Service and alignment questions

[Labraptor]

Had the truck at the dealer again today and asked them to check the alignment. They put a new steering rack in a few weeks ago. It went back in because shortly after I got it back it started making a very noticeable clicking sound whenever you turned the wheel. I asked them to check alignment because it had what appeared to be too much negative camber. Top of tires leaned in enough to notice standing in driveway looking at it.

Got a call this afternoon that the truck would be ready but they didn't have time to align it today. Story is that all they had to do upon inspecting the steering was re torque everything with the truck sitting on the ground and the noise went away. When I asked what they found the service manager said "nothing just re torqued everything and the noise went away". Then they tell me they could align the truck and that I was right about the negative camber they just didn't have the 3 hours they need to align it. Also told me that they would align it for free but it was technically in spec. It was -1.1 camber and the service manager said Ford spec allows up to -1.2.

First question I have is what the hell did they do that they needed to re torque everything? Really doubt they know what they are doing. This same service manager told me the truck wasn't safe to drive as it was when it went in last time but, I could have it back and drive it until the new rack came in if I really wanted too.
Second question, isn't negative 1.1 too much? Should I have them align it again or just take it to a different shop for an alignment and have their work checked?

Still can't tell for sure if it is the technicians at the dealer that don't know what they are doing or if it just the service manager. The last visit before they replaced the rack I was told nothing was wrong with the rack and truck would be done the next day. Next day comes and the story is the rack is bad and it would be Tuesday before they could get the new one. This was on a Friday. Story always changes and nothing seems to ever get fixed the first time.

 

[khcdave]

thats bs- they left something loose. Either the rack main bolts or the steering shaft. Mine had a rack done and the steering shaft was loose. its is in spec at 1.1. If you have alignment cams you can easily get it to .5 to .2 which is were I like to run it.

 

[maximus5403]

3 hours needed to align it??? Took 30 min at my dealer including the tech's test drive.

 

[Labraptor]

I agree 3 hours is a joke. His answer was that it isn't as easy as other vehicles. If they knew what they were doing I can't see how it would be any worse.
Really concerned that they "fixed" something by torquing everything. Hard to believe they didn't get that done the first time. Thank god I stayed on pavement for a few weeks. If they left things loose and I jumped it with the family in there and then had to drive on the highway to get back things could have gotten ugly.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Tough deal Mark. I'm surprised your dealer can even align it. I was told by the dealer here that they have to change the tires to a regular f150 cause the wheels don't work with the machine. Sounded like bs, they still had to send it out to have it done.

So does it click any more?

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

 

[Labraptor]

The clicking went away. I still have wobble though. I blame the wobble on tires needing balanced again. Had them road force balanced when new before Havoc. Had them rebalanced the next day the shop was open because I had a passenger vomit inducing wobble that started at about 40. Not too bad now but still irritating and I wouldn't drive to the UP without fixing it. Wife wouldn't make it far without getting sick.
Weird thing is all the other shops in this area use the Ford dealer to align any oversized trucks. They are the only shop in town with a big enough alignment rack. I need to find time to take it to a shop in a different town near me.

 

[Wilson]

I think they are filling you full of crap. your job won't make them money so they will do it for free when they are slow. <basicly
I saw in Jimmys bd wish thread your tires looked towed in was going to say something then thought I was just seeing things.

 

[maximus5403]

Tough deal Mark. I'm surprised your dealer can even align it. I was told by the dealer here that they have to change the tires to a regular f150 cause the wheels don't work with the machine. Sounded like bs, they still had to send it out to have it done.

So does it click any more?

Yukon Joe
GREAT LAKES RAPTOR EXCURSIONS

My dealer said the Raptor's stock tires are too big for the wheel clamps/sensors they use on the alignment machine. So they sent me to a shop about a mile away where they performed the alignment and billed it to Ford under warranty. Still, if I were you I would go to a different dealership. My local dealer sucks, so I travel about 45 min away to a better one.

 

[Yukon Joe]

My dealer said the Raptor's stock tires are too big for the wheel clamps/sensors they use on the alignment machine. So they sent me to a shop about a mile away where they performed the alignment and billed it to Ford under warranty. Still, if I were you I would go to a different dealership. My local dealer sucks, so I travel about 45 min away to a better one.

I hear yeah brother!
Before I took my truck there I specifically asked if they had worked on Raptors and if they had done alignments on them.... they said yes. But apparently that was bs when they couldn't do the alignment.

Mark, isn't there any 4x4 or truck shops in the area?

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

 

[Labraptor]

I wish there were 4x4 shops here. We have nothing around here unless you want your John Deere fixed. There is a shop about 20 miles away that specializes in alignments for bigger trucks. That is all they do though. I have a decent mechanic but he doesn't have a rack big enough.

This is all part of the reason I have not upgraded control arms and suspension yet. Now thanks tonour lovely state government and their not paying their bills I won't have to even consider any upgrades for a while.