Can you offer insight into my Truck?

[catdaddyfro]

I see your truck is equiped with a steering system that is called a rack and pinion instead of a steering box. Most prolly the impact from the crash has damaged some of the valves and pistons in the unit that operate your steering mechanismns, so if the shop didn't replace the rack and pinion then this is prolly what's causing your problems and after they replace the R&P unit then it is NESSESARY to do a front end alignment which includes setting the toe-in of the tires.

Now if they did replace the part then most prolly the toe-in is not correct and is most likely toed-in to much form the way you say that it pulls from one side to the other which shouldn't be all the difficult to check and set. Or possibly the tie-rod end is bent causing one tire to be to far toed in or out. In other words your tires are working against one another. Another suggestion is to put both of the new tires on the front your not supposed to run a new tire against a worn tire on the front end, as this can make a heck of a lot of difference there. Actually the shop should not have just put one new tire as you cant really get a good front alignment setting with that set up.

I've been mechanicing for 25 or so years now, but still yet it is hard to diagnose such an incident from looking at pics and just going by reading or hearing what someone is describing, there's just so many things it could be. So maybe my little bit of info. might help you out some, I hope.

catdaddy

 

[Tala]

ditto with catdaddyfro on the tires.
I just very recently got a freakin awesome deal on a new tire, and put it on before I could buy a second one (I was showing steel belts from the said tire-eating toe-in problem) and WOWZA it was rough to drive for about a week until payday when I got another tire. Next time I think I'll just drive on the steel! oy

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I can telly you from the pics that the rack was broken so if you are driveing it then they replaced it. I dont see why they did not total the truck. Yes they should have been able to fix it to where it drives an feels ok but in reality that truck will never be "right."

 

[DarkUnicorn]

Did you get a new rim.... cause my jeep was hit in about the same place....... the rim was repainted but it drove me up a wall cause of the shaking.. till I swapped it with the spare. Rim was shot!

I've noticed that it's 2 years later and things that I couldn't get them to see is getting worse.... and since so much time has passed it's my problem. Have it checked by another shop just in case.

 

[Dar]

I would take the truck to an independent repair shop, explain that it was involved in the accident and you are still having problems, explain what they are and ask for an estimate.

If you keep going back to carstar and say fix it , they will stand by their work and gum and band-aid fix it... but if you take it to an independent and fax that to the insurance company then at least you are building the leg to stand on

 

[fordmommy]

My Dh thinks that the allignment must still be off and that there must still be something still bent up in there. He works on cars and trucks on the side so he knows......He thinks you should take it back to where you had fix it and complain. They should have done a better job.

Have them adjust the gear box. And an alignment and test drive it. It should be like brand new. And don't take NO for an answer. YOU are paying them with your insurance. Don't let them push you around.


Good luck.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Dar, We aren't allowed to take it to an independent repair shop. I was hoping we could take it to a different Carstar, the one that runs out of our actual dealership but thats about 1.5 hours away. We could make the trip but we have to talk to the insurance company about it first. The guys at our dealership have done wonders for us and I fully trust them.

Catdaddyfro, The problem is we have to pay for that extra tire ourselves... if the insurance company doesn't think it's necessary, they won't replace it. If Carstar suggests replacing it, then they will replace it.

DarkUnicorn, Yes the rim was replaced as well. The tire was completely flat so they replaced the rim too. These particular tires come with the rims which is why they're $250-300 each.

Because it's a claim there is a guarantee on it and a warranty that runs for the life of the truck. It's going back in on Monday, if I CAN I will try to get it to the other carstar/ford dealership. I really do wish it had been totalled, it'll never be the same again but its worth more to the insurance company to fix it than to total it since it's a $43,000 truck. It's so frustrating because I have 2 horses to feed and we rely on the truck to pick up hay plus it's the only vehicle that can get up the driveway in the winter, and our driveway is 900ft long.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
Thanks! ... It's a matter of necessity that it gets fixed or totalled. We rely on this truck to get in and out of our property and it's our only vehicle because no sedan will get up the driveway and some days you can't even get a sedan off the road. I suspected it was something to do with the steering column and tire alignment.