I have a question here on front end work. I was told at my dealer that some trucks off the line had "these" alinement bolts all ready installed and some didn't. Well I've got 50K on my truck and hopefully in the spring I'll get new tires. I'd like to get a alinement if needed but I really don't want to spent a extra 400 or 500 bucks to replace these bolts and what not. So question any truth here? I don't work my truck and I'm pretty careful when I'm driving.
Any experience on this subject?

 

The dealer is talking about accentrick bolts(bad spelling).That's a bolt with a oblong washer around the head.They say it's easier to do camber castert adjustments with them installed.But a good front end man,will not need them .There not needed,just help.They go in the upper control arm bushings.Losen the bolts once vehicle is off the ground and adjust out or in and retighten.*#@$&# dealers are so stupid these daY'S.nOTHING BUT PARTS EXCHANGERS WORKING THERE NOW.iT'S MORE LIKE $100.00 FOR BOTH SIDES.Don't waste your money.

 

WOW! Don't hold back now 78 Short...tell us how you really feel. It's alright. We will understand.


Maryland...what short said. It does make it easier but not required. Just amke sure you go to a reoutable shopfor the alignment. I know that Firestone has a deal where you spend the $100 for an alignment, and they warranty it for the life of the vehicle.

 

Sorry Billybob69..I was in a mood.I shouldn't Badtalk tech's.There's many good ones out there.I do think thaat some dealers are run much better than others.Some can give out pretty bad info or misleading just to get your money and I hate that.

 

LOL NP Short.....I was just being a smartass. I have run across them too.

 

Boys,

Be thankful you are dealing with dealers and shops back home in North America and not dealing with the flippin (not really the word i wanted to use ) idiots i have the pleasure of dealing with over here. You want to talk about dumb?!?!?! If you told them to put 2000 PSI in your front right tire, they'd do it for you. They have no idea what the hell they are doing. I have to question everything they do. That's why I spend so much time here so i can educate myself before i let the shop touch the truck.

As for these bolts, are they on all the trucks or only on certain trucks/models/years? Mine is going in tomorrow to have it realligned since i cranked the torsion bars.

Actually, this is a perfect example of the quality service i get over here. They crank the torsion bars but don't do the allignment, or tell me that an allignment is required. I guess that is up to me to figure out, ...right. Thankfully sites like this one exist.

I tell you, they are all Muppets. Sometimes I accidentally call my technician "Kermit".

Anyhow, thanks guys.

 

where are you located, Shmuck? Sounds like Belgium or some where like that.

Lance

 

I appeciate the ideas here, I need some beef stickers and like I said if I'm going to do this I need to be sure to do it correctly, I have tried to be somewhat wise on these things, but so many things to consider and with tires costing so much, well you know the drill a 500 dollar deal now comes to 700 and you don't even get a thank you anymore. To me that is a lot of money anyway you slice it. Call me old fashion but hey I try and stay practile.
Cheers again

 

Hey SMIB,

Where in Southern Maryland are you?? I am in the Pax River/ Lexington Park area and there is a great place down here that did mine no prob..... I have cranked the torsion bars, and have larger tires on it and they only charged me $59. If you are familiar with the area it is Cheseldine Tire, they are on 235 by the Walmart.

When I was in San Diego, they were telling me the same crap about my front end.

Rich

'01 5.4L Screw

 

Nope, not even close. I'm in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Moved here from Canada about 4 years back. This ain't Kansas Toto, and i miss home on occasion, but things are going my way over here, so I'm sticking it out. The frustrating part about being here are examples like previously mentioned. Poor service is not limited to the Ford dealer.

Anyhow, had my allignment done this morning. Funny thing was that it was almost bang on. The camber was fine but the right front was toed in about 12 mm. After having the torsion bars cranked, I'm surprise the alignment was in. Maybe I shot my big mouth off too quickly and maybe Ford actually did do the alignment. However, this morning when I was under the truck at the shop we did notice that there was an arm that is located just right of center (when looking forward from under the truck) that seemed to have a loose bushing. The techy said it was the Idler Arm. I cannot confirm if the techy was right, however it was a 'L' shaped piece of metal that attached to what I think was the sway bar.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

 

If it was the idler arm it was not attached to the sway bar but to the steering. Is should be changed ASAP, nothing to play with. The way you can check is tuen the steering while looking at it may take two poeple, if it moves with the steering then get it changed. Pretty easy job. The sway bar attaches to both lower control arms and nothing that I know of attaches to it.

Lance

 

Man that was a quick reply Lance!! Thanks

Ya my buddy was explaining that the Idler Arm is attached to the steering, so maybe that is what it was, however i am not experienced enough to tell. But according to your description I would agree that it prob is not the sway bar. Anyhow, this part did not look like it moved at all. It looked like a support piece of some sort to me. If it is the Idler Arm, I'm surprised that the bushings would be finished considering the truck only has 13,000KM on it. Any other thoughts? Regardless, the dealer can buy me a new one if it does in fact need changing.

 

Well just because they tell you it's within spec..that could be as much as 1 full degree of camber or caster.Although that doesn't sound like much....One full degree of camber can be seen with a good look.Although I said mine was out when I lifted .It was only out .2 of a degree over spec.To bring it as perfect as possible..I went .6 degree out to bring my tire back straight up and down.That's caused from lifting these truck's.It's simple front end geometry.You can't lift and maintain the same front specs you started with,whatever they were.It's going to change.Depends on how high you lift.My point was even a little lift will change things.If you only lift a 1/2 inch or so you might be alright depending on how perfect the geometry was to start with.

 

Thses f150's seem to go through the idler arms.Along with lower balljoints.I think you should be able to get 80,oookm's on the lower ball joints and the idlers I've herd anywhere from 5000to 25000km's.The right side were's out quickly and the driverside not so bad.Just went through all this with mine.Sounds like your talking about the right side idler.Yup,that's the one that goes first.Think's are like $120.00 Canadian.Make sure it's cooked.Your aloud 1/4 inch or so up and 1/4 or so down when trying to wigle it.Some tech's think that's cooked.It's probably still within spec.Chevy astro van's were like that.Lots of play but still within spec.I'm not a expert ,but am very mechanical,and I work in a garage for my local city .We have lots of ford trucks.Actually mostly ford truck's.Oh ya that play is with truck on ground.,when you elevate your truck off the front suspension it will move up and down lots.That's normal.

 

Yes I'm very familiar with the area, I've been here 10 years. I thought you were going to mention Raley's alignment on RT5 before you get to Calaway. I'm actually surprised Cheseldine did it for such a reasonable price, You know it's hit or miss around here! I'm fully stock so I'll give them a go. Thanks
PS don't let smib fool ya, I've got all my teeth and my family tree has long branches on it!!!!!