Trying to get a few issuses cleared up with my newly acuired truck: '89 F150 with 4" RC lift springs in front. I-Beams have been dropped down. Supposedly it has never been professionally aligned after the lift (toe probably ok, drives straight and smooth) Tires look like /---\ i think that means negative camber... Anyway I have checked the balljoints and they seem pretty tight but do have a very minimal amount of play (1/16"-1/8" maybe?). They do not seem to make any noises or bind. Is the only way to adjust camber using offset ball-joints or some sort of shims on the ball joints? I'm still learing the TTB front end... Will/Can a shop still align it and get the camber pretty close with "imperfect" ball joints?? On my last solid axle vehicle a shop refused to align it becase the ball joints were bad and wanted $400+ to replace them. They did have a lot more slop than the ones in this truck...

If I can get an alignment and get everything "pretty close" I would be happy. Want to save my 33" BFGs they are wearing bad on the inside tread. If I absolutly need perfect ball joints I will probably do them myself later... don't feel like shelling out tons of cash for such a labor intensive project, just confused on how to align this thing! Any idea on how much it would cost, factoring in the lift/goofyTTB/MN rust?
Thanks a lot for any replies!

 

Camber is set by replacing the adjuster on the upper balljoint(though some pivot brackets have an eccentric also).As for aligning a vehicle with worn balljoints,IMO it's a waste of someone's time and your money.I've done many an a alignment on vehicles with worn parts, I don't like doing it,I'd rather see them put the money towards repairing it first.As far as cost to align, it will vary but I'd say $200 would be worst case depending where you live.At my shop $125 is the max. average is $75-80. (parts/labor) on a TTB and most mono-beams.

 

Thanks SRD, that was helpful. I do plan on replacing all ball-joints myself in the spring or when I have time along with both front axle u-joints. I just don't have the shop space and tools to do the job right now and I guess I'd rather put it until after winter. There really is a very minimal amount of play in them and one side has newer joints with grease zerks... Would it be worth it getting it aligned now or should I just live with tire wear until everything is super tight? It will need to be realigned after new joints are put in no matter what, correct?

 

I guess it depends how many miles you'll put on the truck,if you hold off on the alignment for now,just rotate the heck out of the tires to try and keep too much wear from starting on them.