Forcing a dealer to pay$2000 for equipment that they don't want, how many dealers have dropped their slingshot line?
in my local 200 miles area I've heard of 4, not saying that was the sole cause but one of them.
Another one being that they require you to have "xx" amount of machines on hand which is too much space to commit for some dealers.
Forcing a dealer to pay$2000 for equipment that they don't want, how many dealers have dropped their slingshot line?
Polaris could always pull up at the dealership with two 18 wheelers and load everything up like they did to Polaris Slingshot dealer in Flordia. Yes, I know the story line on that one also but they would not tell me where it was at in Flordia.
Just doing enough alignments to pay for the system won't happen unless they do a lot of alignments. Polaris should have given them out to complete the steering rack recall properly.
I just came back from alignment shop. Guy said I need shims to correct the camber. I showed him this and he said these would work real good. Everything can be dialed in real precise. Shims are guess work to a point.
Just ordered a set. Not crazy about the color but that’s why they make paint.
I’m going to have him stall them and get it all done at one time. He owned a can am (side by side) whatever that is.
I also took him for a ride he was pretty impressed.
So I took her in for the 500 mile service oil change and told the service rep about the steering wheel not being centered yet again. The response I got from the service team was that the Sparco steering wheels that come with the SLR have forks in them that either go slightly to the left of center or slightly right of center. I also asked about getting a real alignment on the SS and they said no one has a 3 wheel alignment machine and they use measurements (whatever that means). BTW, I'm not saying my SS needs wheel alignment because it does NOT drift to either side when you are driving straight. However, the steering wheel is slightly off center when you are driving straight down the road.
Is this BS or truth?
Grapevine Power sports has the lazar alignment machine for it. If you are taking it to freedom they are idiots. Grapevine isn't much better but they can do the lazar alignment. Cycle town south used to have the alignment machine don't know about now.
Dealers should want a lazer alignment kit, they can pay for it in 15-20 alignments. They should align all the new units before they leave the shop. Even if it doesn't pull or tire wear is good, it still good to get it done just for the reasons of skew,steering wheel strait,less drag and less fatigue in driving from the steering wheel. It may only be the difference between first and second.
Dealers should want a lazer alignment kit, they can pay for it in 15-20 alignments. They should align all the new units before they leave the shop. Even if it doesn't pull or tire wear is good, it still good to get it done just for the reasons of skew,steering wheel strait,less drag and less fatigue in driving from the steering wheel. It may only be the difference between first and second.
I agree they should want one but making them pay for one to fix factory problems kind of sucks.
I agree they should want one but making them pay for one to fix factory problems kind of sucks.
On the other hand...
as a dealer, if you are going to sell a specialized vehicle and run a service department, you need to equip for the service of said vehicle. Where else would the customer get the vehicle concerns addressed.
If not, sell it through Ebay and save cost on overhead, employees, insurance, advertising, and customer service.
On the other hand...
as a dealer, if you are going to sell a specialized vehicle and run a service department, you need to equip for the service of said vehicle. Where else would the customer get the vehicle concerns addressed.
If not, sell it through Ebay and save cost on overhead, employees, insurance, advertising, and customer service.
Didn't Costco sell them? 
Grapevine Power sports has the lazar alignment machine for it. If you are taking it to freedom they are idiots. Grapevine isn't much better but they can do the lazar alignment. Cycle town south used to have the alignment machine don't know about now.
That's the impression I'm getting the more and more I go there. Need another competent dealership.
Thanks for the Grapevine referral. I'm going to take it to them on Saturday.
Cycle town no longer supports the SS, sadly.
It doesn’t have to drive funny to be out of alignment. Just look at the tires for unusual wear.... my right tire was down to the wear bars...the left one was getting scalloped but had more tread than the right side.
The guy checked my alignment and several things are out of specs....
That’s why I ordered the adjustable swing arms...they take care of the caster and camber, then you just have to do the toe in...
It doesn’t have to drive funny to be out of alignment. Just look at the tires for unusual wear.... my right tire was down to the wear bars...the left one was getting scalloped but had more tread than the right side.
The guy checked my alignment and several things are out of specs....
That’s why I ordered the adjustable swing arms...they take care of the caster and camber, then you just have to do the toe in...
May I ask what equipment was being used to measure your machine?
SSREAPER
Not sure of the actual name of the equipment. He hung targets on the front wheels and the computer took measurements. I’ll add he’s been doing this over 30 years and he works on quads and he owns a can am and has done alignments on those.
He said he couldn’t adjust anything without a shim kit and longer bolts. Camber was too far out on the right side. He said the longer the bolts the weaker you make the swing arm connection.
#1 my dealer is 30 miles away
#2 they opened at 10 it was only 9
#3 no guarantee they would have the shim and longer bolts
So that’s why I bought the adjustable swing arms. I’m letting him install them.
Display MoreNot sure of the actual name of the equipment. He hung targets on the front wheels and the computer took measurements. I’ll add he’s been doing this over 30 years and he works on quads and he owns a can am and has done alignments on those.
He said he couldn’t adjust anything without a shim kit and longer bolts. Camber was too far out on the right side. He said the longer the bolts the weaker you make the swing arm connection.
#1 my dealer is 30 miles away
#2 they opened at 10 it was only 9
#3 no guarantee they would have the shim and longer bolts
So that’s why I bought the adjustable swing arms. I’m letting him install them.
Where did he hang the rear targets?
No rear targets
That said....exactly which adjustments do you make (which nuts or shims or whatever ) do you turn to make the front wheels totally move right or left to bring them into alignment square with the rear wheel. I have yet to see or hear exactly what needs to be done.
Is Caster and camber related to the rear wheel?
Toe in is set by adjusting the tie rods length. Rear targets are used to square the front settings with the rear tire.
Where did he get the settings to use with his system?
We need pics of the setup he is using...I would love to see what he is using as reference measurements. When I align car...I have a set of specs for the vehicle then I measure against the specs. What is the "computer" measuring against?
Would you guy be willing to let me call him and have a conversation as to what he is doing? I could then relay that information to the group in a way everybody could understand and if I could repeat it we could start to get a lot of people alignment help.
SSREAPER
I gave him the specs from the service manual. He’s comparing them to what the computer is saying. I have more info to show him about squaring off the back wheel. It’s basically the same for his can am so maybe I can convince him.
He’s telling me there is nothing you can do. I’m convinced otherwise. I’m trying to figure out a way to use a 4 wheel system on s three wheeler.
Maybe we can use the center line of the back wheel to set up the rear targets.
Any ideas?
