Alignment Spec question

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Feb 7, 2009 | 09:15 PM

Ford Fx4

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,209

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From: land of 10,000 lakes

Alignment Spec question

I Am having some trouble with my truck pulling hard to the right. I had my truck checked and this is what the read out said.

BEFORE

-----------------LEFT--------- RIGHT

CAMBER .............. -0.4............ -0.7
CASTER................. 4.2........... 4.5
TOE.................... -0.18.............. 0.04

TOTAL TOE -0.14

STEER AHEAD -0.11

REAR THRUST ANGLE 0.25

According to what the guy told me and the print out said my left toe was in a bit and the steer ahead was out a bit also.

AFTER

-----------------LEFT--------- RIGHT

CAMBER.............. -0.4.............. -0.7
CASTER.............. 4.2.............. 4.5
TOE................. 0.00.............. 0.01

TOTAL TOE 0.01

STEER AHEAD -0.01

REAR THRUST ANGLE 0.24

Everything is now in the green on the print out.....but the truck still pulls hard to the right. I am almost certain it is a tire issue but just want to rule this out.

How do the specs look?
Also, Anyone know the factory specs for my truck?

Thanks

Feb 7, 2009 | 11:24 PM

m-mavar

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Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 7

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4WD SuperCab
Caster a 4.4° ± 1.0° 4.8° ± 1.0° -0.4° ± 0.75°
Camber -0.2° ± 0.75° -0.2° ± 0.75° 0.0° ± 0.75°
Total toe (front) — — 0.15° ± 0.20°
Total toe (rear) — — 0.0° ± 0.20°
Thrust angle (rear) — — 0.0° ± 0.30°

Feb 8, 2009 | 08:05 AM

silver05fx4

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Joined: Jan 2008

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From: altoona

the specs seem to be on, did you try rotating the tires and check front end for wear?

Feb 8, 2009 | 01:17 PM

Ford Fx4

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,209

Likes: 69

From: land of 10,000 lakes

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver05fx4

the specs seem to be on, did you try rotating the tires and check front end for wear?

As for the tires yes,

had the right side rotated, front to back, no change.
had the left side rotated, front to back, no change.

Shop put 4 new tires on, no change, still pulls right

I know it seems unlikely to have two bad sets of tires but I have seen it before. My dad had a 05 FX4 pulled hard to the right, ford tired 5 sets of tires (bf Goodrich), checked alignment two times and it still pulled hard.

I still think it is tires. With the old tires (still had over half thread left) truck drove straight as a arrow. Next day get new tires and it pulls hard to the right.

How would I go about checking the front end for wear? I only have 22k on the ticker so I think it should all be good and tight but ya never know I guess.

Thanks

Feb 8, 2009 | 04:23 PM

Greg B

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Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 2,565

Likes: 2

If it were my truck, I'd want a little more positive caster on the driver side than the passenger side. The camber lead looks good. I generally always tried to get approximately 1/4 degree more positive caster on the driver side to compensate for the crown in the road. That being said, try rotating the front tires side to side to see if that changes anything. If it does, it's most probably a tire issue. If not, it's an alignment issue.

Greg B

Feb 8, 2009 | 04:24 PM

silver05fx4

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Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 1,048

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From: altoona

i know when i did alignments i would set them a little to the left for road crown ..and the road your testing on is flat and stright ?

Feb 8, 2009 | 04:28 PM

Ford Fx4

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,209

Likes: 69

From: land of 10,000 lakes

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver05fx4

i know when i did alignments i would set them a little to the left for road crown ..and the road your testing on is flat and stright ?

Yes, road is flat and straight. I travel it every day for work and before with the old tires I could take my hand off the wheel and it would go like an arrow til the road turned, which is a good 1/3 mile if not a 1/2 mile.

Now I got about 2-4 seconds before I am in the ditch, its that bad.

Any Idea on what to look for on the front to make sure it's all good?

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Feb 9, 2009 | 11:22 PM

Flying_Dutchman

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Joined: Dec 2008

Posts: 1,756

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From: Langley BC

Ive got an alignment spec sheet that shows Total toe as a different measurement. It shows the specified range as -1/32" to 11/64", its not shown as a degree measurement.

Feb 10, 2009 | 06:03 PM

#10

stanger_missle

Senior User

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 218

Likes: 2

From: Tampa, FL

After ruling out the tires, could the brakes or bearings be the culprit?

I had a 1980 Toyota Celica once (my first car). It had a similar issue. It ended up being the caliper siezed and the pad was dragging on the rotor.

Feb 10, 2009 | 09:39 PM

#11

Ford Fx4

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,209

Likes: 69

From: land of 10,000 lakes

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanger_missle

I thought about that also. Don't think it's a brake pad as I check all the wheels after driving for about 30-45 mins and none were excessively hotter then the others.