Alignment
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 126
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From: Way down here......FL
Alignment
Where is a good place to get a front end alignment? My Ford dealer can not do my F350 LB Dually so they sent me to another Ford dealer.
I told service writer I wanted to talk with the tech. I was able to.......AFTER he did what he called an alignment.
He told me they do NOT do castor/ camber. I said that's part of the alignment and he says NO.
I have never heard of this??
Service writer then checked for me and it was going to be $175.00 EACH side plus the shims needed.
That was on top of what they were charging for what they call an alignment.
Needless to say..........I did NOT have them do it.
I told service writer I wanted to talk with the tech. I was able to.......AFTER he did what he called an alignment.
He told me they do NOT do castor/ camber. I said that's part of the alignment and he says NO.
I have never heard of this??
Service writer then checked for me and it was going to be $175.00 EACH side plus the shims needed.
That was on top of what they were charging for what they call an alignment.
Needless to say..........I did NOT have them do it.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: linden, mi
What he is referring to are the bushing that adjust camber. There is not a caster adjustment, most of the time a toe adjustment is all that is needed. If bushings are to get camber into spec you may only need one side only, They charge about an hour of labor per side. Bushing are around $35.00 each.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,450
Likes: 70
From: South Jersey
Say what?
chamber is part of an alignment, also on the 05 up trucks you can adjust caster and its recommended to add some to help death wobble.
local shop where I am starts an alignment at 75 dollars, if its severe and needs more than a normal adjustment the price goes up. I completely rebuilt the front end on my 2001 f150 2wd (steering box tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm, upper lower control arms) so they had a complete alignment to do, within three hours I had a phone call my truck was done and my bill was only 100 dollars. I have a print out of before and after alignment specs to boot! I'd call around your area and see who does alignments and if they work on 4x4 trucks regularly, also a one price does ALL is not what you want. They will not take the time to do is 100% correct
chamber is part of an alignment, also on the 05 up trucks you can adjust caster and its recommended to add some to help death wobble.
local shop where I am starts an alignment at 75 dollars, if its severe and needs more than a normal adjustment the price goes up. I completely rebuilt the front end on my 2001 f150 2wd (steering box tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm, upper lower control arms) so they had a complete alignment to do, within three hours I had a phone call my truck was done and my bill was only 100 dollars. I have a print out of before and after alignment specs to boot! I'd call around your area and see who does alignments and if they work on 4x4 trucks regularly, also a one price does ALL is not what you want. They will not take the time to do is 100% correct
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 4
Alignments are my bread and butter, do em all day. With that being said, it does cost extra to add caster/camber bushings. And yes BOTH are adjustable with said bushings. We charge 55 dollars for a 4x4 "front end alignment", that does not include caster/camber changes, to do the whole alignment, if needed like they said previous most only need toe set and level the steering wheel, total of around 150.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: Way down here......FL
Alignments are my bread and butter, do em all day. With that being said, it does cost extra to add caster/camber bushings. And yes BOTH are adjustable with said bushings. We charge 55 dollars for a 4x4 "front end alignment", that does not include caster/camber changes, to do the whole alignment, if needed like they said previous most only need toe set and level the steering wheel, total of around 150.
I want to have the alignment done correctly. Looking to get a readout of before and after also.
Still have to check around and find a place that definitely knows what they are doing.
Thanks guys
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2018
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From: Way down here......FL
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Diverdude
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 352
Likes: 43
From: Tennessee
Good timing. I have a new steering gear on order and will be getting an alignment. What do you all think about Firestone? I like the idea of a lifetime alignment...
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,512
Likes: 340
From: Wildwood Pa
Firestone is only as good as the tech that does it, & you have no way of knowing if you're going to get a good one or not. I took one car to Firestone & asked for their very best alignment guy, & the writer happily gave me to him. Did a nice job, took his time, didn't mind that I watched him the whole time. This was on my 71 AMC Javelin AMX. He was really happy to see all the front end parts were new, no rusty stuff to deal with.
