Alignment or not?
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver Island, British
Alignment or not?
I have 88Ranger 4x4 and it hasn't had an alignment done on it for a while. I talked to one mechanic and he said it was okay to do it. However, last year the leaf springs collapsed under too much weight and the mechanic I talked to this morning told me I shouldn't get the alignment done until the leafs are replaced. (This is a job I've been putting off until I get enough money to have it done.) And also, he couldn't do a full alignment on my truck anyways because it's an older model, so he'd only be able to do toe-ins. To add to all this, the mechanic who replaced several u-joints 3 years ago actually did a full alignment on it, so he told me. (With all this confusion it's no wonder a gal can't find a mechanic she can trust these days.)So who's right, and should I go ahead with the alignment or not?
Thanks,
Charlotte
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
Likes: 2
From: Eastern WA
The height of the rear end impacts alignment (caster in particular); do it AFTER the springs are installed. As for the shop that can only do toe-in, well, it's time to find another shop. They need to be able to adjust caster and camber too. As for the pulling to the right at this time, have you checked tire pressures?
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 0
From: MARYLAND
To get a proper alignment there are many factors to consider:
Bad Ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks, bad front/rear springs..basically anything that is part of the suspension must be in good working condition first or an alignment will never be correct.
Bad Ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks, bad front/rear springs..basically anything that is part of the suspension must be in good working condition first or an alignment will never be correct.
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver Island, British
Thanks, Bill & Help,
No, I haven't checked the tire pressure lately. However, I replaced the tires last year and it was vearing to the right just before I changed them. I figured it was the same problem and just that the tires with even wear were hiding the problem.
However, it could also be that I keep hitting the curb when I park and knocking the air out of my front right tire.
I've had new shocks put in and all the ball-joints and several u-joints replaced over the last three years so I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and get the springs done.
I was going to hire the local junkyard to do the job for me, and I got a hold of them when they had some leaf-springs in but they advised me to wait since the springs they had would only raise my clearance by about an inch.
Thanks,
Charlotte
No, I haven't checked the tire pressure lately. However, I replaced the tires last year and it was vearing to the right just before I changed them. I figured it was the same problem and just that the tires with even wear were hiding the problem.
However, it could also be that I keep hitting the curb when I park and knocking the air out of my front right tire.
I've had new shocks put in and all the ball-joints and several u-joints replaced over the last three years so I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and get the springs done.
I was going to hire the local junkyard to do the job for me, and I got a hold of them when they had some leaf-springs in but they advised me to wait since the springs they had would only raise my clearance by about an inch.
Thanks,
Charlotte
