2002 windstar adjust strut towers ??

[fy171]

had my steering rack replace by ford cause leaking,got a call from them that it needed alignment ,strut towers were out of alignment, $59.95 for alignment and $149.95 for caster & camber adjustment ,was told they had to drill the pins out and would take 3 hours so i said OK ,got home went to look were they drill out the pins and couldn't find were it was done look at the service manual and on top of the strut tower is a u shape plate that there is welded to the frame 4 spots weld have to be drill out make adjustment then drill 3 holes and install pop rivet,is the only way to adjust strut tower,i look at the 4 spot weld on top of the strut tower and it still had the 4 weld spot not drill out so i say they didn't do the alignment like they said ,before i go back and say something i want to make sure I'm correct about this,

thank you frank

[garync1]

Sound like from what the manual said you should be right. I would go back with manual or copy and ask to show what work was done. On your bill should have mechanics name. Ask for service manager not service rep that helped you.I have
friend who works for Ford right now at my local dealer and he told me that some have been showing work done that was never done. Of course if they get caught they get fired.But if no one the wiser than they get away with it. Hopefully the service manager is not in on this. They make there money not only by turn over but also buy customer satisfaction if they fail at one or both they are most of the time replaced.."COMPLAINTS"..The service manager at my local dealership always asked how every thing went and if I am happy with there service..But thats here and they have another Ford dealership to compete with..

[wiswind]

This is a PRIME example of how a good repair manual is a good thing to have even if you DON'T do any of the work on your vehicle.
You can look up what is involved in a job, and often catch on when they are trying to fleece you.
I believe that most people are honest, but the few that lack personal integrity ruin the trust that people have in all car repair shops.

[fy171]

just installed new tires on this ,old one were dry roted going back to ford on sat for recall install and will ask about alignment work done,will report back the result

thanks frank
great site with plenty of info and great people

[RickMN]

This is really quite a simple issue. If the car needed a caster/camber adjustment that required drilling out the welds, you have to pay for it and you would see the welds drilled out. If they didn't have to drill out the welds, then the caster/camber was either within spec, or they charged you to do the work and didn't do it. Either way, you should demand your money back.

[catvents]

Originally Posted by RickMN

This is really quite a simple issue. If the car needed a caster/camber adjustment that required drilling out the welds, you have to pay for it and you would see the welds drilled out. If they didn't have to drill out the welds, then the caster/camber was either within spec, or they charged you to do the work and didn't do it. Either way, you should demand your money back.

Just a curiosity question, how come that the camber/caster has to be adjusted after a rack & pinion ( or tir rod end) replacement ? It is just normal
to correct the toe in/ toe out, but I don't understand why the camber/caster
has to be corrected? Please let me know.

[busboy4]

Originally Posted by catvents

Just a curiosity question, how come that the camber/caster has to be adjusted after a rack & pinion ( or tir rod end) replacement ? It is just normal
to correct the toe in/ toe out, but I don't understand why the camber/caster
has to be corrected? Please let me know.

Hi

For what it is worth, my '96 on a couple of occasions has had an alignment done. Both times they showed me that the camber was slightly out and suggested the drill out etc. I did not do it the first time because I just didn't like the sound of it (had not seen a manual, or read about the procedure). Next time I didn't do it because it had not mattered the first time i.e. no unusual pulling or tire wear.

[garync1]

Originally Posted by catvents

Just a curiosity question, how come that the camber/caster has to be adjusted after a rack & pinion ( or tir rod end) replacement ? It is just normal
to correct the toe in/ toe out, but I don't understand why the camber/caster
has to be corrected? Please let me know.

Thats just normal after any front end work. They don't wont you coming back with driving issues. They do this on any front end alignment.

[fy171]

update on stut tower adjustment

went back to dealer on sat to do recall on seat latches and ask team leader i have a question about alignment about the strut tower to show
me were it was drill out and done she says it was done and can show me the the sheet that it was done i said that doesn't tell me it was done i
open the hood and show her the top of strut and said show me were cause i don't see it done ,she say the person that did it was off well i said
there must other person that dose alignment that can show me its a ford dealer i wait for the recall to be done after 3 hours she comes back with
a answer that they adjust the sub frame to make the adjustment so i said show me she says you cant see it you have to take everything apart told her
thats bull,on Monday she will talk to the person that did and ask him what he did ,hes not going to say he didn't do it ,well i went to the manager and the person
i bought the auto from and explain that i was pissed its not even about the money now just the fact that being RIP off and lied to he said wait tell Monday and hell
get to the bottom of this ,next shell tell me you need a muffler bearing, what bullshit you think they can come up with a better story adjust the sub frame

[garync1]

Keep on it with service manager.. Drill out is not the same as subframe adjustment. Not even sure if that can be done on Windstar.. You paid for a drill out adjustment.. So you need to get paid back for work never done.. Or you will file complaint with local Better Business Bureau..

[huskerdooo]

A subframe adjustment takes 1 hour...Albeit I have never heard one done on a Windstar.

I would ask them what procedure they used to perform the action. You wouldn't want them performing any repair that is not endorsed by Ford.

If they come up with the procedure, it will probably be a TSB (and probably for another vehicle). The TSB will indicate the time for the procedure. 3 hours is 3 times too long to adjust the subframe, even if it can be done on this vehicle.

[fy171]

i have the service manual and it doesn't show any alignment on the sub frame the only alignment is top of strut tower.

[taillight]

I have done alinements on fords that insted of drilling out the welds I drilled the 3 shock mounting bolt holes out to about 5/8 inch and used a crescent shaped washer to fill the hole and move the strut bolt around. Remove 1 strut nut and large washer and look for a crescant shaped washer around the stud. It is another acceptable way to adjust a ford. Just in case they did it this way.

[fy171]

the first thing i did was look at the tops of strut tower to see what they did,
the 3 nuts and treaded bolt still had a layer of grime on them so did the shock nut ,there were even leaves on top of the strut ,there weren't touch no sine of a wrench went on the nuts,

[taillight]

Sounds like no alinement to me.