I recently replaced the left front inner tie rod on my 1998 Explorer sport.

Before I brought it in for an alignment I noticed that the steering wheel was not too far off center and was pleased that I did a decent job of putting everything back together.

I took the truck to a tire shop for a computerized front end alignment. On the way home I noticed that the steering wheel was cocked to the left and no longer centered. When I centered the wheel the truck would drift off quickly to the right.

I brought it back to the shop the next day and explained the situation. They put the truck back on the alignement machine. As I was waiting I noticed the alignment tech come in and get the service writer, mentioning something about my Explorer.

To make a long story short, after a half hour they told me that my truck was allset. On the drive home I again noticed that the steering wheel was off center, exactly the same as it was.

Does anyone know what has caused this and how it can be fixed?? Obviously the tire shop I took it to cannot fix it or they would have.

Any help or words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.

 

the must be morons. the total length from one side to the other is a fixed distance. the steering arm is in the center somewhere. to change the steering wheel center line, you lengthen one tie rod 2 turns , then shorten the other 2 turns, etc, and test again.... its basically that simple.

 

That is what I thought, I wonder why they did not fix it.


You know when you walk in a place and you can kind of tell that they do not know what they are doing?? Guess I got burned this time around.

Thanks Steve...

 

You need to find a better shop. Your toe setting is off. They need to lock the steering wheel straight, and then set the tie rods. You wheel will be straight then. These people do not know how to do it.

 

That is absolutely amazing and they claim to be ASE certified technitions.

Really surprising what some repair shops try to get away with these days.

 

I've done probably over 1,000 alignments in my life. I've even done a few with "bad" suspension parts, at the customer's request.. and even with a bad ball joint, tie rod end, or whatever.. I've still been able to get the wheel centered.

Demand your money back, and take it somewhere else.

 

Thanks I will. I plan on paying them a visit tommorow.