Gavin Allan
Well-Known Member
I had my Trac in at the Ford dealer for wheel rotation/balance on Friday to see if they can do anything about the horrible vibration with the Goodyear RT/S tires. (Mine have 38,000 miles on them and have over half the tread but the front ones get cupped all the time, so I rotate them every 6000-8000 miles).
Anyway, the service guy called me at work and talked me into a wheel alignment, even though the trac doesn't pull at all and the steering wheel is dead-nuts level/centered going straight down the highway.
When I went to pick it up, they charged me $39.95 for the rotation and balance; $39.95 for the wheel alignment; and $39.95 to "Remove the factory cam lock, RH side". I asked what the factory cam lock charge was, and the service advisor said it is a metal piece in my console-- a 1" square x 1/4" thick chunk of metal with a 1/2" hole in the center, and there are some very sharp barbs on the edges of the square. He said that it is a lock that holds the factory alignment setting, and if they change the alignment, they have to remove this locking piece to allow the change in a new position. He said it isn't needed, because they crank the bolt down tight and it never slips without the cam lock. He said only the right side needed adjusting--the left side is still locked OK in the factory setting.
Anyone know anything about this? I have heard about shim kits for adjusting the alignment, but not anything about locks.
The truck steers and handles exactly the same. I don't notice any difference except that the cupped tire noise is now in the rear.
Thanks
Anyway, the service guy called me at work and talked me into a wheel alignment, even though the trac doesn't pull at all and the steering wheel is dead-nuts level/centered going straight down the highway.
When I went to pick it up, they charged me $39.95 for the rotation and balance; $39.95 for the wheel alignment; and $39.95 to "Remove the factory cam lock, RH side". I asked what the factory cam lock charge was, and the service advisor said it is a metal piece in my console-- a 1" square x 1/4" thick chunk of metal with a 1/2" hole in the center, and there are some very sharp barbs on the edges of the square. He said that it is a lock that holds the factory alignment setting, and if they change the alignment, they have to remove this locking piece to allow the change in a new position. He said it isn't needed, because they crank the bolt down tight and it never slips without the cam lock. He said only the right side needed adjusting--the left side is still locked OK in the factory setting.
Anyone know anything about this? I have heard about shim kits for adjusting the alignment, but not anything about locks.
The truck steers and handles exactly the same. I don't notice any difference except that the cupped tire noise is now in the rear.
Thanks
