AK4wheeler
Member
Hey fellow Expy owners...
New to the site, but not new to Expys...I have a 2001 XLT 4x4 (A4WD) with 5.4L. It has only 90K miles...love the truck but now has a problem that I can not figure out and am about to shoot the truck.
HISTORY:
I have had the truck since new and everything was great until about 2 years ago. I had an alignment problem, got it aligned and it went out again, immediately. Found out that the idler arm needed replaced. Replaced the idler arm and realigned. That lasted for about 6 months, went back out of alignment. Checked the idler arm...no problems. Could not find anything else wrong. Realigned. Lasted for another 6 months. Did another check on all steering/suspension components. Nothing. Realigned, lasted a week. You get the idea...It has been popping out of alignment every 1-2 weeks for the last year. Here are the parts that have been replaced during the last 3 months:
Idler arm (again)
Hub bearing assemblies
Shocks
Lower Ball Joints
Roters
Pads
I have spent about $2500 on this truck during the past 3-4 months and is still out of alignment. The front steering/suspension has been blown apart 3 times, the truck has been to two Ford Stealerships and three different Firestone Auto Care centers (Lifetime alignment), and the truck is still out of the alignment. I was assured that the holes for the cam bolt through the frame is not elongated. The last time it was at the shop, I was told that the upper A arm bushings are wearing out but that it does not affect the alignment (I have a clunking when I turn the wheel) and at another $700 I am not about to replace the arms to change the bushings. I am not getting a noise under the front end that sounds like a dragging chain running down the road.
What am I, Firestone, and Ford missing? Why will this darn truck not stay in alignment? What can be done without spending a crap load more money on this thing?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
AK4wheeler
New to the site, but not new to Expys...I have a 2001 XLT 4x4 (A4WD) with 5.4L. It has only 90K miles...love the truck but now has a problem that I can not figure out and am about to shoot the truck.
HISTORY:
I have had the truck since new and everything was great until about 2 years ago. I had an alignment problem, got it aligned and it went out again, immediately. Found out that the idler arm needed replaced. Replaced the idler arm and realigned. That lasted for about 6 months, went back out of alignment. Checked the idler arm...no problems. Could not find anything else wrong. Realigned. Lasted for another 6 months. Did another check on all steering/suspension components. Nothing. Realigned, lasted a week. You get the idea...It has been popping out of alignment every 1-2 weeks for the last year. Here are the parts that have been replaced during the last 3 months:
Idler arm (again)
Hub bearing assemblies
Shocks
Lower Ball Joints
Roters
Pads
I have spent about $2500 on this truck during the past 3-4 months and is still out of alignment. The front steering/suspension has been blown apart 3 times, the truck has been to two Ford Stealerships and three different Firestone Auto Care centers (Lifetime alignment), and the truck is still out of the alignment. I was assured that the holes for the cam bolt through the frame is not elongated. The last time it was at the shop, I was told that the upper A arm bushings are wearing out but that it does not affect the alignment (I have a clunking when I turn the wheel) and at another $700 I am not about to replace the arms to change the bushings. I am not getting a noise under the front end that sounds like a dragging chain running down the road.
What am I, Firestone, and Ford missing? Why will this darn truck not stay in alignment? What can be done without spending a crap load more money on this thing?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
AK4wheeler
