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Buying An Alignment Machine

Joey N.
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Joey N. Apprentice

Joey N.

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Hey Everyone,

 

I am in the market for a new alignment machine for my shop...

 

There are so many options out there and the price variance between brands is unreal. I have experience with the Hunter Hawkeye, but I don't think that what the machine does is justification for the price.

 

What machines do you guys use? What lifts do you use? Is your alignment bay also used for other work when you are not doing alignments?

 

The Atlas Edge 601 is a great price, but I don't know anyone that used it. Anyone here have any experience w/ it?

 

I don't want to get something used even though I am looking for something affordable.

 

Let me know what you all think...

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CARMandP Proficient

CARMandP

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I personally use an older Hunter and when I get ready to replace it I will only buy Hunter as we have a really good local repair rep for the basic maintenance. You get exactly what you pay for. I like using a company that has been around a long time with a good name.

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Tires Too Collaborator

Tires Too

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Hi Joey N,

We bought the John Bean/Snap-on aligner several years ago after only using Hunter Aligners for 20 years. I have been very happy with this unit, it's easy to use, fast, accurate and has all the features we use except for steering angle resets. Steering angle reset info we get from Alldata or scan tools. We do between 6 and 8 alignments a day. We upgraded our rack last year and I did stay with a Hunter Rack, it's expensive but they last forever.

I was unsure of making the financial commitment to buying alignment equipment, but when we did our steering/suspension repairs went up significantly. It really was a huge impact to our sales and profits above just alignment sales.

Good luck,

Russ

Tires Too

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Spence Enthusiast

Spence

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Posted (edited)

Hey Everyone,

 

I am in the market for a new alignment machine for my shop...

 

New or accurate?

 

There are so many options out there and the price variance between brands is unreal. I have experience with the Hunter Hawkeye, but I don't think that what the machine does is justification for the price.

 

Have you done a ROI on it? Have you looked into other work it may bring to offset the ROI (most don't factor this in)

 

What machines do you guys use? What lifts do you use? Is your alignment bay also used for other work when you are not doing alignments?

 

I have a Hunter (non target). Hunter four post. Yes we use it for other work as well.

 

The Atlas Edge 601 is a great price, but I don't know anyone that used it. Anyone here have any experience w/ it?

 

No comment on this equipment

 

I don't want to get something used even though I am looking for something affordable.

 

It may be better then a new unit as well as affordable. You may wish to re think this one.

 

Let me know what you all think...

 

You got it

 

 

The target systems have had an issue for a long time. It may be cleared up soon but I'm not sold on them just yet. They have been pushing speed but not accuracy. This has been the main reason I have held back. 2nd, not much has really changed with doing an alignment that requires new. I have chossen to spend my equipment dollars on equipment that has.

 

Spence

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SHP Bobby Rookie

SHP Bobby

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Joey - There are (or at least have been) several Atlas machines. The "good" models are made for them by an Italian firm called RAV and are pretty good machines. I tested a couple units and found them to be pretty accurate (within 1-2 10ths of a degree). This was using an Atlas scissor-type rack as well. Nicest thing about them was that you could buy a calibration bar and recalibrate them without paying for a service call, and you could run the whole system from any one of the wheel sensors.

 

Pay close attention to the different models, though. They had some lower line ones that were from a Chinese outfit that made pretty good tire machines, but were new to the wheel alignment scene. Those cheaper machines would probably be ok for a low volume guy, like someone that does restorations or works on his own, but for the everyday hard use of a shop, stick to the better Atlas models if you do decide to go with them.

 

At the time I was testing them, the better models could be identified by their 4 color coded controls. Don't know for sure if they are the same now. It's been a couple years ago.

 

I used to work for Greg Smith (GSES), the US distributor of the Atlas Edge machines. I did technical support and a little product development for them for a couple years (wheel service equipment mostly). They are ok to deal with on most things, but they don't have the field rep support like Hunter or some of the other guys. However, the RAV reps here in the USA were helping them with additional field support on the Edge machines when I left GSES about 2 yrs ago. Can't say if it's changed since then.

 

Hey Everyone,

 

I am in the market for a new alignment machine for my shop...

 

There are so many options out there and the price variance between brands is unreal. I have experience with the Hunter Hawkeye, but I don't think that what the machine does is justification for the price.

 

What machines do you guys use? What lifts do you use? Is your alignment bay also used for other work when you are not doing alignments?

 

The Atlas Edge 601 is a great price, but I don't know anyone that used it. Anyone here have any experience w/ it?

 

I don't want to get something used even though I am looking for something affordable.

 

Let me know what you all think...

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      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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