09-03-2020, 04:16 PM | #1 |
Drives: '17 Camaro 2SS & '99 Camaro Z28 Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,829
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Mechanic trying to Upsell or might I have a real problem?
I just put my third set of tires on my 2017 2SS. My second set had some pretty bad uneven wear on the insides due to bad alignment issues. When I had my new tires installed, they performed an alignment check for me (photo at bottom) showing me it was off. I have a life time alignment at Don Hewlett Chevrolet so I told them I would have it aligned elsewhere. Well, I came to find my lifetime alignment could only be redeemed once a year or every 15k miles and since it hasn't been quite that long (I'm 1k miles off, FML) I would be responsible for paying for another alignment. I went to another shop rather than the stealership.
At the new shop, they do the alignment and tell me my front brakes are at 5% and rear brakes are at 15%. My brakes are certainly not brand new but I havent triggered any warning bars and I don't have issues stopping. They also tell me my driveside wheel bearing is bad. Now, I've had a bad wheel bearing in a different vehicle before and it sounded pretty down right awful, as in... unmistakable. I haven't really heard anything that sounded abnormal in my car other than rotating mass and tires while moving. I guess it does make a 'whooshwhoosh' sound while coasting, esp at low speeds but I've always chalked that up to tire noise. They wanted $800 for a wheel bearing...honestly I can install a wheel bearing assembly myself..and they only cost $80 on rockauto... however my extended warranty technically 'would' cover the install (I checked with them and they said it would be covered)... I can't tell if they're trying to upsell me or if they are being legitimate. I feel they are attempting to upsell however. Another problem is, I am feeling they didn't do a good job on my alignment after I compared it to my previous alignment... Car is just shy of 65k miles. I have a video of what the car sounds like while cruising around - sound like a bad bearing to you? https://youtu.be/wD2cuwg-b9k Alignment Before: Alignment After: Edit: screw the video - for whatever reason it didnt record audio. Last edited by Need4Camaro; 09-03-2020 at 04:26 PM. |
09-03-2020, 05:30 PM | #2 |
Drives: 2016 2SS Convertible Join Date: May 2012
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,702
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Brake wear depends on your driving habits and conditions. Obviously stop-and-go city driving will wear the brakes faster than highway driving. I would take the car to another reputable shop and ask them to check the bearings and brakes and give you their estimate for repair. My dealership will check alignment free so maybe that’s an option too.
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09-03-2020, 06:19 PM | #3 |
Drives: '17 2SS convertible'20 Yukon Denali Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Cedar Park, Texas
Posts: 2,920
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I've had mine aligned at Rush Automotive in Round Rock. Seems to be good and no up sell. YMMV.
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Richard
2017 2SS SIM convertible, A8, NPP, MRC, 56R wheels, GM CAI, Diode Dynamics Side Markers Delivered: 08/15/2016 #TeamBeckyD |
09-03-2020, 08:32 PM | #4 |
Drives: '17 Camaro 2SS & '99 Camaro Z28 Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,829
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09-04-2020, 12:18 AM | #5 |
Drives: 18 Camaro 2SS, 07 Saturn Ion Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: North Branch, MI
Posts: 339
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Please be careful with aftermarket wheel hubs. Every one I've ever installed lasted between weeks and months. I may have had one last a year and a half tops. The 2 parts I only purchase OEM are fuel pumps and wheel hubs. You can still install an OEM unit yourself and save a bunch of money.
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Ordered from Becky D __ 2018 2SS Silver Ice Redline 6MN, NPP, MRC, GM CAI
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09-04-2020, 12:41 AM | #6 | |
Drives: '18 2SS/EU (+Recaros) M6 Red Hot Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Sweden
Posts: 260
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Quote:
+1 on advise not to use aftermarket wheel hubs. I've tried numerous times with similar experience. One time the goddamn hub broke while tightening the lug nuts by hand. Now I only use genuine parts. |
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09-04-2020, 06:56 AM | #7 |
Hot Camaro
Drives: '20 2SS Convertible 6MT Join Date: May 2020
Location: CT
Posts: 3,532
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Third set of tires on a three year old car? How many miles are on it? What kind of driving? Based on how quickly you're ripping up the sneakers, the brakes could be toast as well.
