'02 Sport Trac Upper control arm, cam bolts, inner and outer tie rods - tips

[J_C]

Yeah I don't understand what happened there but if you didn't pay for it, might want to take it somewhere else instead... or at least take it back when that guy isn't working.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I took the truck back to get the alignment finished today. I told the guy at the desk, who I like, that I wanted to talk to the tech before he starts. He made a note to that effect on the work order AND told the tech who said he'd put the truck on the rack and come talk to me. Never did speak with me. I wanted to confirm what he was having a problem with, and if I was correct, offer another solution. It took me a couple of days to maybe figure out what he had trouble with the first time. My guess is that he couldn't get a wrench or extension in the 3/8 drive hole in the cam washers on the right rear bolt due to how I positioned them on installation. At the time, I would have done exactly what I think he was trying to do. It wasn't until a few days after I thought of that when I realized you don't need to even try to adjust the camber by rotating the washers using that hole. The MOOG camber bolts have a flat side and the holes in the washers have a flat side. Turn the bolt and the washers have to turn, and vice versa.

He spent another 2 1/2 hrs on it today. Everything is in spec and the steering wheel is straight, so no complaints about the end result, but I would have liked to talk to him. I wasn't wanting to tell him how to do his job, just help him understand the parts he was dealing with. I drove leased trucks for many years, and once the service managers and mechanics figured out I somewhat knew what I was talking about, they welcomed my input. That's all I wanted today, but wasn't given the chance.

 

[410Fortune]

Upper control arms are torqued at ride height otherwise you can rip the bushings just fyi

I have a 21mm I cut in half for this long ago I also have a 21mm speed wrench that works awesome for these… I’m not even a tech at an alignment shop. You need a new shop
Every ranger and explorer from 95-98+ have this front end it is the bread and butter of alignment shops. After 1 hour they should say “you need shims” or “we can’t align this truck here is why” not “we ran out of time come back later”

 

[429CJ-3X2]

To be fair to everyone, this is at the auto service dept at a large farm and home store. They sell a lot of tires at decent prices, but I don't know how many alignments they do. I'm guessing not that many. For one thing, the guy's toolbox is near the door from the store to the shop and the alignment bay is 5(?) doors away at the other end. I couldn't see him working on my truck, but he walked slow when he came to his tool box. I work slow, but that's on my own stuff at home. When you're getting paid, that's a different deal.

I haven't had a vehicle aligned in many years, so I don't have a history with any shops, but I won't be scheduling any more with this guy once my year is up on this alignment. One good thing about this alignment not being completed the first day is that the tire purchase gave me enough rewards to knock $50 off the alignment, and the alignment earned another $10 in rewards. The rewards would have been the same if it had been done the same day I got the tires, but I wouldn't have been able to use them toward those charges.