball

As long as the tech knows which adjusters control which aligment parameter and what specs to target, and the adjuster bolt torque specs, any machine that measures toe, camber and caster will work in the right hands. The only other variable is whether the alignment machine requires that the wheels be lifted and spun for calibration OR if the tech insists on lifting the car for suspension inspection before doing the alignment. In that case, you have to pull the front back down, as described in the WSM, and confirm that ride height is back to where it was before lifting the car. It can be done accurately that way, but most prefer not to have to lift the car. If it is going to be lifted, measure the front ride height before lifting, after lifting and then after pulling back down. Some techs have never seen a car that has sticky front suspension like the 928 and won't believe you at first. The before and after lifting ride height will show this clearly.

85euro928

That makes sense. Thanks Bill.

align pro

this machine is made by snap on that explains it in its self. I’ve been an alignment tech for 11 yrs. This is the worst machine ever. We currently have one. And it’s currently down costing me thousands in alignments. It is a pos. Don’t trust it or buy it

GregBBRD

Hunter machines are expensive and when repairs need to be done, they are "proud" of their parts. They also are quite active in superceeding parts which fail too quickly....which because of their short warranty period, you always have to pay for....even if the original part was crap and was superceeded. The Hunter repair guys are independent contractors, so they have some flexibility on what they charge, if they know and like you.
The really good thing about Hunter is the service. I've always had them come and fix anything that needed to be fixed, the same day.

Alignments are not like assembling an engine or transmission...there a bunch of "leadway" in the specifications, so that "close" will work.
Plus, regardless of the machine, if you pull the car off, drive it around the block, and put it back on the same machine, you will get different readings.
And if you make a "left turn" onto the machine, the readings will be different if you back the car off and make a "right turn" onto the machine.
....Rubber mounted suspension moves around.

A good alignment tech is an artist!

Alan 91 C2

when i took my 911, in for alignment, paid for 4 wheel. Looked at the printout when they called me to pick up the car. The tech was not there during my pickup, When next week to ask him. Asked the tech, why the rear seemed unchanged, He told me he did not have the special tool to align the rear. I did not get a refund. National chain repair shop.
Alan

Bulvot

I just checked the alignment on my 928. About 1.5 years since I last made adjustments. In the last 1.5 years I've driven it to FL and back, OH and back, PA and back a couple of times, a couple of autocrosses, all around the local area, tours with the local PCA, etc. The right rear camber was off by 0.1 degrees from where I had set it. All other settings were EXACTLY where I left them. The 0.1 degree change was probably a rounding error in the camber gauge. Regardless, I adjusted it by the 0.1 degrees, resettled and rechecked everything, it is exactly as I set it 1.5 years ago with no further adjustments needed. And, it still drives exactly how it did when I first set it.

I've done a lot of alignments on my 928 in the last 13 years. My experience has been that it does not change. If you settle the suspension properly, the settings are the settings and they remain the same. Personally, I like doing alignments on the 928. It's easy to get it exactly where you want it and achieve the exact results that you want.

It's not an art, it's a science. Follow the correct procedures and it's very precise. The only time "art" comes into play is if you're trying to achieve an initial setting to achieve a specific driving feel/result with a never before used combination of tires/offset/ride-height/corner-balance/etc. But, after that initial setting, the rest is science. Subsequent changes should be very intentional and methodical. That's standard in all automotive performance realms, not just with the 928.