So even though the alignment shop has good after numbers, ya'll still think the reason why he's smokin' the tires off is cuz of a bent axle tube? I mean I guess it's possible.

 

What is highlighted in bold in the quote below is not universally true, because in 2001, Ford decided to eliminate the Dana 50, and from then on used Dana 60's for the single rear wheel applications as well.

So it depends on the model year.

Hyakkimaru, I not only cannot remember what I had for breakfast this morning... I can't even remember IF I had breakfast this morning, so there is no way that I am capable of tracking what you have or what you've done to your truck. If I said you have a Dana 50 at the time, then I believe you do, because at the time you presented your photos (which I no longer remember) that's what I saw.

But as ESwift points out, whether you have a D50, D60 or a Dynatrac custom D80 axle up front, the issue remains the same. Solid front axles can and do get bent. Sometimes the bending is in the tube, sometimes it is at the junction in the pumpkin, at the receiving collars into which the axle tubes are plug welded. It may sound impossible for castings to "bend", but it has happened, where the initiation of the deviation could be detected by noting gap separations, cracked welds, and other anomalies.

An axle alignment rod (through an entirely empty axle housing) is one way to detect bends in the assembly, but like I said, the 4x4 enthusiast community has explored many conventional and creative ways to discover and deal with bent front axles, IF in fact, that is what you have. Since we haven't determined that yet, I tagged a forum member here who would be in a good position to advise you on how you might check using the least invasive ways, which could help put your mind at ease by ruling in or ruling out the possiblity.

Worry not, I didn't send you to the wolves at Pirate4x4. That web forum was purchased, and the new owners ran many of the wolves off, and this mass exodus regrouped and started another forum, dropping the "P", and that forum is called Irate4x4. They advertise Irate4x4 as having the same attitude, without the "p".

The original owner of Pirate4x4, who started it all 23 years ago, happens to be a member here on FTE. So that is who I was tagging into the discussion. I wouldn't send you off to another forum. What would we have to talk about without our Purple prince peppering the forums with so many interesting problems to solve?

 

I lean more towards something is moving/shifting, maybe u bolts or in the leaf springs/hangers, this could be missed during an alignment if it is requiring the full weight and forces of the vehicle while driving on bumpy turning roads

 

Apologies' I guess my brain mistook the member tag as a web link and immediately did one of those slow motion Nooooooooooo!('s) Isn't there a saying that goes something like "If I'm not screwing something up I'm either asleep or dead."

 

Here's a bit of a video. I kind of just played around under the truck inspecting a few things. I didn't really find much of anything.

 

1. Did you replace your cab and bed mounts? If not, measure height of frame to ground to see if the truck is truly leaning to one side.
2. What did you mean by the driver side knuckle is "up"? As in it rides higher relative to the axle than the passenger side? Are the ball joints fully seated in the knuckle on the passenger side? Did you clean the taper holes in the ears of the axle before you installed the knuckles with their new ball joints? Or did you mean the upper ear on the driver side is bent upwards? Measure the distance between the ears on both sides of the axle to see if they are different.
3. That leaf spring being off center is because that clip is bent open. I doubt that will account for the big difference in ride height though. You can try squeezing that clip back closed with your ball joint press.
4. You may want to bag the unused ABS connectors behind the fender liners so the don't get contaminated.
5. Did you compare the curvature of the driver side to passenger side leaf spring before installation?

 

Outer or inner wear are not caused by worn springs, there's a problem with toe or camber or both. I would look for play in the tie rods and ball joints.

 

no, I didn't look at either leaf spring before installing. I will look more into It after work.

 

I don't think the springs are worn. I think one of them is bent. The axle that's on my truck was in a wreck that totaled the truck before I put it on my truck. And I am continuously wearing my outside of my driver side tire even after having an alignment done and replacing ball joints and the like. The tie rods are definitely a bit old and have some play in them. I don't think that could wear my outer tire from new to wires in a month though.

 

If the spring was bent the truck would just lean to one side and tire wear wouldnt change because it is a solid axle. Similar to if you had a broken spring. Measure from frame to axle, and then measure from the center of the front hub to the center of the rear hub on each side. After that measure the angle of the front shackle in comparison to the frame. I have a truck that had a bad lean and a slightly cocked front axle (had two different shackle angles) from a crash. Had to move the pass. front spring hanger forward to square it back up. Once square all of the body mounts on the passenger side needed shimming to get it sitting level and line up the body lines. Personally I would put the back tires on the front and run it for a while and see if it changed after realignment. Keeping the worn tires up front won't tell you anything because they will continue to wear like **** even after the alignment. The rear tires should be flat so you can at least get a new wear baseline.

 

I did put my rear tires on the front. Haven't driven enough to see anything yet. I will measure all of those things you listed as soon as I get home from work. I measured the rear shackle angle this morning. From top of cab mount bracket to bottom of the shackle on the passenger side is 11 in. From top of cab mount bracket to bottom of the shackle on the driver side is 10 in. Which means my driver side is leaning down further. Which could be from an over stressed spring or something. I need to inspect my cab mounts as well.

I never thought about it like that but now that you mention it, a bent leaf spring probably wouldn't affect tire wear. Just because it's a solid axle. That makes sense now. The leaf springs just hold the truck up. The hubs, tie rods, track bar, and other associated axle parts hold the axle and tires in allignment. Thinking like that, I probably should replace the worn tie rods. Although, that still wouldn't make only the driver side tire wear funky. It would affect both I would think. Must be something wrong on that sides hub/ball joints, knuckle or something similar. Ball joints are new. I might go ahead and buy my new hubs and see what happens with that. Might just ride for a bit after allignment like you said and see what happens.

 

Okay, I think we have a problem. Truck was driving great tracking straight and everything and I went to my mom's house cuz she made supper. She has a very bumpy driveway and of course I was going through it at an idle speed but there was one really good bump nothing crazy maybe about as hard as a speed bump but I was going at an idle speed. So nothing special. On the way home my truck is pulling to the right. Which is the side that hit the very small bump. That might not be what I actually cause the problem but, it drove to her house fine. Didn't drive home the same. Do you reckon it's time for tie rods? Do you reckon it's time for tie rods? Maybe tomorrow after work I'll have time to check my toe. If it's out again there's definitely got to be some kind of problem somewhere.

 

Does the truck pull to either side at all? Maybe wander a little causing you to make corrections more often then other vehicles you driven? I don't remember reading anywhere what the actual tire wear is. Wearing inner or outer edge, cupping, or just wearing faster than the others?

 

It was wearing the outer side of the driver tire. Just had it lined up for the second time this month at the alignment shop. It was tracking straight on the way to my mom's house. On the way home it was pulling to the right so I had to correct it and hold the wheel to the left a little bit. Like I said I didn't happen on the way to my mom's house, only on the way home. I hit a little bit of a bump in her driveway, nothing crazy at all and completely normal, and now the truck pulls to the right all of a sudden. If I get a chance after work I will check my toe in again.

 

Check torque on all your fasteners again also. Something is moving, almost certain.

Edit: Brake slide pins and/or dragging caliper may be worth a look too.