need help with alignment issues

[pengwin]

about a month ago went to get an alignment cause of really bad tire wear and they told me there was to much play on the driver side front tire and my rack and pinion was the problem so i had it changed got some new tires and went back to do the alignment after they did the alignment they told me there is play on the passenger side front caused by a lower ball joint and that my back passenger cant be aligned cause of the car getting "settled". he then told me that i would have to get and adjustable lower ball joint and new springs to get it all situated it seems when i fix something i need to do something else is this guy yanking my chain or what?

ps. he also told me if it was his car he would put a for sale sign on it. i laughed in his face

^^ the alignment before and after

[deevergote]

I've never heard of an adjustable lower ball joint for our cars... ever. There are adjustable upper ball joints for the front only, but those are only needed if your car is lowered (is your car lowered?)
However, any bad ball joints DO need to be replaced. A bad ball joint can fail unexpectedly, and that will make you crash without a doubt.

I'm not sure what he means by "settled" in the rear.



If you've accurately repeated everything he told you, it sounds like he's pulling your chain... or that he doesn't know what he's talking about!
I would find a place like Firestone that offers a lifetime alignment package. $200 or so (I think I paid $180) and you'll never pay again for an alignment for as long as you own that car. Better yet, I'm quite sure it'll apply at any location (that's how it works for Firestone, I don't know if any other place does it.) So if you doubt the tech or the equipment at one location, you can go to another.

[pengwin]

I've never heard of an adjustable lower ball joint for our cars... ever. There are adjustable upper ball joints for the front only, but those are only needed if your car is lowered (is your car lowered?)
However, any bad ball joints DO need to be replaced. A bad ball joint can fail unexpectedly, and that will make you crash without a doubt.

I'm not sure what he means by "settled" in the rear.



If you've accurately repeated everything he told you, it sounds like he's pulling your chain... or that he doesn't know what he's talking about!
I would find a place like Firestone that offers a lifetime alignment package. $200 or so (I think I paid $180) and you'll never pay again for an alignment for as long as you own that car. Better yet, I'm quite sure it'll apply at any location (that's how it works for Firestone, I don't know if any other place does it.) So if you doubt the tech or the equipment at one location, you can go to another.

opps my mistake its the upper ball joint just looked at the quote they gave me. my car is at stock height, he explains the "settled" part as the springs are to old and have compressed to much and is causing the car to be to low only on the passenger side. all of this was done at commercial tire which i thought was a good place and have been here many times. but i will look in to Firestone for that life time thing

[deevergote]

Ok, that makes a bit more sense then.

However, you should not need an adjustable ball joint for a stock suspension. You'd be better off replacing the springs and shocks with new OEM or quality OEM-replacement parts, if you don't intend to lower the car. If you do intend to lower it, then get quality shocks and springs for lowering AND a camber kit (which would be the adjustable ball joints, or anchor bolts... both do the same thing.)

[pengwin]

thanks deeve for the help. i do plan to lower in the future with the str.t and nuespeed sports. is there any chamber kits that you would or anyone else would suggest so i can make plans and save for the parts.