I drive a good pos 2006 f150. Its a hand me down which was handed down with a lot of problems that I’ve fixed for the most part. I’m now in a position where I can save for a new vehicle and get rid of some stress in my life.

The most recent problem is that whenever my front right tire makes a rotation, my steering wheel jerks to the right a bit, and my ride is a bit bumpy at most speeds. With the research I’ve done, I’ve narrowed it down to either a bad tire, tie rod, ball joint or bearing.

While I haven’t fixed anything like that before, I’ve fixed other things myself, the most fun one being the starter. Some of my friends are well versed in the mechanical world, although they’re a couple hours away. My dilemma: do I attempt it myself for 100-200 in parts? Or do I take it to the mechanic? How much you reckon a Florida mechanic would charge for something like that today?

  • tomhalejr@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    You can’t check for tire/wheel balance, press bearings, etc., that you need hundreds/thousands of dollars in equipment for, for the retail cost of parts. Plus, if it’s old and corroded/rusted, even the “simplest” job can turn into a nightmare.

    Do you have a brakes/steering/suspension shop that offers a free / set rate inspection?

    • KitchenCup374@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Yeah it’s an older vehicle and was not maintained well at all before I got it so there’s plenty of rusty bolts that would need a good hit from a sledgehammer to knock loose. If you break it down past the tire. I am going to take it to a shop tomorrow to get a diagnosis/quote tomorrow.

    • RichardSober@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      You can’t check for tire/wheel balance, press bearings, etc., that you need hundreds/thousands of dollars in equipment

      Tire deformations that cause pulling to the side can be verified by swapping wheels on the same axis (should not be performed on a rainy/snowy day when tires are directional). If the car begins to pull to the opposite directlon, you have the answer.

      • KitchenCup374@alien.topOPBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        That is what I read and figured. If it’s a bad tire, I could take a good hour switching the front two, and then theoretically the wheel would jerk to the opposite side as well as the other symptoms. However, I fear it’s more than just the tire that’s fubar. The tread on it looks fine although that may be something I can’t just see.