Alignment is one of the many things I am lacking experience in.
After getting the new tires I took the van to get the alignment done today.
I thought this shop could bend the I-beams to adjust the camber but they did not.
The guy said that the new springs would settle down some but it has been over 10k now and part of that over gravel roads with lots of bumps and holes.

A couple of thoughts here.
As we know with the I beams raise up with more weight on the front end.
When he checked the camber there was no one in the drivers seat..

2nd, when I rebuilt the front end a couple of years ago there is a rubber coil spring insulator that the bottom of the spring sits on. It is mounted onto the I-beam under a cup like part. This was extremely difficult to get loose so we left it in place.

When ordering parts I had ordered a set of Moog insulators that were made to just sit over top of the old one and the cup. I didn't think about it raising the height of the I-beams at the time I installed it. The Moog insulator is about 1/4" thick. If I removed the insulator it would lower the I-beams back down a 1/4"...
Does anyone think that would bring the alignment within spec?

Here is the alignment sheet.



#9 in the diagram below is the stock insulator (don't know if this is for a van or not, just picked a drawing with the insulator)



Here is a pic of the Moog insulator

 

I don't remember ever seeing that insulator when I pulled the coils on my 99 E350 to insert air bags, could it be something in the lighter vans, the new springs may be a heavier/improved version compared to the factory one so they might not settle all the way down, time to get a camber insert. Every little bit counts, as I recall the 1/2" spacer I put under the coil bucket of a Bronco II resulted in a 2" lift, but the beams on those are much shorter than the full size so you would get far less but the impact is there. I am **** about my steering wheel, I want it level, requires tie rod adjustment, wear will obviously result in changes to the wheel level and toe, they aren't too expensive till you get to the one on the pitman arm, it's the entire rod.

 

Your camber and caster are perfect. Camber matches perfectly left/right, and the caster is a little higher on the right. That’s exactly the desired result.

Set the toe and let her go.

 

you put in a half inch spacer and it lifted the van 2”?

exacrly how is that possible.

 

No, the Bronco II was lifted 2" for 1/2" spacer, due to the van having a longer I-beam I'd say you get less, yet it affects camber. The spacer is much like a thick washer, going between the coil bucket and I-beam adding height as if you installed taller coil springs.

 

I looked up the rubber washer in my 88 manual and found it but when i had the springs out the rubber washer appeared to be under the "spring lower seat", not just around it. I will find out because I am going to take it back apart. You can stand directly in front of the van and see that the front wheels are defiantly viably tilted inward at the bottom. Another thing I have started trying to be conscious of is to not turn the wheels all the way when backing up or parking more then I have to. I used to pull in and back out of my driveway at a 90 degree angle and that tilts the wheels inward quite a bit causing the tires to ride on the outer edge.

As to the steering wheel. I am going to turn the gear box adjustment screw a 1/4 turn and see if that solves the little bit of play. I think I mentioned before that I saw a TSB about needing to adjust it on at least the 88's. Since the alignment the steering wheel itself is somewhat more centered going down the interstate. I will be able to tell better once I adjust the gear box. I think it might need to be moved 1 tooth on the steering shaft.
My 88 only has one tie rod end and the drag link that catches 1 wheel and the pitman arm. I replaced both right after I got the van. It only has one adjustment and that sets the toe in. Tome it appears that the drag link determines the position of the steering wheel for the most part? Drag link, cheap piece of junk from Autozone. The guy that did the alignment said it was tight but when I had the tires put on I moved the wheels back and forth and saw a tiny bit of play in it with only 15k on it!

 

Annaleigh your van only gets 15,000 miles per year. Why are you concerned with one degree of positive camber?
Its within spec and more importantly the camber and caster split is spot on perfect.

My steering wheel naturally rests level but if I don’t fight it to the right then it’ll drift into oncoming traffic. And I got well over 100,000 miles on my current tires. I’ve Never had an alignment in my 205,000 miles of owning this van.

 

I meant to take pictures of the wrangler tires before I replaced them but didn't.
Those GY Wranglers have a pretty high tread on the inner and outer edges. Within about 6k miles those edges had worn down by 1/2 and I had the tires rotated. It did the same to the the ones moved to the front but by 15k they were down to less then half the center tread. Of course we know they dry rotted in 3 years and there could have been a problem with the rubber... But I certainly don't want that to happen with these new tires... Again though many of my trips are very short trips within 2 to 5 miles each trip normally requiring 10 to 12, 90 degree turns.

 

BTW if you add too much lift the tire wear will be on the outside, middle wear is from over inflation, but getting it set right before you get new tires is a good idea.