F150 front End Alignment
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F150 front End Alignment
96 F150, 4.9L, 5 spd, 2wd
i have had alignment at three different shops. Nothing but problems. From the steering wheel not being straight to the last issue of the tech forgetting to tighten the pinch bolt for the caster/camber bushing. This created some tense movements on a busy highway. So now I’m going to do my own front end alignment. My question toe. I believe the ford should have a slight toe out to drive an track properly. I believe the wheels should toe out between .06-.12. Does anyone have the specs? Is .06-.12 correct?
thanks for your help.
i have had alignment at three different shops. Nothing but problems. From the steering wheel not being straight to the last issue of the tech forgetting to tighten the pinch bolt for the caster/camber bushing. This created some tense movements on a busy highway. So now I’m going to do my own front end alignment. My question toe. I believe the ford should have a slight toe out to drive an track properly. I believe the wheels should toe out between .06-.12. Does anyone have the specs? Is .06-.12 correct?
thanks for your help.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
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From: Ohio
I go for toe in. 1/16"-1/8".
When I bought my current '95 F150 2wd, it wandered and had bump steer issues. Hit a pot hole and it would dart around, worse at highway speed. The LF tire seemed to have cupping issues. The PO had alignments done, but I got a few 4x4's and a tape measure and did some checking. It had 3/4" TOE OUT!! Yikes. I spend some time adjusting things back to normal. It tracks fine, drives straight and the new tires wear perfectly.
I stacked a few 4x4 pieces up to get to the center if the tire. Then a long level was used to give me a point front/back of the tire to hook tape measure on each side. You have to play with BOTH adjusters to keep the wheel centered. That is where I went wrong at first. I had to slowly work both back to get the wheel straight. I would back the truck up and then pull up again to confirm. Take your time. Measure and remeasure. It is really not hard to do. Better with two people.
When I bought my current '95 F150 2wd, it wandered and had bump steer issues. Hit a pot hole and it would dart around, worse at highway speed. The LF tire seemed to have cupping issues. The PO had alignments done, but I got a few 4x4's and a tape measure and did some checking. It had 3/4" TOE OUT!! Yikes. I spend some time adjusting things back to normal. It tracks fine, drives straight and the new tires wear perfectly.
I stacked a few 4x4 pieces up to get to the center if the tire. Then a long level was used to give me a point front/back of the tire to hook tape measure on each side. You have to play with BOTH adjusters to keep the wheel centered. That is where I went wrong at first. I had to slowly work both back to get the wheel straight. I would back the truck up and then pull up again to confirm. Take your time. Measure and remeasure. It is really not hard to do. Better with two people.
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Thanks 88 and Train,
I guess we are sort of thinking the same, but then again maybe not. Maybe you can help me with this. Here is the approach I was going to take. (it may be wrong)
I was thinking that the force of road was trying to force the tires or wheels apart or spread them. So my thought was if I set the wheels with toe out, the force was going to force the tire back to the "0" point or straight. If I set the wheels with a toe in, the force of the road was going to compound the toe in setting and make the wheels even more pigeon toed, scrubbing the tires.
Do I have this all backwards?
Appreciate everyones thoughts...
I guess we are sort of thinking the same, but then again maybe not. Maybe you can help me with this. Here is the approach I was going to take. (it may be wrong)
I was thinking that the force of road was trying to force the tires or wheels apart or spread them. So my thought was if I set the wheels with toe out, the force was going to force the tire back to the "0" point or straight. If I set the wheels with a toe in, the force of the road was going to compound the toe in setting and make the wheels even more pigeon toed, scrubbing the tires.
Do I have this all backwards?
Appreciate everyones thoughts...
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toe in
Thanks.
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Toed in is only slightly “pigeon toed” so it will not become more toed in when driving. When driving down the road the tires will try to pull further apart. Front drive vehicles are set up slightly toed out because they are pulling the vehicle and actually does tend to become more toed in when in motion.
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toe in
Toed in is only slightly “pigeon toed” so it will not become more toed in when driving. When driving down the road the tires will try to pull further apart. Front drive vehicles are set up slightly toed out because they are pulling the vehicle and actually does tend to become more toed in when in motion.
