Wheel Alignment :-(

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by darksidZz, Apr 17, 2007.

  1. darksidZz Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,924
    I took my 1995 Ford Windstar here http://www.ntb.com/ and they did a full alignment on the wheels. I am now faced with a very sad truth, the steering wheel isn't straight! I can't believe they aligned my wheels but ignored the steering?! Do any of you know what might be required of me to adjust this myself?

    I feel sad, how can they do this to me! 84 bucks for my steering wheel to be crooked... what a joke... they're not mechanics.
     
  2. Guest Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. one_raven God is a Chinese Whisper Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,433
    Bring it back and tell them to fix it.
     
  4. Guest Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. darksidZz Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,924
    I'm shy and submissive, I do not wanna go back there alone

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  6. Guest Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. Nickelodeon Banned Banned

    Messages:
    10,581
    Go back with a stunning blonde on your arm.
     
  8. one_raven God is a Chinese Whisper Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,433
    If you're submissive, then submit, damnit!
    Do as you're told - go back there right now and tell them to complete the job they started and charged you for.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  9. Oxygen One Hissy Kitty Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,478
    They're supposed to make sure the steering wheel is straight. It's part of the alignment process. When you hold your wheel straight, the vehicle is supposed to drive straight. Ifyou hold the wheel straight and the car is turning in a circle, then it's not aligned. Even if you can make it go straight by holding the wheel at a 45 degree turn, it's still not aligned.

    Make them correct their work, then I'd have it inspected at another shop just to make sure they get funny with anything else while they were under there.
     
  10. darksidZz Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,924
    I may...

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

    come with me.
     
  11. one_raven God is a Chinese Whisper Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,433
    It's time to finally step up and be a man.
    You can do it.
    I've seen you be belligerent and forceful in here.
     
  12. vslayer Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,969
    steering wheels are supposed to sit straight? cant say ive ever driven a car where that happened.
     
  13. Oxygen One Hissy Kitty Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,478
    I had a '58 Chevy that had the wheel kicked over a few degrees. It was a great car, but annoying as hell to drive because of the wheel. You always felt like you were steering into the curb.

    darksidZz If you're in the USA,you're backed by all kinds of rights. Technically, a vehicle that is out of alignment is classified as 'unsafe'. I'm asuming the wheel was fine when you took it in. They've made your vehicle unsafe, and if you want to push it, they've potentially jeopardized your life and the lives of others on the road.

    For your own information, you may want to run the outfit's name through the Better Business Bureau's website (I think it's www.bbb.com). If you don't get satisfaction, file a report through that agency. When they get enough complaints on a company, the FTC gets involved, and businesses have been sued into oblivion over things like this.

    Good luck.
     
  14. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    Ĩ ŵĕÑť ťð ģĕť ąÑ ą1īģÑMĕÑť ąÑď §þĕÑť 600. Tĥĕŷ ƒðųÑď ą bąď çðÑťŗð1 ąŗM bų§ĥīÑģ, §ð ťĥĕŷ ŗĕþ1ąçĕď ťĥąť ąÑď Ĩ ĥąď ťĥĕM þųť Mŷ §ťðçĶ §ų§þĕѧīðÑ bąçĶ ðÑ. Ŵīťĥ Mŷ 1ðŵĕŗĕď §þðŗť §ų§þĕѧīðÑ, īť ŵą§ ą1ŵąŷ§ ģðīÑģ ðųť ðƒ ą1īģÑMĕÑť, ąÑď Ĩ ŵą§ ĥīťťīÑģ §ťųƒƒ, 1īĶĕ Mŷ ďŗīVĕŵąŷ.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2007
  15. vslayer Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,969
    must have a fucking expensive part if it cost you 600EU. i replaced my calipers in just under an hour, and the control arm isnt too much different. shocks took about 20 minutes each.
     
  16. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    Not really, about 90 plus another 90 for install. 350 to install old suspension.
     
  17. vslayer Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,969
    350 to install NEW suspension is understandable, but if you already had the parts then they shouldnt need to do any more than 2 hours labour.
     
  18. darksidZz Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,924
    Spidergoat.... I realize now I'm not the most bored person alive....
     
  19. valich Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,501
    there's two ways to do this. When you do a wheel alignment you're supposed to adjust the tie rods in accordance with keeping the steering wheel centered. The mechanics neglected this and you should take the vehicle back and tell them to do it right. Anytime you have a wheel alignment done the steering wheel should be centered. The other jack-ass way of centering the steering wheel is to remove it - it's only one bolt - and then reposition it on the steering column shaft that has a score of notches. The problem with doing it this way is that you're overriding the inherent centering mechanism of the steering column lobes that try to keep the vehicle going straight, but it does work. Take it back to the mechanics and tell them to center the steering wheel.
     
  20. Oxygen One Hissy Kitty Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,478
    DEFINITELY do not let them do the jackass way! Especially on a newer steering wheel! Too much stuff inside the column is dependent on where that wheel is. We did that once as a quick fix on a '63 T-Bird. You know, "We'll just do this until we can do it right." That day never came and a beautiful car handled like turd. Modern set-ups have too many components integrated to make jerry-rigging worth it.
     
  21. phonetic stroking my banjo Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,157
    Didn't you notice the second you left the garage?

    "Oh shit... kerb!" ??

    That's pretty shoddy on their part. If they fail to do something as basic as that, I don't think I'd trust them with a potentially life threatening repair.

    Take it back. If they've any sense they'll be apologetic and sort it out there and then.
     

Share This Page