Custom and Specialty Work, Scoped Before We Start

If a job is not a routine oil change, brake job or tire install, it probably lands here. Examples include accessory wiring, lighting add-ons, a hard-to-find electrical fault, an RV or motorhome system that needs a look, or a vehicle modification that changed how things fit.

Some modifications run into state rules, and it is cheaper to hear that before the parts arrive. California limits passenger vehicle exhaust noise to 95 decibels, requires the exhaust system to be in working order, and makes removing a catalytic converter illegal. We will not do work that puts your vehicle on the wrong side of those lines.

Not every specialty job is a fit for this shop either. Some need tools, parts or training that a dedicated specialist has. We would rather say so on the first call than halfway through. Describe the vehicle and what you want, and we will tell you honestly whether to bring it here. For custom wheels, there is a separate page.

Unusual problems take time to find, and that time is real work. Quoting diagnosis as its own line means you know what you are paying for before we start, and you decide whether to continue after we report.

How the diagnosis step works

1. You describe the problem and what has already been tried.
2. We write the diagnosis scope: what we will test and where we will stop.
3. You approve the diagnosis line in writing.
4. We test and report findings with photos and notes.
5. You get a separate repair estimate, and you decide.

The diagnosis line never grows on its own. If we reach the stopping point without an answer, we call you with what we learned and what the next step would cost. See how this fits our transparent pricing promise.

Take a motorhome whose dash air blows warm. An open-ended "find the problem" order can turn into a bill nobody expected. A scoped diagnosis avoids that.

A scoped version might read:

• Scope: check the dash AC system pressures, compressor engagement, visible leaks and fan operation.
• Stop point: report back before any panels are removed or any parts are replaced.
• Not included: the separate house or roof air units, which are a different system.
• Result: a written note of findings, photos, and a repair estimate or a referral if it is outside what we do.

Air conditioning is charged by weight, not by feel, and the refrigerant type and exact charge weight are printed on a label under the hood. That label also tells us which system we are dealing with: vehicles built through the mid-2010s mostly use R-134a and newer ones commonly use R-1234yf. The two are not interchangeable and they use different service fittings, so the label is the first thing the scope names.

You know the ceiling before we start. If the answer needs more digging, you get a call and a new written number first. Car and truck AC problems are covered on our air conditioning service page.

Ask first. Please call before buying parts for us to install, and before bringing them in. Whether we can install a part you supply depends on the part, the job and the shop's current policy, and we would rather settle that on the phone.

Things we will talk through:

• Fit and quality: a wrong or low-grade part can turn a short job into a long one.
• Labor on the install: labor is quoted in writing either way, and it may differ from a job where we supply the part.
• Coverage: what happens if a supplied part fails, and who handles it.
• Returns: if the part is wrong, the return is between you and the seller.

A quick call saves a wasted trip and a disagreement at the counter.

Details make better quotes. When you call or send a quote request, include:

• Year, make, model, engine, and any major modifications
• What you want done, or exactly what the problem does and when
• What has already been tried, and by whom
• Photos of the part, area or accessory if you have them
• Whether you already own parts for the job

We reply with next steps: a diagnosis quote, a repair estimate, a request to see the vehicle, or an honest "this is not a job for us."

Yes, for the parts that matter for safety and tire wear: alignment angles, steering parts, tire size and load range, and brake and suspension condition. A lift or leveling kit changes geometry, and that change shows up first in tire wear and steering feel. Call to confirm before booking a custom truck parts install.

What a lift and level check looks at

• Alignment: whether the angles can still be set within spec after the height change. Camber, caster and toe are measured in degrees, often to a hundredth of a degree, and the maker's allowed range prints beside your measured value on the alignment sheet. Most passenger vehicles are specified within about plus or minus 1 degree of camber and a fraction of a degree of toe. See wheel alignment.
• Steering and suspension parts: tie rods, ball joints, and shocks sized for the new height.
• Wheel fitment: bolt pattern is written as a count by millimeters, such as 5x114.3, with offset and center bore also in millimeters. A replacement wheel has to meet or beat the original load rating, which is stamped on the back of the wheel.
• Tire fit: rubbing at full lock, load range, and a speedometer that may read differently with larger tires.
• Brake lines and ABS wiring: enough slack for full suspension travel.
• CV axles on 4WD trucks: steeper angles can wear boots faster.
• Fasteners: lug nuts go on in a star pattern to a foot-pound figure specific to your vehicle, and anything that came off gets re-torqued after about 50 to 100 miles. TPMS valve nuts and cores are torqued in inch-pounds, not foot-pounds, so they need a different wrench.

Common mistakes after a lift

We write down what we find, mark each item need or want, and quote the fix before any work.