SHOP ALIGNMENT

THE CASE FOR BRINGING MEASUREMENTS IN-HOUSE

In this episode of Industry Insider, host Mackenzie Grant sits down with Hunter Engineering’s Washington DC regional manager Steve Dawson for a practical look at why in house alignments and ADAS calibrations have become critical to modern collision repair. Their conversation moves through the growing volume of calibration work, the workflow setbacks tied to subletting and the way early alignment assessments reveal hidden structural and suspension damage. Dawson breaks down how shops can improve cycle time, strengthen documentation and keep more revenue in house, offering listeners a clear sense of how alignment systems are reshaping day to day operations across the industry.

Mackenzie Grant: In simple terms, what does an alignment system actually do within the context of collision repair?

Steve Dawson: Our newest alignment system, the Ultimate ADAS has three points that it touches the car. If we use it right away in the repair process, we identify bent components that happen within the accident or maybe in the recovery process. We identify do we have a bent tie rod end, do we have a bent control arm, do we have a bent subframe. We can even identify that we may have some more structural problems that we need to look further into with our traditional measuring system. Then it’s going to do our final alignment after we’ve done all of our paint work, all of our metal work. Then now with that tool we also add in the ADAS calibrations so in a seamless process from the alignment go right into the ADAS calibration procedures. It saves the shop a lot of time of having a sublet or move the car to different places as well as identifying those damages up front. It reduces the need for supplemental claims, reduces the need for replacing multiple parts to try and figure out what’s wrong. They actually have the measurements and know what’s wrong.

MG: Why is an in house alignment system becoming one of those essential pieces of equipment for collision centers?

SD: I liken it to paint booths. You might have had to have them years and years ago but you could get away without them and today you can’t. With today’s paint procedures you cannot have an inferior booth. As time goes on here alignments are going to be the exact same way. A very small hit damaged a couple bumper covers and that repair was almost 60 percent calibrations and alignment work. If you’re not in that business you’re potentially going to be giving up 50 or 60 percent of your repair process to a sublet company.

MG: And what are the biggest workflow challenges when they sublet those alignments?

SD: The biggest challenge is transporting the vehicle from one place to another and scheduling it into that other shop. It may be a same day turnaround or two or three days before that shop can take it in. You’ve got to transport it there either putting it on a rollback or tow truck or having two people drive it. That puts us at significant liability as well as costs us two productive bodies out of our shop.

Our newest alignment system, the Ultimate ADAS has three points that it touches the car. If we use it right away in the repair process, we identify bent components that happen within the accident or maybe in the recovery process. We can even identify that we may have some more structural problems that we need to look further into with our traditional measuring system.

We eliminate trying parts one at a time. If there’s a strut that’s bent or a spindle or a tie rod end or a steering rack that’s been impacted it is not something you’re going to see with the naked eye. It’s going to require enhanced angles through an alignment machine.

MG: How does bringing an alignment system in house directly affect cycle time?

SD: If we have the equipment we’re going to start doing that process right away. If we do our pre-alignment assessment and we identify components we order the control arm that we need as well. We’re not waiting for parts down at the end of the repair. We’re not worrying about scheduling with another vendor. We can schedule it to go right from paint into the alignment procedure. We’re in complete control of that repair not only quality wise but also timing wise.

One of the things that we talked about was, imagine from the insurance company’s standpoint, if you can deliver that car back to that customer days earlier, that’s a whole lot less rental car that the insurance company is paying for and they’re getting a customer that is much happier with that car because they got it back right away, as opposed to potentially having that customer think. So all of these steps reduce that cycle time and improve the customer experience for everybody involved in the process, not only the customer, but also the insurance company and the body shop.

MG: How have you seen owners react to how quickly alignments become a consistent revenue line?

SD: There’s a lot of hesitation up front. Putting in an alignment system takes up some precious square footage. What they end up finding is that in a very short timeframe there’s such a huge positive impact that it’s really eyeopening.

A customer was contemplating putting in alignment and very hesitant. We talked about using his frame machine with mobile turn plates. Somebody walking by said he told me that exact same thing last year. I needed an alignment rack and put in that alignment rack. It eventually gets a visceral response that this was one of the best decisions I ever made.

MG: How often do you see minor hits cause measurable alignment issues?

SD: My son put a little scratch in my front bumper and hit his rear tire onto my front tire. They refinished the bumper cover and then I realized something felt really funny. It actually bent the control arm. We see that more often. Another customer settled with an insurance company. We put it on the alignment rack after that settlement and found the car had sheared the pin that holds the rear axle straight so the axle had shifted. That affects handling and ADAS calibrations.

MG: What are those impacts of misalignment on functions like camera calibration?

SD: If that alignment is not right and that camera is looking a little bit to the left or right it’s either going to see things that it shouldn’t or it’s going to be not interacting when it needs to. When that deer runs out in front of you but the camera is looking in the wrong direction it doesn’t see it. Automatic braking can lock up the brakes. It’s a pretty scary experience.

MG: For techs listening, what are common misalignment signs they can miss?

SD: We eliminate trying parts one at a time. If there’s a strut that’s bent or a spindle or a tie rod end or a steering rack that’s been impacted it is not something you’re going to see with the naked eye. It’s going to require enhanced angles through an alignment machine. We provide red indicators as well as training. They need documentation to show why components are being replaced.

MG: How successful have shops been at handling documentation?

SD: We make that easy. They can print out readings and numbers and specs as well as visualizations. When we get into the ADAS calibration side we’re documenting exactly where every target was placed. The system even documents that the correct target was used.

MG: When a collision shop is taking a look at alignment systems, what features matter most?

SD: Functionality. The ability to do prealignment assessment, final alignment and ADAS calibrations. Complete documentation. Flexibility to work on a frame machine, bench system, floor or alignment rack.

MG: What does Hunter provide after installation?

SD: We have a support network of service reps and business consultants. We have 67 training centers. Level one, level two and level three classes plus ADAS classes. We have a support line through Bosch. We have Hunter University online classes. We have a YouTube learning channel.

Then we have a huge following in our YouTube learning channel, where we have a lot of these functions illustrated out in video, so that if somebody is struggling with something, they’ve got plenty of resources to be able to grab information, watch a video, understand it a little bit better, break it down into some smaller bits and we put that support in a multitude of places, so that we can help everybody with where they’re at in the process, and have the right stuff for them.

MG: What is the biggest operational or financial opportunity shops miss by delaying investment?

SD: They’re throwing gross margin down the street. They’re typically getting a maintenance alignment at a lower rate. When we’re doing it in house the margins are significantly better. ADAS calibrations are lucrative. Shops are spending $5,000 to $15,000 a month in sublet ADAS calibrations. That is a significant amount of gross margin they could be keeping in house.

MG: For the shop owner who’s now sold, what’s their first step?

SD: Go to Hunter.com and plug in your zip code. Reach out to your business consultant. He’ll sit down and talk with you about what your business operation is and what’s the right piece of equipment.

MG: Thank you so much Steve.