Alignment shop said $200!

[zavetsky]

Does this sound legit??

Just got new tires and figured I'd drop in and get her aligned ...

$60 to align...ok, sign me up I said.

They come back 15 minutes later and say I need camber adjustment shims at a price of $12.00 each for each side....plus another $110 to install!

He said it would be about 45 minutes to do it.....

$110 for 45 minutes of work!?!?

Does this sound copasetic to you all?? The truck is stock with about 97k on it...had new upper and lower balljoints done about 6 months ago........AT the time the guy who did it said "no alignment needed"....so I didnt.....my drivers front tire wore out on the inside half....other side fine, and passenger side even wear....

Every time I turn around this truck is nicle and diming me it seems....

ANyone? I did a search but all the threads I found were regarding lifted Explorers...mine is a stock 94....

Thanks in advance...

DZ

 

[X~FACTOR]

Do a search in the Explorer Sport Forum/Lowered Suspension. I paid $200 for mine for what you just described.

What is "copasetic"?

 

[X~FACTOR]

Originally posted by zavetsky
Every time I turn around this truck is nicle and diming me it seems....

Oh yea, and its only the beginning... stick around...

 

[TheRookie]

Yup thats the right price. God I hate adjusting camber.

 

[udmsvt]

wheni first got my ex (last july) i took it in for alignment. they wuoted like 150, after 10% my discount. one of the things they said cost so much is that on the 4x4 model, they had to repack the bearings (which they said added 110). they said the alignment wouldnt do any good if i didnt have the bearings repacked. later that week, i had all new brakes put on and they did the bearings then...never did get the alignment and my tires suffered for it.

 

[TheRookie]

ODD. the bearings do not need to be repacked or even removed for alignment. However they do if you remove the rotors.

 

[SiLenZe]

just go to the ford parts dealer and ask for them. then put em on yourself

 

[X~FACTOR]

SiLenZe, have you ever installed a camber kit before?

 

[MrShorty]

If you got the present camber reading from the alignment shop, it isn't that difficult to do. The camber bushings fit on the upper ball joint. The procedure for changing them involves removing the steering knuckle (and all that has to come off to get the steering knuckle off), replacing the camber bushing on the upper ball joint, and reassembling it all. When I tore the front off of my BII, the hardest part was getting the spindle off.

 

[SiLenZe]

i put the camber shims on mine. you can do it in 30 min.
take off the wheels, the rubber flap protecting the wheel well. undo a bolt on one side of the upper control arm, replace the shim. do the same to the other side of the control arm. repeat.

 

[VBVA]

Just get the shop to get it as close as they possibly can and then deal with it. Rotate your tires every other oil change (6k-8k) and you should be fine...

 

[X~FACTOR]

Originally posted by VBVA
Rotate your tires every other oil change (6k-8k) and you should be fine...

You do your oil change every 6,000 miles? Isn't that a bit pushing it?

 

[VBVA]

Every other oil change, meaning 6000 miles, also meaning 3000 miles between oil changes... hahaha...

 

[X~FACTOR]

LOL... man, I need more sleep.

 

[zavetsky]

"What is "copasetic"

Not sure if I screwed up the spellibng...meaning okey dokey..... <grin>

DZ

 

[austxjus4fun]

I am currently needing alignment on my '01 Sport....I hope I don't hear the same thing!

 

[VOATMJ1]

Just had my '00 aligned, and all was well! Had it done at Sears, and the whell is dead straight, and tracks straight. I asked, and the said the front end was rock solid tight. I believe that, becasue they are famous for running in saying that you need this or that. I have 43,000 miles on it.

 

[VOATMJ1]

Sorry for the spelling errors in my last post. I really can spell!

 

[zavetsky]

whew!

I took my 94 to a differrent shop last night.,....another NTB....

They said I didnt need shims at all...the drivers side camber was -.02 out....the guy said just sitting in the car will correct that and no need to spend the money on the shim install but he said he would if I wnated to....

Hey...I know hat I like to hear...<grin>

Turns out they have the newest style of alignment machine whereas the first NTB I went to has the old style...the guy said operator error is way more possible in the old way....

SO I am satisifed....truck steers great and handles fine...still hafta take it on the highway for a 65 mph test....

Finally something goes RIGHT for me!

Now...I hafta decide if I wantt o have the ujoints changed before our trip....

Thanks for the feedback and support everyone!

DZ

Originally posted by austxjus4fun
I am currently needing alignment on my '01 Sport....I hope I don't hear the same thing!

 

[TheRookie]

Yeah the older systems for measurment are prone to human error. The machine I use at work is idiot proof. my mom could align a car on it.