Ok, a few weeks ago I had a Readylift 2.5f 3.0r lift installed at a local shop. They're pretty upscale and do some very good work, great reputation, but I'm sure their clientele has a much bigger budget than I do too.

When the lift was installed the truck went to the alignment shop ONLY to straighten the steering wheel. They tried to sell me an alignment, but I talked about it with my salesman and the mechanic and we decided that the truck wouldn't need it, being a solid axle and all.

When the lift was installed I was also supposed to get the Readylift track-bar installed. BUT the track-bar was missing a couple misalignment bushings so they had to get those replaced. My sales guy said "once they come in you can stop by any time and we'll get it on there for you real quick, front of the line."

Ok great. But my sales guy left this week to go be a fireman.

Today I swung by the shop to see if the bushings had come in yet, and they did. I'm going to go in Tuesday afternoon to get it installed (first time I have time to go).

Here's the kicker... New sales guy says "Did you want to take it to the alignment shop yourself or do you want us to do it?" I didn't think it would need to go to the alignment shop for a track-bar install. But sales guy #2 chimes in and says "Oh yeah, on a solid axle truck like that, the track bar is basically the most important part of the alignment."

Ok, I've got a pretty sharp mind, but I'm not a professional mechanic by any means. We're not touching the caster, the camber, the toe-in, or even the steering. The ONLY adjustment is to center the axle under the truck. Is it typical for it to need to go to the alignment shop to get the axle centered under the truck?

Either the sales guys have no idea what they're talking about. Or the sales guys are trying to hose me on another $??? for an alignment. Or maybe I'm missing something and it really does need to go for an alignment after the track-bar install.

What do you all think? I appreciate your time.

-J

 

I answered my own question, I watched the Readylift installation video is they specifically say no alignment is necessary after install.

Now I just need to figure out if the sales guys are idiots, or trying to rip me off.

-J

 

My guess is idiots. But be careful either way.

 

While a new trackbar won't affect your "alignment", it may cause your steering wheel to be off-center again.

 

What year truck is this?

 

It's a 2016

 

From experience Readylift sells two types of "trackbars" for their systems. Ones a bracket that bolts to the frame which, the other is an actual track bar called their "Anti-wobble" adjustable track bar.

I'm assuming that you have the adjustable "Anti-Wobble" track bar if there are extra parts and bolts that they needed for it. If so, you should not need an alignment because Readylift should have provided a set distance to set the track bar length, for the height of lift.

If no instructions were given, an alignment will be needed to guess and check the axle center to get it perfect. I just installed a 2.5" Carli leveling kit with an adjustable track bar and the directions said to set the length of the track bar (Eye to Eye) at 37.5". While I'm not 100% sure that this length on your track bar will center the axle, the measurement should get it pretty close

 

In addition, your kit might contain both the track bar drop bracket, AND the Anti-Wobble track bar. If so, you would just set the new anti-wobble track bar length to the stock track bar length.

Hope that helps

 

Thanks bud. Good info.

The lift is already on (a couple weeks ago), it did include a drop bracket for the track bar and everything is pretty dang perfect with the stock track bar in there. I wanted to add the Readylift track bar for two reasons, First I think the heims are going to last longer than the rubber bushing and ball joint. Second, when/if the heims do need to be replaced, I can do that myself in my driveway. I would not have been able to change the ball joint on the stock track bar with my skills/tools.

It really seems to me that all they need to do tomorrow is get the axle centered under the truck, and it seems like you OUGHT to be able to do that without an alignment rack. Sure the rack would help you get it perfect, but if you take a few measurements before you start, you ought to be able to get it back to the same spot.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow. My appointment is at 1pm.

-J

 

Glad I could help, I wish I had an alignment rack! I did mine on the ground solo with a come-along helping center the body with the axle and lining up the bolt hole. I thought about ordering the Readylift track bar for the same reason, but ended up being cheap just replacing the worn ball joint. What a pain it was hahaha

 

OMG what a nightmare...

So I took the truck in today at 1:00. It took them until 2:05 to get the ball joint out of the axle on the lower end of the stock track bar. It was 2:45 when I was pulling out of the lot for the first time.

They said "We did the best we could with measurements but the steering wheel might be slightly off."

I pulled out and went down the road....



I may have a different definition of "slightly" than they do.

They warned me about an alignment, I tried to get by without one, so I was pretty much feeling like I was going to just have to spend the money to get an alignment. I came to my first bump in the road..

HOLY CRAP!!!

Bump steer like crazy, I can't even wrap my head around what would cause that. I start to head back to the shop. When I get to the shop I stuck my head under the front of the truck to get a look...



Umm.. That's not right. Everyone knows that the drag link and track bar need to be parallel or you get scary steering.



I forgot to mention, I was watching them install the track bar every now and then, just looking out into the bays, and they had the truck up on a standard lift. Readylift's instructions say to install the bar with the suspension at ride height. I'm not one to tell people how to do their business, so I kept my mouth shut at that point.

But now... FIRST they couldn't install it 3 weeks ago because it was "missing" the second set of misalignment spacers, which it doesn't actually need. THEN they installed the bar with the truck on the lift. THEN they put the lower clevis on the axle upside down. Finally they had it adjusted so badly that the steering wheel was 45° off.

CLEARLY they did not read the directions. So I said that to the GM when I went back. He went and talked to the tech and then came back and said "The bar didn't have any instructions in the box." as if somehow that made it ok?? I said EVERYONE knows the track bar and the drag link need to be parallel. He agreed with that and said they would fix it. We went back and forth a little bit, but I had to go pick up my son since I had been there for 2.5hrs at that point.

I'm supposed to go back tomorrow to get it fixed. We'll see how it goes. I can't say I totally trust them at this point, but everyone has a bad day sometimes. I don't know.

Anyway.. I'll update tomorrow.

-J

 

LOL, apparently this is the "best they could do." getting it centered.

 

I'm having almost the same experience with my 99 f-250. I did a 2" leveling kit and took it in to get checked out and aligned (I put on an adjustable track bar myself) and they said theyd have to cut the track bar to get the axle centered under the vehicle. So they cut it and it's no closer to being centered, and the truck shakes so bad I can't drive above 30 mph. They said there is nothing more they can do but that's a load of you know what...

 

Okay that is just mind boggling. They completely pressed the New heim end upside down in the axle.. Hopefully they can get it back out and insert it the correct way...

I still haven't centered my steering wheel after the leveling kit, its about at the same angle, however my axle is perfectly centered. I cant believe they let that truck leave the shop like that....

 

Now that's confusing. I don't get why they would have to cut the bar, its fully adjustable up to certain points. If you take/post some pictures it could help us figure it out