Hey guys,

I have an F-250 so my truck has the twin beam axle that we all kinda hate. I have some pretty bad negative camber with my 36' tires and it has been progressively getting worse, it's especially bad when I back up but it's always there. I think I also have a slight toe outward. My steering bushings and generally all the bushings up front are pretty much toast. What do you guys recommend I replace and is it something I can or should do myself and then go get an alignment. I want to make sure my tires wear evenly and it just doesn't look very cool when the truck is sagging like that. I can post pictures if needed. I am sure others have dealt with this problem before, I don't know if its just an inherit problem with the axle plus the huge tires and lift, but maybe there is still something to be done about that.

Thanks for the help.

James

 

I’ll assume for the moment that this is a four-wheel-drive truck. You said twin I-beam, but that’s the official name for the 2 Wheel Dr. set up on some trucks.

since you have that type of suspension, whether it’s twin I-beam or twin traction beam for four-wheel-drive, how much is it lifted in order to fit those 36 inch tires?
And what brand of suspension was used?
Does it have the appropriate size drop brackets?

There’s only so much camber that can be adjusted so it takes some equally tall drop brackets matching the spring lift to get things to line up within a reasonable range.
same might go for a 2 Wheel Dr. truck of course, but things get more complicated to fit that large of a tire, such as custom I-beams.
Is that what yours has?

 

And most of the members here probably are more up-to-date on suspension components for both two and four wheel drive trucks. I haven’t been paying that much attention lately so might be way off in my comments.
but more information is always helpful anyway. Which is why I asked about what type of truck and how it’s set up right now. I assume it’s the 88 in your username, but that would make a difference to in case it’s a different vehicle.

 

Sorry. Just reread your first comment and I realize you didn’t say twin I beam. You just said twin beam. My mistake in reading it too fast.

 

Leaf spring bushings, axle beam pivot bushings, and ball joints can each effect camber. Tie rods don't impact camber, but they are important. I've had good luck with Moog tie rods.

Was your 4" lift kit just add a leafs & beam drop brackets? Or new front leaves & beam drop brackets?

 

We do? Since When?

 

I don’t hate the TTB axle. It works just fine for my application. It is normal for the negative camber to be worse after backing up. You need to replace any bushings that are worn before trying to align the truck or you are just wasting your money. Is replacing the bushings something you can do? I cannot answer that question since I have no idea of your mechanical abilities.


His signature line has 4x4 and twin I beam.

 

Thanks. I see it now and glad it's all there. Unfortunately I can't see any of that stuff on my phone. Only when I'm on the computer does that show up.
And I know I'm missing out on good info, but hate clicking into other screens such as clicking on a username from my phone too, so i don't even bother. I never know what I'm missing though. I wonder if there is a setting that will show more info when I'm using the phone.
I did review it on my computer after the fact however and still managed to ignore the signature information! Appreciate you throwing that out there.

Paul

 

Yes, sorry thank you for the qlarifying questions. It is an '88 F-250 with 4x4 so yes it would be the twin traction beam. Wasn't too clear on the names just that its a split axle. It has a 4 inch Rancho Suspension lift. It was installed correctly by a shop years ago. The axle is completely stock.

 

Well at least Rancho was known for using correct drop bracketry for a given amount of lift. I wonder if something is bent?
And the front cross-member of the frame is known for cracking too, once you add the leverage of the lift and larger tires. Might be needing more than bushings up front.
But bushings are the life and limb of these trucks too, so as someone already mentioned, you can't ignore them especially at first.

Paul

 

Okay so you guys dont hate the axle LOL. I do, looking for a Dana 60 to swap it, but yes I am mechanically inclined and just havent touched the steering and suspension on this truck much yet. I wanted to know whether it was something I could do anything about or if its just like that with the split axle because that is what I have heard. What concerned me is that it recently has been getting worse. Ill just replace bushings. The suspension likely had add-in leaves for the front and new springs for the rear.

 

Something else I kind of ignored... I saw it when you posted, but still in my head I was seeing positive camber as the problem because after a cheap lift that's what most experience.
But you clearly said negative camber, and that's typically a function of bushings too, but more likely due to sagging springs. The camber turns negative pretty quickly as the front springs sag.

I don't know what the measurements are supposed to be for stock and lifted, but someone should have something to compare to. Maybe your problem (other than the toasted bushings) is you need some new springs to bring it back up to the 4" rated height for your drop brackets.

paul

 

Good. what bushings are likely the root of the problem? Steering components or camber bushings, spring bushings, pivot bushings, etc.

 

That's something I thought of too. Doesn't seem to me like its at the correct height with the lift. Springs may be wearing out.

 

Unless the caster/camber bushings have broken or dislodged from the axle (something to check), they don't wear as there's no moving parts. Steering components (I think of tie rod ends here) don't impact camber, but the toe setting does greatly impact tire wear.
Beam pivots and spring bushings wear over time, and will create reduction in ride height (just like weak springs) resulting in negative camber. If ball joints are very worn & loose, they can create negative camber, this would be seriously worn joints, and a danger to keep on the road.