I just purchased an 04 mustang v6 3.8 about a month and a half ago. It's in great shape and runs perfect with only 95k on the odometer. I noticed that it was pulling a little to the right and also a light vibration through the steering column only when going 30 - 40 mph. The moment I hit 40mph it stops completely. Not really a big deal at all but I figured I would get an alignment and rotate/balance anyway. I took it to a shop and they did everything, but before I left the guy told me that it might still pull to the right because there was no thread left on the tie rod for adjustment, and asked me if the car had ever been hit. I told him I had just purchased the car recently but there was one accident on the CARFAX. I drove away and immediately noticed nothing had changed whatsoever so I went back to the shop and spoke with the guy some more. He went on to repeat the same things he had said before about how only the toe is adjustable on this year and the caster/camber is not and that he could not properly align it because of the fact there was no more room left on the tie rod to adjust. He really offered no solution to this problem and I am confused at this point. How can I fix this problem? Can I get new tie rod ends or inner tie rods? Or was he trying to say that because the car was in an accident something is bent and this is unfixable? Again, it doesn't pull to the right that badly, but I am somewhat of a perfectionist especially when it comes to my mustang. Thanks in advance for any input it is much appreciated.

 

Try breaking up your posts. Makes it easier to read and thus more likely for people to respond.

Anyways, so toe is off. Any information on the Caster/Camber values of the alignment. That will give you a clue as to how bad the accident was. If the Caster/Camber values are okay, then it was probably something as simple as a hit curb or something. That would've bent the tie rods on that side of the car as well as possibly the control arm.

If the caster/cambers are way off, that's a sign of a bad enough accident where you could have a bent sub frame.

Also, if the shop isn't willing to tell you what was bent or what they think is bent, or can't tell, find another shop. They're half-arsing it.

 

Yep my thoughts exactly, I actually cant even believe they attempted to align it considering that the tie rod end was at it travel limit. They would have seen that right away and know somthing was off.


Now on to my thoughts,, The OP said it shakes up to 45mph or so? That tells me there is somthing loose, again I cant believe the alignment proceeded. Possibly the inner tie rod end is loose, and I would bet that the tie rod itself is bent, there would be no other reason to adjust that tie rod to its maximum adjustment.