as some of you may have read, about a month ago I had an Issue with my EL falcon where a wheel bearing collapsed while I was driving... long story short it did alot of damage and I had to replace both front end wheel bearings (obviously), had to replace the front rotors and front drivers side stub axle assembly.

Instead of costing me an arm and a leg by going to a mechanics I did all of the work myself, Once all of the work was done I noticed the drivers side front wheel had quite a big toe out while the steering wheel was straight so I booked the car in at bridgestone for a wheel alignment.

They adjusted the toe in but told me I would have to come back in the next week to have the front cambers and caster adjusted because they didn't have time that day because it was a saturday and they were closing early. I wasn't happy paying $50 for a wheel alignment that was still out but I did come back the next wednesday to have the rest of the work done... another $65 later one of the mechanics tells me they adjusted the camber as far as they could but it still wasn't right because the front end upper control arm bushs are worn so they're not sitting right and there are only a few threads left on the adjustment. They said the upper control arm bushs would have to be replaced so I asked what it would cost, they guy rung repco and told me they said the bushs were $266 (apparently for all 4 required for the front end) he then wanted an hour's worth of labour ($95) and another wheel alignment ($50). Bridestone wanted $411 in parts and labour to replace the upper control arm bushs and correct the alignment. I'm not an expert when it comes to car's but it sounds like a load of s**t to me.

I had a wheel alignment not too long before the incident with the wheel bearing and everything was fine, the other bridgestone branch I usually go to adjusted everything just fine and didn't tell me anything was wrong with the car. Now after the wheel bearing incident the other bridgestone is saying they can't adjust the camber any further because the upper control arm bushs are worn.

does this sound like a load of s**t to anyone else?

I reckon you may want to get a second opinion - it could be that the most recent guys are correct about the wear - if a mechanic said something's worn first thing I'd be doing is saying `show me..' if they can't, or won't, show you, then there's your answer - go somewhere else....

I think i'll go elsewhere and enquire about what needs to be done... anyhow doesn't $266 sound a bit steep just for bushs?

The Camber kits ( required for lowered cars ), have a different offset......this means the distance from where the pivot bolt goes through the bushing, and the inner face where the shims are packed in and bolted to the inner guard upright......are different from the standards ones.
You haven't said how many kms your car has on it.....??????

if the front end has worn components the owner should be notified as doing a wheel alignment with worn parts is a waste of time, sounds to me they were too lazy to do the shim work.(yes i have worked as a wheel aligner)
buy the camber kits yourself and fit them then get the wheel alignment re-done, don't re-do the originals just remove them and replace them with the camber kits and shims that were already fitted if you get the kits with the longer threads.
if you get the nolathene or k-mac kits(threaded under gaurd adjustment) then remove all shims.
final tightening of all pivot points need to be left until the vehicle is on the ground.

car has 114,000kms

OK....to check them yourself, jack up the car under where the shockie mounts to the lower arm, just so the wheel is about 30mm off the ground, then grab the wheel at the top and see if you can move it in and out.....if so, the upper bushes are stuffed.
Another way is the grab each side of the upper wisbone with each hand, and pul one side and push the other, like you are twisting the wishbone from side to side......if it moves, it's stuffed.
To check the lower B/J, put a 1m bar under the tyre, and move it up and down while looking at the B/J....if it moves up and down, it's stuffed.

IIRC the falcon camber kits for the EA thru to EL are somewhere around $120ish per side(2 mounts with bushes per side Part 45146 ) of the car retail price. ( I work @ a repco store atm ) For that you get new upper control arm bush mountings, pack of shims, new bushes. You bolt the new kits in, fit the bushes, then bolt the arm in & then play with shims to get the alignment right. It's a little bit of work.

http://www.nolathane.com.au/product_det ... _vehicle=1

I'd suggest if your competent enough, you buy the kits yourself, fit them, use a spirit level to get the alignment good enough to drive it, then go get it professionally aligned. Repco have a discount atm for certain auto club card holders that will make it cheaper for you.

Cheers

ToranaGuy

Don't know about mechanics in your area, But I don't have that much time to waste.
If your car wasn't still on the hoist I wouldn't be wasting the time to take another car off only to put yours back on again., to then have to put the other car back on again. Not to mention the time lost on the other car.
If that means I don't get the job, big deal, I'll gladly let you waste some other mechanics time.

Ya gotta remember there are a lot of shifty bastards out there.....and every 6 months or so, ACA, or Today Tonight will do a story on them.
Easier to say, get a 2nd opinion & a quote.