can a regular shop make an alignment on my car

[erickmarciano]

I have a 280sl 1971 is this car made like the old american car for alignment where you need shims or no shims needed

thanks


1971 280sl
1962 VW
1954 Allstate vespa
1958 gs150 vespa
1962 gs160 vespa

[Joe]

Well, I took my car to the best shop in town, and they did just fine. I did take along the specs, but they already had them. That was just a front end alignment. If you need the rear, someone else is going to have to jump in.
I think the concepts of caster, camber and toe-in are pretty universal in cars. The mechanic who did my car (and, he let me watch), seemed to know where to make the adjustments without reference to any books, and I doubt he does many 113s, if any at all.
Joe

[hauser]

I can not say about a 113 but there was one ocassion my BMW 5 series needed an alignment.  I went to a plus one on the wheels with a wider tire and lower profile.  My master mechanic buddy wasn't too happy with my setup quoting something like "The engineers in Germany know best"... and so on.  So after the surmon he took my car to the rack and weighed it down with sand bags before doing the alignment.  He did this once and the car was perfect afterwards.   This master mechanic was ranked #1 in the U.S. for three cosecutive years.  If only he had been an M.B. mechanic.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[ted280sl]

I took my car to a tire shop for alignment and they told me the car was too old and there were no adjustments. I thanked them and got my car out of there as quickly as possile. I went to a better tire store with computerized alignment equipment. Their computerized system di not have a listing for our cars but, the mechanic contacted the equipment manufactrere and was quickly able to get the correct settings. Once he had the setting he had no difficulties in makeing the required adjustments.
regards
Ted 1969 280SL w/ no shimmy or shaking

[Malc]

Any garage / shop etc worth it's salt should be capable of dealing with ANY car.
Often I find that the best places are the "hole in the wall" type places run by the same guys (girls in one case) for years are the best rather than the "chain" type places that are full of "kids"

If you find a good place then patronise it, if you find a bad place let other know so they can avoid it

Malc
Scotland