Post Lift Alignment
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2002
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Post Lift Alignment
How do you adust the rear of a truck for alignment. I'm guessing the center stud on the rear springs can be adjusted like a caster pill? After installing my lift my truck pulls slightly to one side and when looking at the rear springs it appears that the centering studs on the springs are not perfectly centered in there holes. Drivers side stud is forward, while passenger stud is centered towards the rear. Any advice or insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: IN FRONT OF YOU
Post Lift Alignment
About the only adjustment that can be made would be to square the rear end, , you can do this by using string to see if its off. There really would be no caster or camber adjustment at all. If you have a c/c issue, you may have a bent tube.
Last edited by Yeti; Jul 30, 2003 at 05:27 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,153
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From: Roseburg OR.
Post Lift Alignment
How could you have a caster issue on the rear
I think he's thinking that the rear is crooked under the truck which there's no way to adjust for. I would try to rotate the tires if you have just changed them or rotated them. A tire pull is often mistaken for an alignment issue.
The pins in the leaf springs don't move enough to affect anything. They fit pretty tight in the springs.
I think he's thinking that the rear is crooked under the truck which there's no way to adjust for. I would try to rotate the tires if you have just changed them or rotated them. A tire pull is often mistaken for an alignment issue.
The pins in the leaf springs don't move enough to affect anything. They fit pretty tight in the springs.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,153
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From: Roseburg OR.
Post Lift Alignment
I think you're refering to camber. Caster is the torsional alignment of the front steering axle. I don't think a non steering axle has such a thing as caster.
Here's a good explanation of my understanding of caster. It would be changed by adding angled shims under your leaf springs to tip the entire axle forward or backward. Thus making the steering different because the steering knuckles are no longer vertical but tipped forward.
Here's a good explanation of my understanding of caster. It would be changed by adding angled shims under your leaf springs to tip the entire axle forward or backward. Thus making the steering different because the steering knuckles are no longer vertical but tipped forward.
Last edited by RRMike; Jul 30, 2003 at 05:42 PM.
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FTE *******
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: McAllen, Texas
Post Lift Alignment
Rdahl,
Check to be sure that you don't have a sagging spring. As the spring flattens the horizontal distance between the front spring eye and the center pin increases. This would move the axle back and cause an alignment issue.
Check to be sure that you don't have a sagging spring. As the spring flattens the horizontal distance between the front spring eye and the center pin increases. This would move the axle back and cause an alignment issue.
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 84
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Post Lift Alignment
I wasn't clear, i'm refering to a caster pill. The adjustablilty due to the offset center. Spinning a pill with an offset center will allow some fine adjustments. Since the studs appear to be seated differently i was thinking that they may be rotatable/adjustable like a caster/camber pill. Does that make sense?
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 9,303
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Post Lift Alignment
You have a simple measurement problem. Take measurements from the center pin to the end bolt at all four points. you should be the same on both sides of the truck. you might have a wrong spring or manufacturing problem with one spring. The stud has to go into a hole I don't see how it can be off on the axle. If the stud isn't in the hole or its in the wrong place on the spring then your truck will crab or go down the road sideways from behind. My grandfathers rambler used to go sideways.. never got it fixed..
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: South of you
Post Lift Alignment
First, double check to make sure everything is ligned up properly.....springs on pads, center pins ligning up properly, just a general check to make sure everything is installed properly. There is a "slipper kit" that can realign your rear end. It consists of two plates, the top one fits up against the spring with a pin, the bottom one goes on the pad with a pin, the top and bottom plates are tapered, so when you get the toe setting.....or rather thrust angle setting correct, you just crank the u-bolts down and the two plates will become one.
Do this to keep yourself from going crazy, take your truck to a truck alignment shop that used a laser system. They will shoot the rear as well as the front and can tell you right away how bad your rear end is out of whack. Just keep in mind that most adjustments I have seen are in tenths of degrees and that is bad for tire wear....at least on big trucks, so if you can actually see your rear end being ut of whack, it must be pretty severe. I would check what you have installed first, then ave it checked by an alignment shop.
Do this to keep yourself from going crazy, take your truck to a truck alignment shop that used a laser system. They will shoot the rear as well as the front and can tell you right away how bad your rear end is out of whack. Just keep in mind that most adjustments I have seen are in tenths of degrees and that is bad for tire wear....at least on big trucks, so if you can actually see your rear end being ut of whack, it must be pretty severe. I would check what you have installed first, then ave it checked by an alignment shop.
