Tires
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,489
Likes: 45
From: Central NY
Tires
Is the wildpeak worth it at twice the cost?
Tire choices, including alignment. 275/55-20
In upstate NY. Towing 3k pounds several times a month. May tow 7k soon. No real off-road other than getting to ATV trailheads.
Narrowed it down to Cooper and Falken Wildpeak AT3W 28034021.
Are the wildpeak worth the extra green?
Dealer:
Falken. $1300. No road hazard.
PepBoys:
Falken. $1190. Road hazard and lifetime balance and rotation. I will rotate them most likely other than at inspection time.
Cooper Adventurer AT. Four ply SL. M+S rated. $614. Road hazard and lifetime balance and rotation. I will rotate them most likely other than at inspection time.
Walmart:
Cooper Discoverer made exclusively for them. $600. Then alignment.
Monro:
Cooper AT3 4S. $850 after mail in rebate for one tire.
Tire choices, including alignment. 275/55-20
In upstate NY. Towing 3k pounds several times a month. May tow 7k soon. No real off-road other than getting to ATV trailheads.
Narrowed it down to Cooper and Falken Wildpeak AT3W 28034021.
Are the wildpeak worth the extra green?
Dealer:
Falken. $1300. No road hazard.
PepBoys:
Falken. $1190. Road hazard and lifetime balance and rotation. I will rotate them most likely other than at inspection time.
Cooper Adventurer AT. Four ply SL. M+S rated. $614. Road hazard and lifetime balance and rotation. I will rotate them most likely other than at inspection time.
Walmart:
Cooper Discoverer made exclusively for them. $600. Then alignment.
Monro:
Cooper AT3 4S. $850 after mail in rebate for one tire.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,950
Likes: 5,076
The tire shop I frequent really like the Coopers. (But I'm in the deep south so snow and ice aren't an issue. And I'm a real fan of the Michelin light truck tire.)
From the choices you've given, I'd go with the Cooper from PepBoys. That's about 1/2 what the Falken will cost.
From the choices you've given, I'd go with the Cooper from PepBoys. That's about 1/2 what the Falken will cost.
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,489
Likes: 45
From: Central NY
Called two more local independent shops!
One told me they didn't know the F150 could have a four wheel alignment and didn't know about the kit for the rear wheels if needed.
Falken: $1,066 plus Ford alignment
Cooper AT3 4S: $1,114 plus ford alignment. First time i have seen the Coopers cost more.
Second location, VERY great reputation and uses the Road Force balancer, does the correct alignment, and full road hazard
Falken: $1,414
Cooper AT3 4S: $1,379
Off to PepBoys and hope I don't fall to "buy once, cry once."
If the snow is so bad I need tires with 3PMS symbol, i take the wife's Altima with winter tires or the work car, 2020 Subaru Legacy with Pirelli Ice Zero tires!
One told me they didn't know the F150 could have a four wheel alignment and didn't know about the kit for the rear wheels if needed.
Falken: $1,066 plus Ford alignment
Cooper AT3 4S: $1,114 plus ford alignment. First time i have seen the Coopers cost more.
Second location, VERY great reputation and uses the Road Force balancer, does the correct alignment, and full road hazard
Falken: $1,414
Cooper AT3 4S: $1,379
Off to PepBoys and hope I don't fall to "buy once, cry once."
If the snow is so bad I need tires with 3PMS symbol, i take the wife's Altima with winter tires or the work car, 2020 Subaru Legacy with Pirelli Ice Zero tires!
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
Likes: 180
you should be able to measure the wheel base on the drivers side and passenger side and tell if the rear axle has "moved" if the numbers are basically the same, there is no alignment needed in the rear.. you can also stand behind each rear wheel and sight down the sidewall and see where the tire is pointed relative to the front tires.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,740
Likes: 37
From: Central NYS
All you would probably need is a “4 wheel thrust” alignment.
(Not sure that is the current terminology.)
They put the alignment heads on all four wheels.
This allows them to determine exactly where the rear wheels are pointing.
Then they align the front wheels so that their path will be parallel to the rear wheel path.
Big thing is to use an alignment shop that has experienced alignment staff.
(And ask for a before and after printout of the alignment so you can see what changed.)
You might like to look at tire rack.com to see what range of tires meet your needs in your size.
(Not sure that is the current terminology.)
They put the alignment heads on all four wheels.
This allows them to determine exactly where the rear wheels are pointing.
Then they align the front wheels so that their path will be parallel to the rear wheel path.
Big thing is to use an alignment shop that has experienced alignment staff.
(And ask for a before and after printout of the alignment so you can see what changed.)
You might like to look at tire rack.com to see what range of tires meet your needs in your size.
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,489
Likes: 45
From: Central NY
All you would probably need is a “4 wheel thrust” alignment.
(Not sure that is the current terminology.)
They put the alignment heads on all four wheels.
This allows them to determine exactly where the rear wheels are pointing.
Then they align the front wheels so that their path will be parallel to the rear wheel path.
Big thing is to use an alignment shop that has experienced alignment staff.
(And ask for a before and after printout of the alignment so you can see what changed.)
You might like to look at tire rack.com to see what range of tires meet your needs in your size.
(Not sure that is the current terminology.)
They put the alignment heads on all four wheels.
This allows them to determine exactly where the rear wheels are pointing.
Then they align the front wheels so that their path will be parallel to the rear wheel path.
Big thing is to use an alignment shop that has experienced alignment staff.
(And ask for a before and after printout of the alignment so you can see what changed.)
