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Is It Ok To Let Ford Service Dept Work On Shelby?


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I want to do a gear swap. I have read horror stories from some of you that basically says the local ford place don't know how to work on Shelby's. Thoughts? If I use ford racing parts will the service dept back their work if there is a whine and/or other problem?

Most shops should be able to do gear swaps after all it is a Ford unit but I would check them out first . The problem with most whine from the rear end is the backlash in the gears , if its done right you should have no whine .

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Ugh. As others have said, depends on the dealer. Also depends on the problem. Find a local performance shop with a good rep for most things. I understand warranty plays into it but do you want chronic warranty issues or a local place that knows what the hell they're doing?

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Many dealers (such as the one I bought my car from) do not have any techs that specialize in working on performance cars such as the Shelby. The service manager told me, any "trained" tech is qualified to work on my car. Yeah, right. I found another dealer that has a Roush Tech that does ALL the work on Shelby's, Ford GTs, and Rousch cars. This guy KNOWS what he is doing. He does all the work on the dealership owner's Ford GT. This is the only guy at a Ford dealer that will touch my car. Look for a similar situation at the dealerships near you.

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I want to do a gear swap. I have read horror stories from some of you that basically says the local ford place don't know how to work on Shelby's. Thoughts? If I use ford racing parts will the service dept back their work if there is a whine and/or other problem?

I think this would not be so much about knowing how to work on a Shelby as being able to properly set up a differential. I've read the numerous horror stories about gear whine, and I have to believe it's mostly a problem with improper installation.

 

I rebuilt transmissions and differential for many years, and I never returned a car to a customer with a rear end whine. I'm not saying I never had trouble with a gear set, just that I never had any that I couldn't get right eventually.

 

To get it right not only takes a lot of experience, but also special tools, AND a COMPLETE set of adjusting shims for the particular differential being set up. You may be surprised at how many dealer service departments do not have all the tools and shims for every model car. They are expensive, and the shop may not do enough of that type of work to justify the expense. Shops (dealer and independent) will often take on differential work and make do with whatever tools they have and just use the old shims. That's why they get noisy results.

 

If you take your car to the dealer ask to see what they have on hand to do the work. A better bet would be a shop that specializes in this kind of work, they do it every day and are more likely to have everything they need to do it right. Another way to go is to buy the complete rear axle assembly from Ford Racing. It'll cost more, but you can be sure that the factory has everything needed to assemble the unit correctly. How much is it worth to save the headaches?

Edited by Joraft
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Many dealers (such as the one I bought my car from) do not have any techs that specialize in working on performance cars such as the Shelby. The service manager told me, any "trained" tech is qualified to work on my car. Yeah, right. I found another dealer that has a Roush Tech that does ALL the work on Shelby's, Ford GTs, and Rousch cars. This guy KNOWS what he is doing. He does all the work on the dealership owner's Ford GT. This is the only guy at a Ford dealer that will touch my car. Look for a similar situation at the dealerships near you.

Where are you located? What dealership? It might be one close to me.....and I'm interested in a gear swap also.

 

Andy.

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It is true that some Ford dealerships have better technicians for performance cars, some are better with diesel trucks. Always ask first the service manager. Just because the dealer sold you a Ford product does not mean that their service staff can do everything. It may help if they are an authorized Ford Performance parts dealer. Some dealers send one or two of their techs to regional centers for special training. Just having multi ASE certificates is not good enough when it comes to specialized vehicles. If there is a Shelby/Mustang club in your area, check them out and ask members about their experiences with the Ford service departments in the surrounding counties. I am sure you will get a lot of feedback on their experiences.

 

In my area, one Ford dealer has a tech that is a master on differentials and transmissions while another dealer has a guy specialized in Ford Performance engines. A third dealer is the only one that is worthwhile with Ford diesel trucks. Convenience of location is the weakest reason for specialized service.

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It is true that some Ford dealerships have better technicians for performance cars, some are better with diesel trucks. Always ask first the service manager. Just because the dealer sold you a Ford product does not mean that their service staff can do everything. It may help if they are an authorized Ford Performance parts dealer. Some dealers send one or two of their techs to regional centers for special training. Just having multi ASE certificates is not good enough when it comes to specialized vehicles. If there is a Shelby/Mustang club in your area, check them out and ask members about their experiences with the Ford service departments in the surrounding counties. I am sure you will get a lot of feedback on their experiences.

 

In my area, one Ford dealer has a tech that is a master on differentials and transmissions while another dealer has a guy specialized in Ford Performance engines. A third dealer is the only one that is worthwhile with Ford diesel trucks. Convenience of location is the weakest reason for specialized service.

I have no idea about a mustang/shelby club in my area or how to find one. I'm from South Carolina. About 45min outside myrtle beach

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I have taken my SGT to the local Ford dealer and have not had any regrets BUT the techs that work on the car are mature and experienced.

 

Same here. I only allowed one guy work on mine. He is certified, mature and really knows his stuff.

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