I did a major overhaul to the truck - the stuff I did that affects alignment includes,

1. New drag link, tire rod ends, ball joints.
2. New suspension (Roncho's)


I did 3 steps,

1. Wheel Alignment 1 : I measured the distance between the rear tires and the front tires - I noticed they are 1" off. Is this normal ?


2. Wheel Alignment 2 : I measured the distance between the string and the rim - all 4 tires = 1.75"

3. Wheel Alignment 3 : I put a level ontop of the tires - they all seemed to balance but will admit it was tough doing this.

I know there is a good deal of margin of error but was curious to see if this was enough ? Thanks

 

Are you working on a GM or a Ford super duty?

Yes depending on the truck it is normal for the front axle to be a little longer.

.

 

One trick we used for small aircraft was to place two steel plated (aluminum plates for light things)
with grease in-between under each tire so that we had load on. Sort of a poor-mans turntable.
Once we had the wheels on the plates we would bounce the aircraft by wiggling it so to settle the structure
onto the greased plates. That way the tire does not grip the floor and get stuck. That way you do have
a full load on the wheel and all the points between the axle and the ground. I don't know if that will
help in your case. But what we were looking for was symmetry between the wheels.

That type of setup would make it easy to set tow in and out.



Sean


6.0L Tech Folder

 

Ford Super Duty.

I just googled a random picture to show as an illustration.

 

Iv done this before many times LOL


I can get it to where the vehicle tracks Great but it ALWAYS wears a tire funny


I was within 2/32 on my car it wore an edge took a Year


Digital alignment is required

 

You cant 4 wheel alignment this truck its solid axel PLUS its different width


I suspect if you set the truck up per the picture it way off
With different length axel you set the truck is a V Pattern

Parallel the front 2 tire then Center the steering wheel

 

For the home driveway mechanic work I'd only be concerned with toe. I have a telescopic pole that I use. I first set it on the leading edge of the tread and set it. Then I go to the back side in the same tread and set it about 1/8" greater. This sets it up with toe in.
Remember, TOE and adjustment of does NOT fix or cause a pull left or right. Always check for bad ball joints, track bar joint & bushing, and tie rod ends before attempting to align or you're just wasting time.

 

That's a Great Idea

 

Mine is actually an old RV awning support with a locking hold down ****. A painters pole would work too.
I learned a tape measure is unreliable, especially by yourself. It's like a limp....... well it just don't work.

 

I have a surveyors pole that I would use if I was doing that.
Nice and rigid with locking pins. I picked it us at a used tool
place for the fence work I need to get done.

But Benny is right you can get close with home brew tools
but there is noting like a true alignment rack that is setup
to handle our bigger trucks.

I think my guy is about $125.00 + any parts.



Sean


6.0L Tech Folder

 

Im surprised there isn't a Home kit sold to digital alien


The technology is cheaper Laser is common thing anymore a program for a Laptop couple skid plates and your there


Maybe it not worth the cost my guy does them for 60 bucks

 

Maybe i will be the ginny pig.
https://www.amazon.com/Longacre-7826...ct_top?ie=UTF8

.

 

There are more affordable versions.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LX1OGUK?psc=1

 

i never bothered with the rear axle when doing the front end alignments other than to get a base line for the axle span for what i was looking for with the front... once i had an idea of what i was looking for i just measured the back of the front tire against the front of the front tire.. adjust the tie rod link until both match front and the rear tire span measurement on the front tires match and you be pretty close to being true... ive done this for years with solid and IFS's with no issues... it would get me to a shop with an alignment rack for a more truer measurement.. but every time after telling them what all i had done with the vehicles i had techs come asking how i got it so close without an alignment machine.. didnt matter if it was a truck or a car.. last truck i did this with they showed me the before and after measurements while it was still w/in the specs i was only .5* off... they got it down to .1*...

you can get the toe pretty well correct with that... but the caster and camber if your working with IFS is a little harder without the spacers you might need.. if the engines not in and the inner fenders are off... you can sometimes do it in the driveway.. biggest thing here is finding a perfectly level spot or as close to level so that the suspension is balanced.. then you can measure across the top and rear of the tire the same way you did with the front and the rear of the tire... its not impossible but it can be done...

 

That Longacre alignment gauge works good for caster and camber but it does nothing for toe in/out. I used to work in an alignment shop and with careful measurement you can even get close with a tape measure from groove to groove on each front tire, not the best way but it can get close. The best do it yourself method I have seen is to take 2 pieces of square tubing with 2 threaded rods through them that will contact the bead seat on each wheel, you can bungee them to the wheel, but they must be the same height above the bottom edge of the wheel,level, and adjusted so that they are perfectly parallel to the wheel, then you can measure in front and behind the wheel to measure toe. Actually easier to do than describe.