With regard to your "annual" alignment, was the prior alignment done this calendar year? If not, then that should trump the mileage argument. |
09-04-2020, 07:57 AM | #8 | |
Drives: 2019 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 135
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Quote:
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2019 Camaro 2SS, Shadow Grey
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09-04-2020, 08:15 AM | #9 |
Drives: Chevrolet SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: St. Charles, MO
Posts: 1,438
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First of all, am I reading correctly that Lamb's sent you home with the alignment shown in the first picture, including 0.43-deg total front toe, and more than all of that was on the left side with the steering wheel straight?! If so, then they are clueless or just don't give a damn. That box is red because that's out of spec.
Second, did the Midas place send you out with 0.2-deg of front toe? If so, then they aren't much better but at least it's in spec. But really, you need as close to zero as you can get. Also, neither shop seems to give a damn about the fact that you have significant cross camber in the front (one side is way different than the other). That should be causing a bit of a pull, plus it's just plain shoddy work. That's fully adjustable, but they either don't care or don't know how. Lastly, how can they tell you in one breath that they just aligned your car and in the next breath tell you that a wheel bearing is bad?! If a bearing is really shot, then the car can't be accurately aligned until it's replaced. I'd say you are wasting your money going to trained-monkey shops that have no clue what they're doing, or that assume you don't.
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Matt Miller
2020 SS 1LE |
09-04-2020, 08:18 AM | #10 |
Drives: 2017 Camaro ZL1 Coupe Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 5,804
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Do a search in your area and find another reputable shop that has good reviews to get a second opinion/estimate to do the work on your Camaro or go back to the stealership and get it done. Definitely don’t use the place you used this last time. They don’t seem to know how to do a correct alignment.
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ZL1 Coupe, PDR, Exposed carbon fiber hood insert, My Link with Nav, M6 6 speed and Silver Ice Metallic. Mods done: ceramic window tint, GM Accessories Camaro floor mats and Roto-Fab CAI.
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09-04-2020, 08:33 AM | #11 |
Drives: '21 V6 1LE Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: NE
Posts: 263
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I agree with the others regarding the alignment. That really sucks sorry.
As for the bearing, I've had a couple bearings go out in my life, and one made little "thunk" sounds when initiating a turn at low speeds, but the other did make a "whoosh whoosh" sound - kinda like if your brakes are a bit rusty after a car wash and lightly grinding before they are used. Good luck, and I hope someone can take care of it! |
09-04-2020, 08:41 AM | #12 |
Drives: Former 2016 Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Naples, FL
Posts: 760
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Driving habits, stop and go traffic, track use all contribute to wear and tear on a car. We all have different commutes, drive and brake differently, etc. Best thing is to find a good and reasonable shop that you can trust to do the work yourself. Basic work- brakes, etc. is not that hard to do if you have a little experience and the proper tools. Alignment is fussy and you need a really good shop with a really good alignment technician.
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2006 C6 Corvette Manual, 2019 Silverado, 1997 Jeep Wrangler
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09-04-2020, 09:03 AM | #13 | |
Hot Camaro
Drives: '20 2SS Convertible 6MT Join Date: May 2020
Location: CT
Posts: 3,532
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Quote:
What the tech hadn't any awareness of was that I literally had the wheels aligned the day before and it would have been impossible to do had there been an issue with the bearing. |
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09-04-2020, 11:58 AM | #14 | |
Drives: 2017 2SS, 50th pkg, M6, MRC, NPP Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Ocean City, NJ
Posts: 3,136
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Quote:
The wheel bearing business sounds like BS to me. 65k miles on a car that has not been abused. You said "drive side," which I assume is driver's side. Front or rear? I would ask them to lift the car and show you the free play at the wheel. if there is no noise then they must be detecting wear by free play. I noticed their fancy printout shows no mention of the bearing. I call BS on this. I think bearings are very reliable now. Maybe off-road vehicles go through bearings, but I have not replaced a wheel bearing on a road car since my 69 road runner. That car had drum brakes at all 4 wheels. Times have changed. I should add that I think your risk of future wheel bearing trouble increases exponentially if you let these guys replace a bearing they can't prove is bad. |
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