2002 GM truck alignment "Knockouts", or "Pins"

[bh]

Got new tires & need to have my '02 Yukon xl aligned. Got nailed for $130.00 on a '99 Suburban to have it aligned due to it never being done before & the align. shop having to remove the "knockouts". I just talked to an align. guy who told me it's a service gimmick by GM & that on newer trucks its called "pins". Does anyone know what & where these are located?
On the front upper A-arm attachments there are plastic plugs in a crescent shaped groove that are molded around a pin on the camber adjustment.
Are these plastic plugs the "pins" they charge $40 a side to remove, so they can do an alignment? They seem to be made of very cheap plastic & have notches on the bottom side that look like a place to insert a screwdriver to pry them out. Any info would be greatly appriciated. I could stand to save the $80. for a service gimmick. Thanks BH

 

[outrun]

Trust me absolutely no gimmick.

As you may have read my post on Alignments in the tire wheel section "knock-outs" are something crucial I forgot to mention!

Up until 1996 GM and Ford Trucks have this bolt-thingy that wear outs.

They are nicknamed Knock-Outs.

Inevitably these knock-outs fail causing horrendous TOE-OUT wear...symbolic of a cheese grater style wear clear throughout the sidewall shoulder circle.

So to realign the vehicle and spare your expensive truck rubber, improve handling, economy etc they have to Re-drill the knock-outs below each strut/shock tower.

Standard Labor for Knock-Out Service is 55.00$/per side plus a standard Alignment of~59.99$.

169.00$ and some change total.

Do not fret though, inner/outer Tie-Rods added to a bill can really be a pain in the wallet so be thankful those are okay

Ford got smart on newer Trucks and no use a plastic peice easily replaceable to avoid a labor intensive knock-out re-drilling.

So no you were not shammed.

What gets me is that there are so many GM/Ford trucks in need of the service.

The problem is most owners have no idea of the condition because they either think alignment is perfect due to no handling symptoms.

(Which is a major fallacy)

Or that the places they took it to for diagnosis missed the fact it was the knock out causing the alignment wear.

Kudos to you and the shop for figuring out your very common problem.