I think I was trying to make it more complicated than it was. Sometimes My minds eye can't see the forrest for the trees.\\ I got it now. Thanks for your help. Getting ready to measure my Ford now.
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train, adjustment
I go for toe in. 1/16"-1/8".
When I bought my current '95 F150 2wd, it wandered and had bump steer issues. Hit a pot hole and it would dart around, worse at highway speed. The LF tire seemed to have cupping issues. The PO had alignments done, but I got a few 4x4's and a tape measure and did some checking. It had 3/4" TOE OUT!! Yikes. I spend some time adjusting things back to normal. It tracks fine, drives straight and the new tires wear perfectly.
I stacked a few 4x4 pieces up to get to the center if the tire. Then a long level was used to give me a point front/back of the tire to hook tape measure on each side. You have to play with BOTH adjusters to keep the wheel centered. That is where I went wrong at first. I had to slowly work both back to get the wheel straight. I would back the truck up and then pull up again to confirm. Take your time. Measure and remeasure. It is really not hard to do. Better with two people.
When I bought my current '95 F150 2wd, it wandered and had bump steer issues. Hit a pot hole and it would dart around, worse at highway speed. The LF tire seemed to have cupping issues. The PO had alignments done, but I got a few 4x4's and a tape measure and did some checking. It had 3/4" TOE OUT!! Yikes. I spend some time adjusting things back to normal. It tracks fine, drives straight and the new tires wear perfectly.
I stacked a few 4x4 pieces up to get to the center if the tire. Then a long level was used to give me a point front/back of the tire to hook tape measure on each side. You have to play with BOTH adjusters to keep the wheel centered. That is where I went wrong at first. I had to slowly work both back to get the wheel straight. I would back the truck up and then pull up again to confirm. Take your time. Measure and remeasure. It is really not hard to do. Better with two people.
I finally got the pivot bushings for the front axle in. The tires that are on her currently has a nice deep groove in the center of the tires. I took a simple measurement from the grove on the passenger side to the same point on the opposite side. I find the I have a toe out of 3/8". certainly some adjustments to the front suspension are needed, but here is my concerns:
How do I know that the 3/8" toe out condition, I measured,, isn't all from one wheel. I can't see a true datum point to start from. Adjustments to a 1/8" toe in is simply going to be a guess, I could be compounding the problem,
Should I set up a set of jack stands and run a string from the rear of the vehicle around the center of the rear wheel to a point past the front wheel, then adjust that front
wheel until it is perfectly in line with the rear wheel then adjust until it has 1/16" toe in? Then do the same on the other side, giving me a total of 1/8" toe in?
Is there a better approach. Your thoughts and advise.....Appreciated.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,698
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From: Mexico, Missouri
What I did was remove both tires, take 2 pieces of flat stock, then bolted them to the rotor. I used the top lug nut to bolt them. Since you have 5 lug rotors, using the top one of the *Star* pattern. Then I measured off the rotor, front and back. That confirmed my suspicion when I did the same with tires bolted to the rotors. I used a straight line, done with a nail on both tires and I still had 1/4" of Toe out.
A good piece of 21 or longer flat stock is good to help with a straight line across the front suspension.
A good piece of 21 or longer flat stock is good to help with a straight line across the front suspension.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Ohio
You can't adjust each wheel on these trucks. Only two adjustments. One on passenger side tie rod and one on the drag link side. It adjusts the toe in equally between the two tires and sets the steering wheel center. Start with like 1/2 turn on each(lengthen them). That should move it and adjust the wheel to keep it centered. Work slowly. Roll truck backwards and pull up and park and recheck. If you don't, you might not get a true reading with the wheels pushed "back" like you are driving down the road.
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You can't adjust each wheel on these trucks. Only two adjustments. One on passenger side tie rod and one on the drag link side. It adjusts the toe in equally between the two tires and sets the steering wheel center. Start with like 1/2 turn on each(lengthen them). That should move it and adjust the wheel to keep it centered. Work slowly. Roll truck backwards and pull up and park and recheck. If you don't, you might not get a true reading with the wheels pushed "back" like you are driving down the road.
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Timbet, Thanks. I was watching a YouTube front end alignment where the vehicle was rolled onto sheets (3) of cardboard, allowing the wheel to be easily rotated. Then adjustments were made with it on the ground. That’s the reason I was asking.