Are these guys yanking my chain?

[Chris_North]

So I've had a bit of a day. A lot of other goings on, combined with not enough sleep, combined with it being pretty warm out today (think it kissed 90, but it gets a lot hotter on a black roof with several packaged ACs running around you). But one thing that really got me is these guys at Sears Auto. Typically I like Sears for an alignment because they have that warranty and usually they get everything pretty straight. I don't know WTF is going on now.

For a few months my truck has been making a clunking noise that sounds like it's coming from some sort of loose front suspension component. I didn't find anything obvious so figured I would drop it off to them a few weeks ago and see if they could find anything (since they do a check for "free"). Nothing. I have a longer than usual trip planned for tomorrow so yesterday I figured I'd revisit the issue and drop it off to an extended family member mechanic, who looked at it and said everything looks tight except the passenger upper control arm bolt was loose and that looked like it was probably making the noise as it slid back and forth inside the alignment slot. He's squirrely sometimes and he didn't just tighten up on the bolts and leave it and instead said to take it to get aligned someplace and that should correct the issue. Sounds easy enough, it was passed due for one anyway.

So I drop it off, 2 hours later I get a call (also 20 minutes before they close) "You know we can't align this with the bushings being the way they are right?" Oh gee, I guess I should have psychically figured this out after not hearing from you all this time. Apparently the upper A-arm bushings on the passenger side are "shot." Now I was a little suspicious about this since my guy didn't make any mention of it and both control arms are only about 18 months old, but I figured what the hell. I asked again to be certain. "Yup only the bushings, prolly just replace the whole upper and be done with it." Whatever, easy enough. Get the part from the auto store, paint it yellow (of course ) and plan to install it this afternoon, which I do and it takes all of about 40 minutes and that's only because I had to find the appropriate wrenches swimming in the toolbox. I don't see a damn thing wrong with this arm. Ball joint is solid, bushings are like new, the only thing is a very very almost inperceivable amount of egging on one side of the steel washer. Nothing, at least in my opinion, you could have seen without pulling the whole thing off. Whatever, not the first time this happened. Brought it back to them right after this (admittedly did not pay any attention to position of the camber kit). Only 90 minutes this time. "You need an elliptical kit. We can get the toe straightened for you but we can't fix the caster without it." This is why I'm really upset now. You looked close enough to notice I need a new control arm but pay no attention to the caster/camber kit? Which I might add you guys put in for the same problem 8 months ago? "We can get the kit for $20, then install for $30. Until then we'll set up the toe so you at least you won't eat up your tires. You'll still notice some pulling to the right until then." $30 to put in two bolts, a total of 15 minutes tops? No thanks. And what pull? I didn't have any pulling to any direction until after I threw the new arm on, and that's because the thing is probably so out of whack from me not giving a crap when putting it back together. Okay whatever, do that. I'm half tempted to pull the old kit, wire wheel it, then throw it back in to see what they say. How is what was only slightly out of spec before now impossible to get even close all of a sudden?

So is it me? Am I missing something or have the wrong opinion here? I'm busy tomorrow, but I still have the old arm and I think I might pull and change the bolt kit myself just for poops and giggles. Not getting why it's such a big deal to get two wheels in a position that a computer tells you is acceptable. Tedious, but not difficult.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You'll find that a lot. Sounds like they're trying to find things to add to the bill so the mechanic can pocket more money. Mechanics in places like that work on commission mostly, the more stuff they can talk you into, the more money they make. I had one local shop that had the stones to tell me that my "front end components are really badly rusted and we can't align it without breaking things." When I calmly informed them that the ENTIRE front axle and steering had been re-built within the last year and a half or so and that it was impossible for everything to be that badly rusted already... I got a lot of uhh...uhm...ahh...well...ahh... (about the same noises we get from the current person residing in the Oval Office when the tel-e-prompter goes down).

 

[rangerin]

Yep, that's pretty normal. Last time I took my ranger in to get some tires put on they tried to tell me my front bearings were bad. It's 2WD and snugging them up took literally 15 minutes. I was also told my shocks were bad. My reply "I sure bet so, they are 30 years old!" Haven't bothered to change them yet, but they'll take what, 30 minutes tops?

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Yep, that's pretty normal. Last time I took my ranger in to get some tires put on they tried to tell me my front bearings were bad. It's 2WD and snugging them up took literally 15 minutes. I was also told my shocks were bad. My reply "I sure bet so, they are 30 years old!" Haven't bothered to change them yet, but they'll take what, 30 minutes tops?

Hey they're just trying to make a buck...[enter sarcasm]

 

[rangerin]

Haha, that may be true, but trying to nickle and dime a 30 year old beater with the floor rusted out doesn't make sense?