How a Mechanic's Garage Became Houston's Most Trusted Off-Road Shop
Ray Garza spent 14 years as a fleet mechanic for the City of Houston before he ever touched a lift kit. He knew suspension systems the way most people know their own handwriting — not from manuals, but from years of getting his hands dirty fixing what other people's guesses had broken.
In 2012, Ray pooled his savings, leased a 4-bay shop on Westheimer Rd, and bought a used 4-post lift. He didn't advertise. He didn't have a website. His first customer was a coworker's cousin with a beat-up F-150 that needed a 2-inch leveling kit. Ray did the job in three hours, aligned it himself, and charged a fair price. That customer told three friends. Those friends told six more.
By 2015, Iron Ridge had outgrown its original four bays. Ray brought on his first full-time technician — Carlos Reyes, a former Firestone master tech who'd been doing lift installs on weekends at his own house. The two of them built Iron Ridge's reputation on the same two things: technical precision and straight talk. If a customer came in asking for a lift that wasn't right for their truck, Ray would tell them — even if it meant losing the sale.
The Next Generation
Ray's son Marco grew up in the shop. As a teenager he was sweeping floors and handing Ray tools. By the time he was 19, he was doing leveling kit installs on his own. Marco studied automotive technology at Houston Community College while working full-time at Iron Ridge, and in 2019 — after Ray's back surgery took him off the lift table — Marco stepped in as lead technician and operations manager.
Marco brought something Ray always acknowledged he lacked: a systems mindset. Under Marco, Iron Ridge added its first alignment machine, built out a dedicated parts inventory system, and launched the shop's online presence. He also expanded the team to six full-time technicians and established vendor relationships with Fox, Rough Country, Bilstein, and King that brought Iron Ridge pricing and access in line with shops twice its size.
Today, Ray still comes in every morning at 7:30. He drinks his coffee, walks the bays, and talks to every customer who walks through the door before they sign anything. He says it's retirement. His wife Elena calls it what it is — he just can't stay away.
Ray's daughter Sofia joined the business in 2022 as office manager and customer experience lead. She handles everything from quote follow-ups to vendor billing, and she's the one who finally convinced Ray to get the shop on Google. The 312 five-star reviews are largely her doing.
Iron Ridge is a Garza family business — but it's also a Houston family business. Our customers are construction workers, oilfield hands, weekend warriors, ranchers, and families who've trusted us with their vehicles for years. Some of them have been coming back since the first year. Some of them are the kids of customers Ray served in 2013. That's the part that means the most.
