# Answers please



## tripjjj (Oct 21, 2013)

I bought a 2008 ford f250 with 80,000 miles last year. Previous owner did not plow with it. I put a stainless steel fisher v plow on it. Did not plow much last year and when I'm not plowing I take it off. Recently I noticed front tires are wearing unevenly. Took it in to get alignment done mechanic shop told me I need to replace $3,000 worth of parts. Latt arm, pitman arm , tie rods and some other stuff. I'm going to get a second opinion. Does this make sense?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Fords rides stiff so good chance with those miles.


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## tripjjj (Oct 21, 2013)

Any idea if taking it to a ford dealership it would be cheaper?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

No,but you will get Fords parts and not aftermarket.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

If the guy that owned it before you never heard of or used grease that is possible. Is the $3k parts and labor? I am assuming that also includes an alignment. ?

Just for giggles I would take it to another place and ask them to align it and do not mention what the 1st shop said. In fact don't even mention you took it to another place first.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Can't grease anything on them


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## Jguck25 (Oct 30, 2009)

that doesnt sound right to me... i havent replaced that much stuff on all three of my superduty front ends combined.. my f250 with 200k on it has only had one tie rod replaced and both wheel bearings and one set of balljoints ince it was bought new in 2002


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

grandview;1663074 said:


> Can't grease anything on them


You can't be serious???


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## tripjjj (Oct 21, 2013)

$3,000 was just parts. I'm going to try another place tomorrow.


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## KIVALO (Dec 27, 2012)

I plow 4 driveways and one business parking lot and I only have an HTS. I can definitely tell the difference in the front end and my tires wore unevenly. And thats from one season with light snowfall.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

REAPER;1663082 said:


> You can't be serious???


Nope everything is sealed. Its better that way

I can do full brakes and ball joints for a little under 2k including labor . Tie rods are 1.3 a side. They will usually round it up to 3. The tie rods are expensive.

$3k in parts isn't all that far fetched. I think the bearings were 500 a piece. One tie rod was over 300.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

Whiffyspark;1663093 said:


> Nope everything is sealed. Its better that way
> 
> I can do full brakes and ball joints for a little under 2k including labor . Tie rods are 1.3 a side. They will usually round it up to 3. The tie rods are expensive.
> 
> $3k in parts isn't all that far fetched. I think the bearings were 500 a piece. One tie rod was over 300.


Guess I am old school. I like to get under and grease it up myself and make sure it stays that way. When I replace u-joints I also make sure to get greasable ones.

You're right $3k in parts these days is not un-heard of , but, I would still take it to another place and get a second opine. Again I would not mention you took it somewhere else before hand.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

REAPER;1663097 said:


> Guess I am old school. I like to get under and grease it up myself and make sure it stays that way. When I replace u-joints I also make sure to get greasable ones.
> 
> You're right $3k in parts these days is not un-heard of , but, I would still take it to another place and get a second opine. Again I would not mention you took it somewhere else before hand.


I agree with a second opinion.

I don't use any greasable parts. I like sealed. Don't have to worry about forgetting to grease them,tiny bits of crud getting in to them. And they always seems to be messy at some point in their life


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## tripjjj (Oct 21, 2013)

Thanks for everyone's responses


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## hackitdown (Oct 10, 2007)

When faced with that type of repair cost, doesn't trading it in begin to make sense? Just a thought.


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## mud (Dec 15, 2005)

Not necessarily. You would take a even bigger hit on trade, plus paying the inflated prices of buying new or used from a dealer.

I will add that it is not all that uncommon in fords to have that work done around that milage. I did all four ball joints in my 01 at around 75k, and did the drivers side again this spring and that was before I had ever put a plow on it.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

If the first owner never did a thing to the front end it's probably all worn out. Just the front brakes you could be into it for $500 or more. Labor is creeping up every year. If you DIY it's 1/3 or a little more. But you have to have the skill.


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## tripjjj (Oct 21, 2013)

Took truck to a different mechanic. He said everything other shop wanted to do was fine. All it needed was a steering stabilizer and shocks. Truck drives better than the day i got it. Parts and labor $450.00. Nothing better than an old school mechanic that has his own place.


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## Jguck25 (Oct 30, 2009)

I knew something was wrong With that quote. I've never seen a super duty that needed all that work with less than 200k on it.


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## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

unless your alignment was off your tires will probably still wear uneven. the stabilizer shock wont affect your tire problem. Id bet you are due for as set of ball joints.


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## crete5245 (Aug 24, 2006)

Sounds like you all ready have it fixed, but I was going to say.. Does any of you guys ever consider using your local tech school... I teach at one and we do a lot of front end work, all we can charge for is parts with no labor, you only pay for parts, I cannot believe that there is 3000 dollars worth of front end parts on a truck. Just a thought, the only draw back is we usually take several days to do ball joints and bushing and to align it... 

Just a thought...


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## 03fordboss (Sep 30, 2011)

sno commander;1666174 said:


> unless your alignment was off your tires will probably still wear uneven. the stabilizer shock wont affect your tire problem. Id bet you are due for as set of ball joints.


But bad shocks will cause tires to wear funny.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

03fordboss;1666224 said:


> But bad shocks will cause tires to wear funny.


No not usually. Just crappy ride. They'd have to be worn out to the point where you can easily push the car down and it bounces back several times

As far as the mechanic saying what you do or don't need. Everyone has their own opinion. You take it to 5 shops you'll get 5 opinions


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

The High School my wife works at has an auto shop. They are only allowed to work on school employee and school board cars. I had them replace a sub frame on our F&%$#*g Malibu. $800, the price of the essembly.


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## 03fordboss (Sep 30, 2011)

Whiffyspark;1666357 said:


> No not usually. Just crappy ride. They'd have to be worn out to the point where you can easily push the car down and it bounces back several times
> 
> As far as the mechanic saying what you do or don't need. Everyone has their own opinion. You take it to 5 shops you'll get 5 opinions


I have had it happen before, It caused me ruin a set of mud tires due to chopping the outside tread. And yes the shocks were wore out completely but we are talking about a 1 ton pickup from the 90's which you can't tell a crappy ride from a good ride.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

I have a test ride street I go down to check shocks. It's brick and terrible!


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## 07PSDCREW (Sep 4, 2011)

crete5245;1666187 said:


> Sounds like you all ready have it fixed, but I was going to say.. Does any of you guys ever consider using your local tech school... I teach at one and we do a lot of front end work, all we can charge for is parts with no labor, you only pay for parts, I cannot believe that there is 3000 dollars worth of front end parts on a truck. Just a thought, the only draw back is we usually take several days to do ball joints and bushing and to align it...
> 
> Just a thought...


I'm not knocking your tech school but I'd rather pay for someone who knows what they are doing then have someone learn as they go on my truck. I work at a Ford Dealership and the local Tech school shop, Wachusett Regional, drained oil on a 2012 Ford Edge and then filled the transmission with 6qts of oil. Left the teacher stranded on her way home with a blown engine... I can't poke fingers at the kid because the cap for the TRANS looks like an oil cap and even has the dipstick on it, but its way down low and off to the side when the oil cap is right in front of you on the valve cover.


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## crete5245 (Aug 24, 2006)

07psdcrew


Know what your saying, I always try and make sure all bolts are tight and lugs are torqued down. Not saying I have not had some bolts loose or come loose because of not properly torque down. 

Like I was saying just a thought..


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