gz1

Hi again guys,
As posted on a previeous thread, My terri was delivered with bad wheel aligment. This was fixed by the dealer and the car was noticeably better, but this niggling doubt remained that all was not well. So today I put the car on the wheel aligner and discovered the following settings:
Left front Right front Left rear right rear
Caster 6.25 5.87 - -
camber -1.13 -0.86 -0.59 -0.96
toe 0.7 0.9 -0.2 -0.96

On the front there is a pretty big difference between left and right especially in caster angles. Also the wheelbase was measured and the left side was 6mm shorter than the right side. (left 2840mm, right 2846mm).
I know these differences are not huge, but I would have expected a new modern car to have better tolerances that this.
Is there anyone in the position to verify wheather these figures are within tolerance and/or acceptable? If they are to be left like this what would be the affect on the car? In my opinion it would at the very least show accelerated tyre wear. In particular the difference in wheelbase concerns me.
thanks guys.

 

rocket

Hi,
When I ordered my Territory, I ordered the optional Leather Sports Steering Wheel. From the moment I drove out of the dealers lot, I noticed that the steering wheel was a little off centre (and with the hand grip position on the wheel, if felt like you were always turning right!!!).
Anyway, I phoned them and had it booked in to get fixed. Simple job - adjust tie-rod ends by the same amount on each side to correct crooked steering wheel. NO WAY!!
I went and picked the T up and as soon as I drove out the driveway - steering wheel still crooked. Phoned them as I was driving home (it was 5pm so no point going back). Booked it in and let them try again - steering still crooked. Booked it in again and let them try again - Service Manager assures me when I phone (really nice guy - I even had HIS XR6 as a loan car!!), that he has driven it and it is perfect. Pick car up - driving home, it felt strange, as I passed along different road sections, sometimes it felt straight then it felt crooked, as always. On the weekend we went for a drive down the freeway. It was windy day and every time a wind gust would hit the T, if would wander about half a lane (I thought - should not have bought a vehicle that is this bad - it was a bit scary!!). On the Monday morning, I phone Ford service to tell the Service Manager that his head must be crooked if he reckons it is perfect.
Took the T to the local tyre place to get them to fix it. When I pick the T up, the guy tells me that the front was toeing out 5.5 degrees (no wonder the wind was making it wander on the freeway).
When I checked with the Service Manager he told me that the first 3 times they tried to do the wheel alignment in-house but there machine was not accurate enough so they sent it to Bob Jane and they left me with the massive toe-out that would have destroyed the tyres rather quickly I suspect.
Makes you think, doesn't it!
Rocket

Paulv

What this highlights to me is that for regular services you are much better off going to your local service company that you've scrutinised to death rather than letting a dealer near it. The dealer service departments are simply not good enough (not just Ford either).

I once had my VL in to Holden service twice because of starting problems. Hundreds of dollars later and no fix. Then I took it a local servo - and the guy there happened to be a fuel/electrical specialist and it genuinely took him less than 1 minute to fix the car - dud battery. The injector voltage requirements in the VL are rather picky and cannot handle low voltage during ignition (starter motor sucking too much juice).

Re my Terri - still waiting for the parts they didn't have in stock during the 3000k service I'm not particularly impressed. I don't expect the dealer to hold all parts in stock BUT they should be able to get them delivered in the next day or two. These are really common items and there should be no supply issues.

rocket

The funny thing is, you need parts through Ford Service and they can take weeks, but if you order the parts yourself through Ford Parts - you can order in the morning and they usually have them that afternoon!!!