I got a 92 Civic LX with 184,000 miles on it...this is a long story so if you got time then read on.
About 4 months ago I took my Civic to a Precision Tune AutoCare to check out some clicking sound coming from the left front side everytime I make a turn. So the mechanics there tell me I need new outer Tie Rod ends & a Rack and Pinion..So I tell them to put the parts on(with a $1400 bill..sheesh!)

The next day when I pick up my car I notice the steering wheel is about 30 degrees off the center. I called Precision a day later and tell them about the steering wheel being off center..they said they don't do alignments. I didn't have time or money to effort it..plus I didn't think it was too important but after looking at a few "alignment questions" on here I know it is.

So 4 months pass & I decide to get an alignment FINALLY. I went to Firestone TODAY to do it & they tell me I need my front 2 tires replaced...not a problem because I knew those tires were worn on the inside anyway(due to 4 months of misalignment). So I have those replaced & wait alittle bit in their waiting room for my car to be ready...then the Mechanics ask me if I had my Rack & Pinion replaced recently..I say "Yeah a few months ago". The Mechanic at Firestone said my Rack & Pinion was IMPROPERLY INSTALLED & they can't do the alignment since it's installed wrong. He said the Rack was out of line 360 degrees.....So basically(as he illustrated to me) I can only do 2 full steering wheel turns to one side & 4 turns(maybe 3) to the other side...I have never noticed this when turning!

So today I took it back to Precision Tune AutoCare & told them what the FireStone mechanic said. I think the mechanic at Precision thought I was trying to get an alignment from them(even tho they don't do them)..because he kept saying they(Precision) don't do alignments & I said "I know..and this is to PREPARE for an alignment!".
Anyway...IMO I feel they're not gonna fix the problem with the Rack & Pinion..just based on how the shop looked & what they did...there was nothing but mechanics in their early 20's(at Oldest) with a bunch of other young people "hanging" around the bays just chatting(non-employees). In addition when they put my car on the lift to look underneath..there was like 4-5 dudes looking at the Rack for 5 minutes(with NO TOOLS IN THEIR HANDS)..then they lowered my car down & put it back where I parked it at. From there that's when the mechanic was trying to tell me the "we don't do alignments" talk...like I wanted an alignment from them.

But after all this my question is....What do I need to do if this shop doesn't fix the problem? I know this seems like a gripe more than a mechanical problem..but I don't wanna end up buying 2 new tires every 1,800 miles all because a shop can't install a part correctly. I'm still under warranty for the part BTW.

P.S: FireStone said they would put the Rack & Pinion on correctly but I know they would charge me for that($70 labor X 3 hours = $210)..also it would VOID the warranty on the Rack & Pinion if anyone else touched it.

Thank you In advance

 

i say firestne is bsing you, there isnt a wrong way to install it, ive done alot of rack in pinion work myself. take it to another shop to have an alignment done.
about the steering wheel being 30 degrees off, is when they istalled it they didnt put the wheels straight and the steering wheel straight so it will be dead center, which isnt a big deal the alignment shop will set the steering wheel dead center then go underneath and adj the tie rods to make the wheels straight.

 

IDK man...I mean why would he BS me if I had ASKED for an alignment..if anything he would say.."we can do it" and be glad to take the money I give for the alignment..Or..Is it that doesn't know what the hack he's doing or talking about? He also said the Tie Rods were "Maxed out"..whatever that means..but they're new as well..so they can't be damaged.

 

So what you're saying is that there's no "you make 3 turns left & 3 turns right" with the steering wheel...because that's generally what the guy at Firestone was trying to say..saying the alignment couldn't be done because the rack & pinion was off track by 360 degrees..I even saw him put some kind of computer machine on all 4 wheels(I guess to measure the misalignment), so all an alignment is..is messing with the Tie Rods to get the wheels(tires & steering wheel) str8?

 

I would get the guys at Firestone to set it up properly (including the proper rack install) and send the bill to the place that installed the rack in the first place! Heck maybe the guys at Firestone will help you do that - they seem more straight up and honest then the first shop you went to.

By the way, proper way to install a rack is to have it set up BEFORE you put it in the car. First, you count the turns on the rack to make sure its centered. You also take the outer tie rod ends off the old one, and count how many rotations it takes to get it threaded all the way off. You thread the new ones on the same number of turns, that way you are pretty dang close to where the car was when it came into the shop....

and all that is just to install the rack. Nevermind road testing it after to make sure its installed properly (steering wheel straight, car doesn't pull to one side or wander all over the road)

And then making sure its set up for getting an alignment done. (air pressures adjusted, car road tested by the guy who is actually doing the alignment - might not be the same guy who installed the rack)

But some people are either incompetent, or too dang money hungry to do it properly

End of story and here's my point: The guys at firestone seemed like a better run shop then the first place you went to. I'd go back there and see if they can help you get this taken care of - if they do, I'd say you've found yourself a pretty decent shop to take your car to, and should keep going back to (when needed) to support their business

 

it doesnt make since to me that the tie rods are maxed, that means they are turned all the way out and that would mean that the tires would be sitting like this / \

and all they gotta do is turn the tie rods in some and make it | | what your tewlling me only makes it seem like firestone is the problem, take it to another shop that does alignments and se what they say

 

I'll take it to another shop to get it aligned Monday(day off) when I get the car back...Hopefully there's a place open that doesn't have a 3 day weekend like some other shops I checked out Friday. It sucks when you work a 9-5 job & almost every auto shops closes at 5:30...Firestone on the other hand..closes at 7.

I'll get back to ya'll....

 

I agree don't go to either of those shops. Find someone who knows what they're doing, this is not rocket science. Also check that your horn still works. If it doesn't, the "clock spring" has been broken by putting the rack on wrong. Its kind of an expensive part.

 

Took my civic to another shop Tuesday..it was a different Firestone(I know..maybe I should trust them after the other Firestone shop). But anyway..when I went to go pick it up &the people there didn't say there was a problem with the rack & pinion(like the other Firestone did)..There was no problem..they aligned it pretty good too IMO. Now I can see my Cruise Control button again! Thing is..it's not a perfect alignment..but when I took it out the lot it drove smoother..and the wheel "returnability" was nice! I believe they had a hard time trying to get it perfect & just did the best they could(this is something I can live & drive with)..I don't wanna deal with auto shop for a while(till really really really needed)..basically it feels like auto shops are worst than banks & telemarketers combined...they like to take your money & give you an excuse on what to buy from them or why something doesn't need to be fixed that they messed up on.

I plan on going to college to study Auto Repair myself & get Certified...then maybe I can be on the good side of why to trust a auto shop rather than the the money hungry "Dark Side"(Star Wars emperor music!)

 

any reputable shop will give you a print-out of your alignment specs from BEFORE and AFTER your alignment. If you didn't get it, ask for it. As well, if you don't think its done properly (not "close", I mean if you're not happy) take it back, and ask for it to be re-done. You don't need to be rude about it, but you do need to be firm - you paid for a proper alignment after all, and that is what you should expect.

Just curious, did you get a 2 wheel or 4 wheel alignment? Even if your front wheels are now in spec, if your rear wheels are not in spec, the car will not "feel" right, and you will also experience tire wear.

I would recommend a 4 wheel alignment if you can. I had mine done a year or so after I purchased my car. I had tire wear issues on the rear, and a 4 wheel adjustment totally cleared things up...