# 2002 Ford F-150 - general mechanic vs. alignment tech? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ford, f150\ **Created:** [October 20, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152 "2019-10-20T23:42:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CharlesSHouston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CharlesSHouston](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CharlesSHouston)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152/1 "2019-10-20T23:42:17Z")
2002 F-!50 recently had patman arm and idler arm replaced ( they said existing ones were bent and dangerous to drive with) and now steering wheel doesn’t stay straight while driving. Don’t trust these mechanics to fix problem; who should I take this to – a general mechanic or alignment technician. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152/2 "2019-10-21T00:27:05Z")
Alignment tech. ---
**Author:** ![MistressBlu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f17d59/32.png) [@MistressBlu](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MistressBlu)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 10:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152/3 "2020-08-02T10:07:56Z")
Alignment tech ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152/4 "2020-08-02T15:18:22Z")
So what happened . . . Who fixed it? And what was the problem? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f-150-general-mechanic-vs-alignment-tech/151152/5 "2020-08-02T16:17:29Z")
It’s an older thread and we ,may never know the answer to the original post. I have to disagree with the answers given for this reason. Usually the way things are done at the so-called “domestic” brands is that the techs are more specialized so to speak. One is heavy line, another is driveability, one is brakes/suspension/alignment, another is transmission, and so on. With the import brands which I worked with a tech did everything. This mean engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, and so on. This means that alignment tech was the tech who was assigned the job. If the tech replaced struts and ball joints then the tech also did the alignment. If someone came in for an alignment only then it was assigned to whoever was open.