Alignment issue
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Trailering
Joined: Oct 2023
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Likes: 1
Alignment issue
Hello. I have a 95 f150 4x4 5.0 and I have since replaced the ball joints wheel bearing and gear box. Had it aligned and everything was great 500 miles later one wheel is straight and other is crooked. Also angled in. Shop is trying to tell my my coil spring insulator is bad. I noticed the cracked camber bushing but it's on the side that isn't angled. I also replaced shocks as well. I don't think they know what it is and I don't want to just throw parts at it. Thank you
Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 480
Likes: 141
From: NJ
Crooked how? Do you mean in regards to the toe, or the camber? Post any before and after alignment specs if you have them, that may help us get some insight. Off the top of my head yes, a bad spring *could* cause the camber to shift- and as you probably know by now, with an "inverted Y" steering linkage, it would also cause the toe to shift somewhat.
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Trailering
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 22
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Crooked how? Do you mean in regards to the toe, or the camber? Post any before and after alignment specs if you have them, that may help us get some insight. Off the top of my head yes, a bad spring *could* cause the camber to shift- and as you probably know by now, with an "inverted Y" steering linkage, it would also cause the toe to shift somewhat.
Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 480
Likes: 141
From: NJ
Really no way to know without measurements. In the meantime, look carefully at all the new parts you have in there, it sounds like they may have shifted. Once you get the springs back, check the ride height. Typically it should be less than 1/4" difference from one side to the other, although every vehicle has its own spec and I don't remember what it is for yours off the top of my head. Just measure the distance between top of tire and inside edge of wheel arch. If it varies more than 1/4", whichever side is lower likely has a broken or shifted component.
Don't read too much into the springs being the same length at rest. Measuring the ride height is how you test them.
Don't read too much into the springs being the same length at rest. Measuring the ride height is how you test them.
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Trailering
Joined: Oct 2023
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It was fine until I went for a alignment lol. What would you suggest for camber bushings? They did a crap job on the alignment and point at parts. I have new insulators coming in. Issue no one in my area knows how to align older vehicles.
Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 480
Likes: 141
From: NJ
They come in different adjustment ranges. In order to know which one you need, you need to know 1) what the caster and camber are now 2) which bushing is in there now and 3) what the spec is. So for example, if the spec is -1* through +1* camber, the wheels are currently at -3*, and there's a 0 through -1* bushing that's maxed out toward the 0* end of its range, then you need one with a +2* greater range than you what you have now. Long story short, your next step is to get the printout with the before and after measurements.
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Trailering
Joined: Oct 2023
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Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 480
Likes: 141
From: NJ
That report doesn't show that anything at all needs to be done with the sleeves. Unfortunately they didn't measure caster. Toe and camber, while not perfect, do not stick out as a source of any major problems. If it tracks straight and is free of apparent problems, just leave it alone.
Are you having a problem with the steering you're trying to fix? if so, what is it? Can you describe it in detail? That might give us a clue as to whether there's anything obvious to check before you send it out to get the caster measured and/or see if the numbers are different due to a shifting component. In the meantime, check the ride height! It takes all of 35 seconds to do both sides and might reveal whatever problem you are chasing down.
Are you having a problem with the steering you're trying to fix? if so, what is it? Can you describe it in detail? That might give us a clue as to whether there's anything obvious to check before you send it out to get the caster measured and/or see if the numbers are different due to a shifting component. In the meantime, check the ride height! It takes all of 35 seconds to do both sides and might reveal whatever problem you are chasing down.
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Thread Starter
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Trailering
Joined: Oct 2023
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Drivers side wheel was straight (this side has the cracked camber bushing) and passenger side was to the right a bit. Camber looked bad didn't have anything of this till after I did an alignment. Today I just finished doing radius arm bushings and pivot arm bushings. Just waiting on the coil spring insulator to come in. This was the part they were blaming the bad toe on.
Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 480
Likes: 141
From: NJ
Just to clarify, are you experiencing any steering problems? Be aware that sometimes when parking the suspension will settle with a funny camber to it, it's just an inherent characteristic of the suspension system and isn't cause for concern.
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