Did a search, didn't find anything useful. I'm looking at replacing the entire steering linkage on my truck (95 F-350 4x4 PSD CC SRW) this weekend due to some damage it has picked up. I have all four tie rods and the two adjustment sleeves, all new in box and ready to be put on.

I know that I need to get the alignment roughly correct so as to be able to drive it to a shop and get it professionally aligned or at least checked. Thing is, I can't find any specific guides to doing a driveway alignment on this specific truck/axle type. While I have the general idea of how to do it, I know that sometimes there's vehicle specific quirks. Does anyone have any tips or can someone point me to a guide on how to do it for this truck?

Also, I don't have the front alignment specs handy at current, anyone have them?

Thanks.

 

Don't know if this applies to our trucks or not, but the trick I've used in the past is to hold up the tie rod end to the location it will go and mark with a Sharpie where the threads meet the lock nut. Then replace it using the mark as your reference point. Rinse and repeat for the other three. The trick is to do one at a time so you don't get them confused. This might not get it exact, but it will get it close enough.

 

I've never paid for an alignment on my 4WD F350, and you really only need to adjust toe and having the steering wheel strait, I'll tell you what I do.

Need a hard flat surface, enough that you can push the truck a few feet by hand. I find it easiest while doing this and in most situations to push on the top of the tire, better leverage.

Next you need two small nails with flat heads(not finishing nails) and a good tape measure.

Start by eyeballing it, look down the side of the tire an line it up like a gun sight with the back tire. Adjust enough for it to look right down both sides with the steering wheel and pitman arm straight.

Next roll the truck forward a bit, this settles things.

Push the nails into a center tire lug, not too far of course, won't hurt anything. Place them so the nails are at the same position on both tires, half way up on the front. Measure between the two nails, this is why I say nails, a decent nail and tape will allow you to hook one end of the tape on the opposite nail so you can do it by yourself.

Then roll the truck back as far as you can without rolling over the nails(that would be bad). Then forward as far as you can and still have a straight line under the truck between the nails and measure again.

Compare the measurements, adjust and repeat until the front measurement is about 1/8" less then the rear.

Then drive and either take to shop, or do as I do and adjust if something comes up, watch for feathering, wear patterns, and wheel being straight, adjust as needed. I'm generally really good with this, sometimes just a minor adjustment on the drag link to get the steering wheel strait.

 

No need to use nails. Just measure from the same spot on the tread.

it has worked for 20+ years for me.

Another tip. Do NOT move the truck or tires when disassembling the steering linkage. then IF nothing moves, make the new steering linkage FIT the truck. then you can double check with the tape measure

 

Works, I just find it both more accurate and easier to do alone with nails.

 

About what size nails should I use?

 

Same here. Front of the tires then back of the tires as close to center of the tire as you can. I usually give it just a 32nd to a 16th tow in.

 

I use nails as well, but in a different way. I have a scrap piece of 2x6 with a large nail driven through it and bent back at a slight angle. I jack the front end up so the front tires are an inch or so off the ground. Then I take the 2x6 and slide it under the tire until the nail is just touching and spin the tire a full rotation. The nail will scribe a strait line all the way around the tire. Then I repeat for the other tire. This will give you a reference point to measure from. This works great on a solid front axle, don't know if it would work on the TTB though.

 

IDK what to say a about size, I'm not up on nail size terminology nor is it exact, whatever you have or can get that has a small diameter shank so you can push it in, about an inch long, and a large enough head to hook the tape onto.

Yeah I should have added that the amount of toe measured this way depends on a lot of factors, the largest of which is tire size, I roll a big tire so I need more toe when measured at the lug. But new parts and stock tires, a much lower number.

 

I'd like to do that, but I think the long lower tie rod got bent, so toe is going to be significantly out if I just make the linkage 'fit' the static suspension. The truck suddenly required some left steering input to go straight down the road. Visual inspection didn't seem to show anything was bent, but this happened to the tires pretty fast.

Driver's side:


Passenger's side:


Obviously, not driving it until I can fix it and then the next stop is a tire shop. Hence my question, so I can get it to the shop safely.

Edit: Also, I have a steering damper. That change anything?

 

I agree with Diesel Brad on this. I would align big rigs with a tape measure, measuring the same spot on the tread both front and back of the tires, towing it it 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch. Was it perfect? To spec? Probably not, but it worked well for me. (The shop I used to work at was wayy to cheap to send their trucks out for alignment)

 

This is a really good idea. Back in the day when I did alignments, we had a scribing tool that had a spring loaded point on it for this same purpose. I looked and looked on eBay for an old one but never found it. Instead, I found something better at Harbor Freight. It's a long aluminum bar that hooks around the outside of the tire with a gauge on one side. You zero it on the back of the tire and then measure on the front. I can't find it on their site, tho, so maybe they don't sell it anymore.

Anyway, toe is the most important of the 3 measurements on alignment. Only toe and camber wear tires and camber has to be out far enough to where you can see it before it starts wearing the tires in my experience. You should grab each front tire and pull the front of the tire outwards before you measure toe - this simulates the force of going down the road pushing outward on the tires.