alignment ideas
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: mankato, MN
alignment ideas
I just finished puting a new front and rear axle in as well as new 39's on my 79' f250. I thought i should get an alignment and was wondering if i should do it on my own or if i should go in and get a pro one for the first time aligning the new parts. It doesn't drift or pull but i don't want to rip up the new tires.
thanks
thanks
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
It's been over 30 years and over 900K miles since I have had both of my trucks front ends aligned by a shop. Once camber and caster have been set they don't change unless rubber bushings fail but I don't let them get bad or a crash, oops.
For toe in two razor blades stuck into the tread and measure then roll forward 1/2 tire rotation and measure again. Alot better than a steel rim measurement as they wobble. I have camber / caster tools and check the rear axle to frame alignment, no sideways running dog here and tire wear is perfect. This also applies on the Rover Discovery 4x4 with radius arms front and rear and solid front axle.
.....=o&o>.....
For toe in two razor blades stuck into the tread and measure then roll forward 1/2 tire rotation and measure again. Alot better than a steel rim measurement as they wobble. I have camber / caster tools and check the rear axle to frame alignment, no sideways running dog here and tire wear is perfect. This also applies on the Rover Discovery 4x4 with radius arms front and rear and solid front axle.
.....=o&o>.....
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,445
Likes: 5,517
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
whenever i do front end work, i do a quick alignment by measuring from tire to tire on the front, then rear at about the same place on the tire. i then set the front end to be toe in 1/8 inch. this is good enough to get it to the alignment shop without doing any damage to the tires. on both the 79 and 88, the shop left it 1/8 toe in, and i got 75k out of the bfg radial at's before i took them off due to dryrot from being 16 years old.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2004
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Just because you get caster and camber set once doesn't mean that they won't change. It is a good idea to get an alignment every 12 months or 12k which ever comes first. If you run the highway and hit alot of expansion cracks or potholes in the city it can change your alignment. Not neccessarily caster and camber, but it is cheap insurance against suspension parts going bad from being out of alignment. Off road rigs benefit as much as pavement pounders.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
That just confirms the durability of the forged steel front ends on trucks of the 60's vs new stampted tin of the 90's. If expansion joints and potholes change alignment that must be the new tin crap thats out there. The crowd I hang with, 14-16 F250's from 59 to 71 haven't done your annual front end alignment for years, run 40+K miles a year without any odd tire wear problems. True rubber bushings will go bad but then that's once every 10 years or longer.
.....=o&o>.....
.....=o&o>.....
Last edited by "Beemer Nut"; Mar 29, 2006 at 09:59 PM.
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