Suspension/alignment issue - can't get correct camber on front left | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Suspension/alignment issue - can't get correct camber on front left

jkk9

Member
Joined
February 24, 2010
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 XLT
97 4.0L OHV. 260K miles. 2 wheel drive.
Just replaced left upper control arm due to bad ball joint. Alignment guy says that wheel's camber is at +0.4 (top side tilts out) with the camber bolt at its max; the spec says -1.0 to 0.0. He says suspension can cause that - worn springs for example. Does that make sense?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





idk if it does but i have the same problem the alignment dude told me i needed a camber kit to align the camber correctly n was charging me 300 for it.. to install the camber kit and align it.. if anybody know how to do it or can post a how to video on that it would be great... also a good camber kit
 






You can get the caster camber kits for both sides from rockauto.com for $43.58, Moog part number K80065, this was for my '97 Mounty, It's the same kit I used on my '03 Sport Trac so it's the same as the Explorer. You can install the kits in about 10-15 minutes each side. You're just replacing the upper control arm bolts with the kit. Easy...
 






If an alignment tech told you that "worn springs" would cause a positive camber issue, I'd be sure to never let him touch my vehicle again.
 






Seriously, there isn't even springs on the front of the 2nd Gen Ex's. Never go back there again. Where the hell is he coming up with the $300 to do the C/C kit and alignment??? Most shops charge $50-70 for and alignment and it only takes about 10-15 minutes on each side so what does he charge for larbor rates, damn. Firestone does lifetime alignments for $179 and you could take it back every week for that price.
 






I misspoke a bit. The counter guy told me that worn springs can cause this problem - it wasn't the guy who did the alignment (as I asked who did it).

It was done at Firestone as I have the lifetime alignment - bought it as a $99 special years ago.

I bought the Moog K80065 Cam Bolt Kit from Amazon for $23 but then discovered that the Ex had them already.

I think I'll take it to another Firestone shop.
 






Ya, the only issue with the lifetime alignments is usually the first one is done by a Pro tech and then they have fresh tech school newbies/ new hires do them. You have to really be insistant on having someone better do the job so you don't chew through parts and tires.
 






Ya, the only issue with the lifetime alignments is usually the first one is done by a Pro tech and then they have fresh tech school newbies/ new hires do them. You have to really be insistant on having someone better do the job so you don't chew through parts and tires.

I usually ask for the spec sheet - I think I can trust it. That's how I found out that the LF was at -1 - it was in red ink. They just told me it was done - they didn't tell me that it was out of spec.

Maybe Honesty left the culture about the time they kicked God out of schools ...
 






Back
Top