You might like to look at tire rack.com to see what range of tires meet your needs in your size.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 40,035
Likes: 1,522
From: Maine, Virginia
It's getting really hard to find competent shops that take pride without taking all of your money.
I use discount tire exclusively. They only do tires and they use the road force balancing system. They also offer free lifetime balance and rotation and they take that a step further by offering an additional warranty for a small one time fee that will fully replace a tire that cannot be repaired as long as it'll pass inspection for no additional prorated fees or charges.
I use discount tire exclusively. They only do tires and they use the road force balancing system. They also offer free lifetime balance and rotation and they take that a step further by offering an additional warranty for a small one time fee that will fully replace a tire that cannot be repaired as long as it'll pass inspection for no additional prorated fees or charges.
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Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,489
Likes: 45
From: Central NY
It's getting really hard to find competent shops that take pride without taking all of your money.
I use discount tire exclusively. They only do tires and they use the road force balancing system. They also offer free lifetime balance and rotation and they take that a step further by offering an additional warranty for a small one time fee that will fully replace a tire that cannot be repaired as long as it'll pass inspection for no additional prorated fees or charges.
I use discount tire exclusively. They only do tires and they use the road force balancing system. They also offer free lifetime balance and rotation and they take that a step further by offering an additional warranty for a small one time fee that will fully replace a tire that cannot be repaired as long as it'll pass inspection for no additional prorated fees or charges.
but they would be 60% more.
hope I’m not making a mistake LOL. My PepBoys has always been great. When I stopped the other day they were slammed. Manager quit.
director of business development was running it since he is local and used to have that roll.
time will tell.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
Likes: 180
rear axles are PINNED to the springs and tires should be PARALLEL to the car.. The purpose of checking the REAR alignment is to see if the pins are worn, gone, broke.. You can NOT align the front end to makeup for a rear end that is WRONG.
Picture below is exaggerated, but see what happens if rear axle is not SQUARE with the truck.. BEST way to check the rear is to measure the WHEEL BASE on both sides of the truck and compare.
Picture below is exaggerated, but see what happens if rear axle is not SQUARE with the truck.. BEST way to check the rear is to measure the WHEEL BASE on both sides of the truck and compare.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
If the thrust angle is out of spec 1 or more of a few things are happening with a solid rear axle vehicle, either the leaf spring centering hole or as mentioned above the centering pins and/or the axle housing shackle bushings are worn and the only fix is to repair/replace bushings, spring packs, axle mounting pads (aka the entire axle housing) or the frame is bent.
In my experience it's usually worn bushings or accident damage that causes a centerline spec to deviate. There is no rear axle alignment kit for a solid rear drive axle Ford truck.
Front wheel drive vehicles with a solid rear axle are a different animal and there are kits for those, I've used them many times over the years doing alignments.
In my experience it's usually worn bushings or accident damage that causes a centerline spec to deviate. There is no rear axle alignment kit for a solid rear drive axle Ford truck.
Front wheel drive vehicles with a solid rear axle are a different animal and there are kits for those, I've used them many times over the years doing alignments.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
rear axles are PINNED to the springs and tires should be PARALLEL to the car.. The purpose of checking the REAR alignment is to see if the pins are worn, gone, broke.. You can NOT align the front end to makeup for a rear end that is WRONG.
Picture below is exaggerated, but see what happens if rear axle is not SQUARE with the truck.. BEST way to check the rear is to measure the WHEEL BASE on both sides of the truck and compare.
Picture below is exaggerated, but see what happens if rear axle is not SQUARE with the truck.. BEST way to check the rear is to measure the WHEEL BASE on both sides of the truck and compare.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
Likes: 180
I have done all my alignments at HOME for the past 50 years... Its not rocket science.. The wheel base is a quick 5 minute check to verify that nothing is WRONG... I have never had a truck that measured bad, but i have followed a LOT of them down the road that were off a couple inches......... Not hard to do a front end alignment with ruler, level and a couple straight edges.. You just have to understand what your doing.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
I've been spoiled with Hunter alignment machines for the past 40 years. I did however align the front end on my truck in the driveway after I put the lift kit on it. I like exacting numbers (ocd induced by aforementioned Hunter machines).
Picked up a pair of these for the front, rear should be fine. Bought the truck new and never wrecked. Being able to read caster is tantamount to a safe handling vehicle.
Picked up a pair of these for the front, rear should be fine. Bought the truck new and never wrecked. Being able to read caster is tantamount to a safe handling vehicle.
Cross-Country
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 76
Likes: 13
From: Nancy
Where'd you pick these up? I was just talking to someone the other day that I'm tired of paying shops anywhere from 70-125 bucks to do something I should be able to do. Anything that doesn't require wheels off the ground, I do at home and I don't see a good reason why an alignment should be too difficult. Because there's a lot of shops around me that refuse to do alignments on anything that isn't completely stock. That's what keeps me from getting a lift installed because I had a Grand Cherokee WJ I had a lift put on and I had to drive an hour away to find an independent Jeep store to do the alignment.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,950
Likes: 5,076
I've been spoiled with Hunter alignment machines for the past 40 years. I did however align the front end on my truck in the driveway after I put the lift kit on it. I like exacting numbers (ocd induced by aforementioned Hunter machines).
Picked up a pair of these for the front, rear should be fine. Bought the truck new and never wrecked. Being able to read caster is tantamount to a safe handling vehicle.
Picked up a pair of these for the front, rear should be fine. Bought the truck new and never wrecked. Being able to read caster is tantamount to a safe handling vehicle.