alignment
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,551
Likes: 1
From: Hickory, North Carolina
You should be able to tell by looking at the wear patterns on your tires. If the tires are worn in an abnormal pattern that is an good indicator. If you have to hold the wheel to to one side to go down the highway straight then yes you would need an alignment
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
From: West Texas
It can cause your tires to wear out as you already discovered and also cause control problems while driving.
Be very careful and picky about who you choose to align it. The Ford dealer is the only garage I'd recommend but only if their tech is good with these trucks. A lot aren't any more.
Once you get it done, if your steering wheel is the least bit crooked when you let go of it driving in a straight line then take it back immediately and tell them to redo it.
Be very careful and picky about who you choose to align it. The Ford dealer is the only garage I'd recommend but only if their tech is good with these trucks. A lot aren't any more.
Once you get it done, if your steering wheel is the least bit crooked when you let go of it driving in a straight line then take it back immediately and tell them to redo it.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 436
Likes: 1
From: Mass
i put in two new tie rods last week, then brought it to the shop and had it aligned and i'll tell you, it handles the *****. i never thought it was bad before but after the alignment and new tie rods it like a new truck. drives really nice!
get it done when you can, you'll be glad you did. makes driving much more enjoyable.
get it done when you can, you'll be glad you did. makes driving much more enjoyable.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
Likes: 84
From: Wake Forest, NC
You need to make sure you don't have any worn suspension parts. Wheel alignment in itself doesn't cause vibration, unless it is horribly bad.
There are 3 main things that contribute to a wheel alignment. Toe, camber and caster.
Toe contributes to wheel centering, inside and outside edge wear. It doesn't necessarily contribute to pulling, or drifting to one side.
Both camber and caster can affect pulling and drifting.
Camber can show as tire tread wear across a significant portion of the tire tread.
Caster affects steering wheel return to center.
Only toe and centering are readily adjustable on the superduty.
There are 3 main things that contribute to a wheel alignment. Toe, camber and caster.
Toe contributes to wheel centering, inside and outside edge wear. It doesn't necessarily contribute to pulling, or drifting to one side.
Both camber and caster can affect pulling and drifting.
Camber can show as tire tread wear across a significant portion of the tire tread.
Caster affects steering wheel return to center.
Only toe and centering are readily adjustable on the superduty.
