Hello all new owner of a 2000 f150 ext cab 4x4. Great truck, just having a slight issue with some alignment things. My truck is lifted 6" with 2" tbars and is on 35s. When I bought the truck the front two tires were wearing just on the outside edge. So i take it in for an alignment, they tell me the stock camber plates were missing and to go put on adjustable camber bolts and plates, which i did. I had it re aligned and all was well....for about a month. Now i can see the tires visually have a slight camber lean and the tires are still wearing. I went to the junkyard today and pulled off some factory camber washers, deciding that the adjustables were just junk, and discovered that the ones i just pulled off are color coded and none of the holes match on any of them. Same sized holes. Just all slightly off center in different positions. So after all this, my question to yall is, is it better to just realign with the adjustable camber washers and just tighten the hell out of them, or use the factory ones i pulled off today which will probably be steadier but may not be accurate?

 

the ultimate goa is to get the alignment right. Don't matter what washers you are using. Many aftermarket aligners tell you that you need a "kit" because it makes it easier on them. I have aligned several trucks at home in the driveway with a level and ruler and never added "alignment washers".

Find some level ground side to side and park on it. Set a 2 ft level up and down on the outside of the tire either forward or back of center so it is not setting on the bumped area from setting on the ground. You should be tilted inward about 1/4 to 5/16 inch at the top. If you don't have enough tilt, you will have outer wear. If you have too much tilt, you will have inner wear.......... next you need to check toe in.

I set a cement block by the side of each tire, then la a very straight 2 x 2 about 4 ft long on top o the bock up against the tire side wall. Should be pointing front and rear. Have your buddy on one side of truck , you on the other. Get a 8 ft tape ruler and measure outside to outside the 2x 2 ( under the truck frame) in front of the tire, then behind the tire. Hold the 2 x 2 snug against the tire when measuring. You should have about 1/4 inch less in the front (toe in). If you don't have enough toe in, or too much , the truck front end will plow and you will get wear on the edge of the tires.

These are generic numbers and will give you a good idea if you are close or way out of spec. A good aligner will look at the tire wear and the present setting and make a minor change t get the wear reduced, even if the alignment is within "spec".

 

note that the above is to check camber and toe in... not caster . Camber and toe in are much more important for proper tire wear. You can figure out what camber you have, what you need and adjust your upper A- frame mounting bolts to obtain a good setting by loosening and bumping them inward or outward slightly. Mark the washer location first with a pencil, etc so you know how far you move.

 

Thanks for the help guys. The toe is all good (or should be) since ive had it aligned. The biggest thing for me is getting the most rock solid way to make sure the camber is going to move as little as possible over a period of time. I drive a lot of pothole filled backroads and hunting properties so it will see a little abuse which is why i want them to have the best grip they can. Im hoping these stock camber washers, (square things right under the bolts on the upper arm if im not using the right termonology) will work because the little lip sits right on the tab on the bracket, if that makes any sense, so theres no way it can move unless something wears out. I hope this is making sense haha.

 

Ok so quick question... i adjusted the camber some today and i think it helped, it is pretty hard to get it exact when its a very small adjustment and they are pretty meaty tires. Anyway i just adjusted the camber kit that was installed, and i was told by the guy at oreillys that the front bolt on the a arm was to adjust camber and the rear was to adjust caster. Any truth to this?

 

No.....The two bolts work together to adjust both caster and camber. I always assume the caster was set close to start with so I adjust BOTH bolts the same amount in or out to change the camber without modifying the caster. I wire brush the nuts/ washer area of the frame and then spray paint white or center punch 3-4 places around the washer on the frame......... loosen the bolts just a couple turns then smack them in or out with a small hammer........ look at the paint mark or punch marks so you know you have move 1/ 16 , 1/8 , etc.... I try to move BOTH bolts about the same.

 

Also, if you only move one bolt to adjust the camber, it seems easier, but remember you will change the toe in slightly when using ONE bolt.

 

Green, if you want to get a good understanding of what is happening during the adjustment, do this.. Cut out a big cardboard or paper triangle with 3 equal sides (about).. maybe 12 inches on each side. Set the triangle on the table in front of you with one point, pointing at you. This is your upper A frame. The point near you can be the upper ball joint. The point on the left is your front mounting bolt and the right point is your rear mounting bolt. Mark the points on the table. Now push the front point (front mount bolt) inward toward the center , away from you. Note that the "ball joint" moves inward which increases camber, but it also goes forward as you pivot on the rear bolt... that is decreasing your caster. If you pull the front mount OUTWARD, you are moving the ball joint toward you. You have decreased camber and increased caster... just the opposite of pushing it in...... If you do the same with the rear bolt and pivot on the front, you will get 180 degree opposite results. By doing this you can get ++, +-,-+,-- for caster and camber......... If you want to move the ball joint inward (more camber) without effecting the caster, you push both bolts the same amount.

 

On the truck you are only moving things 1/8 inch or less... on the table, push the triangle corner 2 inches so you can get a better idea of what is really happening.