[cjdr]

Hi,
Recently had a service on my 2.0 Duratec Mondeo(2001) carried out once again at Ford main dealer.They recommended replacement of the rear subframe bushes due splitting/separation.

I read up the various posts on polyurethane bushes and the four wheel alignment check required after the work. I don't have the ramps or interest in lying under my car with bleeding knuckles for a couple of hours so I sent it back to Fords, yesterday, to replace the bushes. Picked it up today, £180 lighter and have a few questions about the job.

They only carried out a "front and rear alignment check" both noted as being "in spec". Is this the correct check to be carried out after the work? Also the steering wheel appears to be offset to the left by a few degrees with the front road wheels straight. Is there an adjustment that they have carried out which would have caused this? Is there a further procedure to realign the steering wheel? Only just replaced all four tyres which had lasted 40000 miles from new with no unusual wear, so I am keen in getting the job done right. Any advise will be gratefully recieved

 

[GingaGizmo]

I'll be watching this as I have just had my bushes done. I will be taking it into a local place (recommended on here, Drury lane in Manchester) and they do a full alignment check for £40 plus Vat.

 

[John_C]

If your steering wheel is ofset now and wasn't before then they have adjusted your alignment and done it badly. :angryfire:

If that's the case I would take it back and demand they do it properly so your steering wheel isn't offset when the wheels are straight ahead.

If they tell you it has to be offset because of the alignment tell them you know that's a lie and you will get trading standards on them. Watch them squirm, or if they persist then call trading standards and write a letter to the MD of the dealer group. Fun :stir: :stir:

Cheers,
J

 

[totalguy]

4 wheel alignment has to be done!! no point doing the front if you had work done on the rear and if you get the rear done it often knocks the front out so that needs to be done aswell personally i wouldnt have took it to ford iwould have got poly bushes and found a garage to fit them because atthe end of the day your problem will occur again with ford bushes guaranteed.

 

[GingaGizmo]

Well thats answered it for me :L

I'll be putting it in for a full alignment very soon. My S/wheel is slightly to the left (drifts very slightly to the right when straight).

 

[cjdr]

My train of thought on this matter was to leave it to Ford as you would expect them to know what they are doing...apparently not.

I phoned three other main dealers pretending I wanted the bushes replaced. I received quotes from £111 to £450. One wanted to replace the subframe as a matter of course. All but one said the only check required is a tracking check after the work was completed. The other one said no check was needed as they "tippex" the original position of the "cam adjusters".

Maybe I am stupid but I would have thought there is a standard ford maintenance procedure followed by all dealers to carry out this task.
As far as the polyurethane bushes.. I considered these but the car has an all Ford Dealer history and is bog standard, I thought I'd just take the Ford route.

Cheers for the advice :L

 

[istvanlaszlo]

Did you get a clonk when braking harder??
My Mondy does this, everything else on the front suspension is checked and OK. The subframe bushes weren't checked unfortunately.
Any advive will be appreciated!
Istvan

 

[mondeo's rule]

i work for ford down in cornwall
i can tell you that when fitting the ford bushes that they are ment to be left of 24hrs for the special addessive to dry and set
if part number etc are needed give us a shout
the jobe involes subframe down so it should be tracted up when finished at all times

 

[paulyoung666]

sounds like a bit of a bodge job to me :angryfire: , if you get nowhere with the dealers then i would contact ford c.s. and see what they say , from experience they are very good at reigning dodgy dealers in !!!!! , and if that dont work then go and get an independant alignment check done but dont let them adjust it for you !!! , and then present them with the evidence , ok so it would cost you £30 or so but it would be worth it to get the monkeys sorted out , good luck :L