Just got an alignment

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Jan 13, 2005 | 09:11 AM

cjbronco

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From: Jersey Shore

Just got an alignment

I just got my 82 front end aligned for the 1st time since I've been the owner, and I got some pretty interesting results and I was wondering what ya'll think. The RH side radius arm needed a huge offset bushing. The camber sleeve makes the camber acceptable, but the caster was still too negative. So the put the largest caster bushing in they could. Now I was wondering what this could be from? Is it ok? I have a 4" lift from rouch country and 33" tires. I do believe the truck has had an accident where maybe one of the front I-beams maybe bent and that could be the prob? Please gime some ideas!

Jan 13, 2005 | 09:27 AM

oldhalftons

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From: Spokane WA

did you drop the axle pivot brackets down as part of the lift?
sounds pretty normal for a lifted TTB alignment

Jan 14, 2005 | 09:11 AM

cjbronco

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From: Jersey Shore

Well, when I was getting the alignment done, they guy pulled me into the garage, and I say that the spring a slightly bent. Meaning that it wasn't perfectly straight up n down but a little bent towards the back. I dont believe that the radius arms have a drop down bracket on. IDK what to do now? The previous owner had "just" put the lift on right before I got it. So idk if he missed somthing or what? Im not off-roading it all that often, but when I get a free weekend I do. What do ya think I should do?

Jan 14, 2005 | 11:36 AM

justshootme84

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From: SE Texas

That was going to be my ? for your, bro, do you have the dropdown brackets for the radius arms? If the lift kit was installed with the stock mounting brackets and factory radius arms, you will have a fairly severe, downward angle from the back of the radius arms to the axle i-beams. This puts agreat strin on the caster, trying to pull the axle beams back and up toward the center of the truck. This will also tend to "bow" the coil spring, where the bottom is closer to the rear shock than the top. You might even have spring contact with the shock. You should either get a pair of drop brackets for the radius arms, or a pair of the extended ones to cure this problem. Caster is what centers your steering, and you will wear out tires in no time if it's out of whack, or band-aided with a bishing.

Jan 17, 2005 | 07:18 AM

cjbronco

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From: Jersey Shore

Yes, the radius arms have the drop down bracket. The spring is bent towards the top of the tower. Im not sure w/such a neg. reading and the spring being so bent wtf it is? Could one of the ttb arms be bent or is it jsut the lift?

Jan 17, 2005 | 11:07 AM

justshootme84

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From: SE Texas

I doubt the axle half-beam is bent as it's stronger than the other parts. I would look at the axle pivot drop bracket mount and crossmember for any loose bolts or cracks, and the axle pivot bushings themselves. It's also possible you bent the radius arm if the "impact" was hard enough. If all of those are OK, you may need to just get a new pair of better-quality coil springs. There is a kit to fix the bowing problem ,but it's not street-legal. I had similar problems with my Skyjacker kit at first, as the extended radius arms were on backorder. There was no way to get the alignment true with the stock arms and drop brackets. The longer arms have been great with no problems.

Jan 17, 2005 | 07:40 PM

cjbronco

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From: Jersey Shore

Do you think I should get new springs and longer radius arms? I would like to maybe grew 2more inches. what do ya think get new springs arms, pitman arm, and leaft and blocks?