So now twice now I've taken in my explorer to get it aligned and both times they refuse to do so and try to up charge me for phantom work that doesn't need to happen.
How do I do this myself at home?
So now twice now I've taken in my explorer to get it aligned and both times they refuse to do so and try to up charge me for phantom work that doesn't need to happen.
How do I do this myself at home?
What year Explorer?
If it has a solid axle in the rear, then there generally isn't anything to adjust there which leaves you with camber, caster and toe to adjust up front.
In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :
It's a 98, solid axle rear
Thanks for all the links too, the latest guy told me that I needed a new ball joint( which was just replaced) and that Ford used the "wrong caster plates, can't be aligned"
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:So now twice now I've taken in my explorer to get it aligned and both times they refuse to do so and try to up charge me for phantom work that doesn't need to happen.
How do I do this myself at home?
Is it pulling one way or the other? Or wearing the tires in an asymmetrical pattern?
If its pulling the cheapest thing to do is swap the tires right to left and see if the pulling switches directions.
Toe and camber can wear tires. Caster not so much.
In reply to jharry3 :
It's wearing on the inside so the camber is probably off. Although looking at it I'm thinking toe out is a bit off.
But according to the alignment tech it's a caster problem.... somehow. Apparently no explorer can be aligned though too
Try a Ford truck shop.
Caster won't cause tire wear, it will cause it to pull one way or the other. I spent 21 years under an alignment rack and have aligned a few Exploders. The camber may require aftermarket eccentric cams to get it correct and according to my Hunter alignment spec. book, the cross caster is adjustable on the right side. Which I always thought was weird. Attached is a drawing of the adjustments.This may help explain what they are saying. Unless something is bent or there are worn bushings, or the springs have started to collapse, it should be able to be aligned. But they are a PITA.
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In reply to drock25too :
Thanks for the pic.
It's not pulling either way, it tracks straight and doesn't do anything weird. It's just eating front tires.
I don't think they really took a look at it, I saw them drive over and just kinda stare at it a moment. I think they were just busy and pissy. I'm just tired of it and the drive down was in horrid conditions so it didn't help my mood. It's a Les Schwab and they are notorious for upcharging.
In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :
Awesome! Thanks
I seem to remember working on some explorers/rangers where that upper control arm had been replaced with something that didnt have the adjustment built in, making it actually non-adjustable without swapping parts. It is a strange form of adjustment, regardless. They may just not have been comfortable with it.
You can do a 'good enough' job of correcting toe with a tape measure and repeated test drives, honestly. This is coming from an ASE Master auto teacher who teaches 5 different groups of suspension and steering students this semester, if it helps.
In reply to Vigo (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah, even a lot of Explorer forms and groups recommend replacing it with a one piece unit. I did replace the ball joint ( and got a screaming deal from Rock Auto on the outer control arm for $2.38) but mine is the standard 2 piece design.
That's good to hear from someone who knows their stuff. I really kinda thought I could probably do it but the advice I got was alignment is a form of voodoo basically. I figured that since the rims and tires are the same I should be able to get it close enough by choosing the same spot on the tire.
It's not pulling, darting, wandering or acting weird, it can't be THAT far off but according to the shop it's an absolute E36 M3show. I've owned explorers for awhile and know how they act when they are working well. It's just eating the front tires a bit, there isn't play in anything. Hell, the upper ball joint probably didn't even need replaced but it was the only thing that had any play at all......and it was minimal.
The whole thing is frustrating.
How often do you rotate the tires ?
Probably a problem related to now being front wheel drive, but my 2013 explorer tracks straight and handles wonderfully on the 500/600tw tires reccomended for it, but will eat them in 6 to 8 months. Switching to a harder more truck like tire fixed the issue where an alignment didnt change anything
One can get pro results with string and jackstands. the links above, or youtube will get you what you need.
iceracer said:How often do you rotate the tires ?
At least twice a year, often more. I run winter and summer tires so at least twice they get rotated
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