I took my driver back a year later for an alignment after I installed a new tie rod & couldn't get it to go straight. The good tech no longer worked there. The guy that aligned it wrote me a $2500 estimate for all the work my car "needed", they didn't want me to leave in my "deathtrap". They made me sign a waver that I would not sue them when I died in a horrible crash on my way home. I'm sure that technique scares a lot of people into getting unnecessary work done. The car passed the strict Pennsylvania state inspection right after that, & for the next 4 years without any of the work Firestone said it needed. That was enough to keep me from going back to Firestone.
I took my driver back a year later for an alignment after I installed a new tie rod & couldn't get it to go straight. The good tech no longer worked there. The guy that aligned it wrote me a $2500 estimate for all the work my car "needed", they didn't want me to leave in my "deathtrap". They made me sign a waver that I would not sue them when I died in a horrible crash on my way home. I'm sure that technique scares a lot of people into getting unnecessary work done. The car passed the strict Pennsylvania state inspection right after that, & for the next 4 years without any of the work Firestone said it needed. That was enough to keep me from going back to Firestone.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 46
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From: North Texas
After installing the 6.5" lift kit, the big 37" tires and 2" spacers on my F250, I took it to 3 different places near my house and none of them could handle it. 1 of these shops was able to align my '06 F350 dually in the past, but the F250 was too wide for their equipment.
I found a place about 20 miles away up in Denton, TX that can align the big rigs and they are able to handle the F250 easily. At a reasonable price too. My only problem was once they had jack stands under the front axles, they showed me that two ball joints, and almost all the steering joints are loose. I have all the parts (Moog) for a total front-end re-build now and will hopefully be able to get that installed soon so I can get the truck aligned properly. It drives pretty good right now as it is. Doesn't pull one way or the other, but there is a little slop in the steering wheel.
Maybe ask a local U-Haul/Penske where they get their big box trucks aligned, or find a place like I did that does 18-wheeler rigs.
I found a place about 20 miles away up in Denton, TX that can align the big rigs and they are able to handle the F250 easily. At a reasonable price too. My only problem was once they had jack stands under the front axles, they showed me that two ball joints, and almost all the steering joints are loose. I have all the parts (Moog) for a total front-end re-build now and will hopefully be able to get that installed soon so I can get the truck aligned properly. It drives pretty good right now as it is. Doesn't pull one way or the other, but there is a little slop in the steering wheel.
Maybe ask a local U-Haul/Penske where they get their big box trucks aligned, or find a place like I did that does 18-wheeler rigs.
Diverdude
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 352
Likes: 43
From: Tennessee
After installing the 6.5" lift kit, the big 37" tires and 2" spacers on my F250, I took it to 3 different places near my house and none of them could handle it. 1 of these shops was able to align my '06 F350 dually in the past, but the F250 was too wide for their equipment.
I found a place about 20 miles away up in Denton, TX that can align the big rigs and they are able to handle the F250 easily. At a reasonable price too. My only problem was once they had jack stands under the front axles, they showed me that two ball joints, and almost all the steering joints are loose. I have all the parts (Moog) for a total front-end re-build now and will hopefully be able to get that installed soon so I can get the truck aligned properly. It drives pretty good right now as it is. Doesn't pull one way or the other, but there is a little slop in the steering wheel.
Maybe ask a local U-Haul/Penske where they get their big box trucks aligned, or find a place like I did that does 18-wheeler rigs.
I found a place about 20 miles away up in Denton, TX that can align the big rigs and they are able to handle the F250 easily. At a reasonable price too. My only problem was once they had jack stands under the front axles, they showed me that two ball joints, and almost all the steering joints are loose. I have all the parts (Moog) for a total front-end re-build now and will hopefully be able to get that installed soon so I can get the truck aligned properly. It drives pretty good right now as it is. Doesn't pull one way or the other, but there is a little slop in the steering wheel.
Maybe ask a local U-Haul/Penske where they get their big box trucks aligned, or find a place like I did that does 18-wheeler rigs.
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