[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Oct-02 AT 11:23 AM (EST)]I have an 89 F250 4x4, 300, 5 speed. I did the balljoints and steering linkage on it last fall, and also found that the springs were weak in the front...the alignment wouldn't come out...well I bought add-a-leaves for the front since I was putting a plow on, and now my alignment won't come out due to it being to high...

I see JC Whitney has brackets for lowering the pivot point for the TTB axles. I also see Tuff Country has a kit for this. I cannot find this kit listed anywhere but Tuff Country's website. Anyone know where I can get this besides Whitney? Anyone do this? How easy is it?

Otherwise it's gonna get pretty expensive buying new tires for it every fall......16" tires don't come cheap....

:-staun Thanks!
Phil

 

You should be able to align it, how much lift did you get? You should try taking it to another shop. There are camber adjustment nuts that control that, stock is 1 degree positive or negative. They have 2-3 degree ones too. 2" of lift shouldn't be any more than 2 degrees. These springs IMO don't get weak, my dad has an 88 and the leafs are fine, he has an 80' van and the springs are fine. Something is fishy about this, there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to align it. I suggest you go to another shop.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

If you lifted it too much w/the add-a-leaves it certainly makes sense that they couldn't align it.... but it woulda had to have sagged a lot for them to not be able to align it before the add-a-leaves. I dont' see how those D50 TTB's could sag all that much since they're already slight negative arch.

But Mustang may also have a point, make sure the shop you're using knows what they are doing, you should be able to easily get bushings which will correct up to 2 degrees if it's anything like the D44, and as much as 2.75 from Superlift maybe.

I don't know where you can get the Tuff Country pivot drops, but I think TC will sell to you directly (they have to me before). IIRC the TC brackets also use their own funky cam at the pivots to further adjust camber.

 

You'd have to get two add-a-leafs in the front to lift it more than the 2* camber nut could fix. That would be one heck of a stiff ride, my dad's F-250 HD is already extremely stiff in the front, couldn't picture two more leaves in there. I've heard bad things about tuff country, so I wouldn't suggest them. Call up superlift or skyjacker, they will probably sell you just the axle pivot brackets if you need them. When I bought my superlift it came in a bunch of different packages, not just one, so it's packaged separately. Skyjacker's seem stronger.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

Well, it started last summer. I knew I needed new ball joints...I didn't really want to do it myself, so I figured I'd take it to the local Ford dealer. They had nothing but fits from the start. The springs were the first thing. They called and said the springs needed to be replaced because they were sagging so bad, otherwise the alignment wouldn't come out right...I told them to hold off, since I didn't have the extra grand to add to the $600 they quoted at first. Then they called again and said the allen bolts holding the lockouts on the axle were frozen...they'd have to knock em off with a hammer and replace the hubs...an extra hundred bucks or so. At that point I got rather ticked off and said the (*&! with it I'll do it myself.

I decided to put the add-a-leaves in just for the extra lift 'cause the plow was dragging it down some, more than I cared for. So I took it to the local Sears, since I wasn't going to go back to that Ford dealer, and had them do the alignment. They got it close, but not quite right. They said they put the biggest adjusters in they could but it still wouldn't come within specs. So I've benn driving like this for the last year or so....My right tire is worn badly from the outside in, and my left tire isn't really all that bad at all.


JC Whitney has the brackets listed in their special Ford truck catalog. They're supposed to help out is the truck has only been lifted a couple inches...to help fix any alignment problems if I remember right...If I can avoid going this route though, I will...

Back to the Ford dealer though...they told me that the front springs affect the alignment and that it was highly recommended that they replace the springs...it didn't make sense at first, but I guess I can kind of see it...especially now with the extra leaves...instead of the wheels being out at the bottom, they are actually angled in at the bottom, or at least were till the Sears alignment...

Sorry for the long post, but there's been a lot that has happened to this truck since I bought it....

So long as it lasts a couple more years....

Phil

 

Don't listen to a dealership, they stink and they charged you a lot of money or tried to. Forget sears too, take it to a real alignment shop, sears guy probably doesn't even know there are 3 degree ones out there. It is true that the springs affect alignment, anytime the truck is lifted or lower the alignment angle changes. However, you're springs are not sagging unless they are damaged. I think you said the ball-joints were replaced but, if they havn't then do it. How much did the adding of a leaf lift you're truck? Measure from the top of the rim to the bottom of the fender on both tires and see what measurement you come out with. Is one higher than the other? How often to you have a plow on there, because that changes the alignment too. Like I said, something is fishy about what these people are telling you. I don't see any other reason that the truck couldn't be aligned. The TTBs aren't easy to align but he should be able to get it to within spec. Try to find a real alignment shop and someone who knows what their doing.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Thats it for now, saving for a stang. Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

It sits level, I know that...with the add-a-leaves it raised the truck around 2 inches. I did the alignment without the plow since thats the way the truck will be driven unless I have to use the plow....the way these Wisconsin winters have been, I may not have much use for it this year anyhow....Ya, I've got a couple shops in mind. As far as dealerships go, I don't have much faith or trust in them anymore....

I know the balljoints fixed a lot of problems...when you'd pull into a spot the tires would sit fairly straight...when I backed into a spot, they'd be cantered out bad....

I'll let you know how it comes out...gotta go to Maryland next weekend to National Fire Academy...probably won't get it done till after that...

Thanks!
Phil