front end update

bumpskier45

Registered User
Just got my car back from the alignment shop,it pulls now,but not always one way.Sometimes it will pull left then ride straight then go the other way,I have to take it back because when I have it in the garage you can clearly see the driver side tire is a hair off its not straight,which would explain why I still hear a funny noise from the tire. I guess that is what you all meant by a good alignment guy.And the worst part of it all is it still makes a slight clunk when I hit bumps in the road,front end guy heard it when he test drove it said he got it back up in the air rechecked everything and said all the front end looks tight.I have replaced the lower control arm,outer tie rods,strut rod bushings,shocks,and that big rubber between the spring and the top of the engine compartment. So how is it I still have noise,and a front end guy say he doesn't know what it could be? anything else that could make that noise? also he got some other bolt for the lower control arm not the stock one but he said it would work,is that true or are our cars that tempermental? I am so over this front end crap please help!!
 
I only replaced the items I listed so no,and yes just about every little bump doesn't really have to be big either can be a small indentation in the road. So my next question is how hard are those to replace I need more information on what that looks like I am not familiar with the front end on these cars only what I have replaced.
 
I would assume that the alignment guy when he told me everything seemed tight and he could not find anything wrong would have checked that but who knows.would loose one's cause an alignment to go bad because that would explain why I just got it aligned and now its off.
 
Not sure how much they affect alignment but one end of the link attaches to the spindle while the other end attaches to the sway bar. Each end of the link is a ball joint. Might want to check the sway bar bushings too.
 
I have heard on other cars I have owned what a bearing sounds like when its going out and when you said that in your post,I thought that's it it sounds just like a bearing. I am fairly certain that is it,I have just about changed everything else out that could make that kind of noise. I am still not convinced that a bolt other than the stock one could get the alignment correct but the alignment guys says it can.
 
Are you talking about the bolt for the bottom of the shock in the LCA or the one with the cam plate on it on the inside end? Why was it changed out?
 
the bolt that holds the shock into the lower control arm,which I am not so worried about,and the bolt that holds the lower control arm to the frame both are not the stock version. this car came from Michigan so needless to say all the nuts was pretty much welded to the bolt with rust I tried for days with freezing them with that stuff from Loctite,penetrating oil,in the end I had to grind them off. I don't know where the alignment guy got the new bolts from but there not original equipment but he swears up and down they are the correct size and a class 8 so they should work.
 
Post up the printout so we can see what the tech set everything at.

What strut rod bushings did you install, rubber or thermoplastic?

Endlinks will not effect the alignment. They will make a racket over every bump in the road if they're failing.

Post up pictures of the bolts that were replaced, and we'll be able to tell you whether they are correct or not.
 
I took another look at the bolts they look correct they look just like the old one but nice and shiney LoL. The strut rod bushings are the rubber one's I got them from bill at supercoupe, he swears they are the correct one's that are supposed to go in there. The paper for the alignment will be of no use all it says is what I asked them to do and that they did it. One of those items is to install new tie rod ends I don't know if it makes a difference or not but the passenger side has a full quarter of an inch less thread showing than the driver side. I took pics lookin at the tires straight on and you can clearly see how different they are which is why I assume I am still getting the tire noise like im a dang 4x4 with big meaty tires.got one pic in trying to get the next pic on another thread
 
So you don't have a print out? It would look something like this:



Any reputable alignment shop will have no problem providing you with a print out showing the "before" and "after" settings. Alignment isn't something you "eyeball".
 
sorry guys I can't seem to get anything else posted video or pic pm me with an email and I could send it that way,but for some reason I could only get that one pic to post
 
nope not even close,just printed out that an alignment was done and that he installed the outer tie rod ends nothing even close to what you have there,and like I said the thread hanging out of the outer tie rods is a quarter inch diffent. I can't get the pic on here but trust me its off,if you pm me your email I could send it that way.
 
ford must not be reputable then I can see if I could get a printout,but you don't need a computer to see that its off I can see that with my eye's plain as day.
 
nope not even close,just printed out that an alignment was done and that he installed the outer tie rod ends nothing even close to what you have there,and like I said the thread hanging out of the outer tie rods is a quarter inch diffent. I can't get the pic on here but trust me its off,if you pm me your email I could send it that way.

A 1/4" difference in the threads isn't that uncommon - but the dragging is.

Find a competent front end shop. This one sounds like the one that swore caster wasn't adjustable on these cars because of the MacPherson Strut front suspension design.

THAT shop gets zero from me now.

(Mosley Auto here in Bossier City. Sad, too.)

RwP
 
ok racecougar I was able to email the you the pics let me know what you think.

Yes, I received the email with pictures. I'm not sure what magic you're expecting from any of us through the internet. I'd advise either returning to wherever the "alignment" was supposedly done and getting them to correct it, or taking the car to a dedicated alignment shop, as a number of us recommended from the start. Wherever you go, I would not leave without a printout showing the before/after settings.
 
now that my car is more road worthy I may just search for a good alighnment shop,one would think that the dealer would fall under that category. I live so far from anything the closest thing to me was the dealer that is the one and only reason I took it to them. not looking for magic just wondered if you could see from the pictures the difference in the tires angle? Just really discouraged with all the struggles I have had with the front end but thanks for all the advice it has really helped me out,sooner or later it will all get done LOL.
 
well found out the advice you all gave me was true,I should have tightened everything while the car was under its own weight. I put the strut together off the car and when the the weight was put back on the car the nut was not up where it should have been,so that is where the noise is coming from,they are tightening them and redoing the alignment so looks like everything will be fine,thanks again for all your advice guys will see some of you in June.
 
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