Real Bad Camber Problem - Help!!
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton Canada
Real Bad Camber Problem - Help!!
I have a problem with the camber in my truck; and I mean a real bad problem.
I replaced the I-beam, pivot arm and spindle with the parts from a 1976. This was to put in front disc brakes. I also bought new front springs from NPD. I put everything together and it didn't seem right, but I thought I would wait until the motor was put in to see if some weight on the front end fixed it. With the motor in the camber is almost 1-1/2" out (positive). Both sides are the same. It is not good....
Obviously, I have done something wrong: put the front end together wrong, or have some wrong parts. It looks like the spindles can only go one way, so I am wondering if I have the I-beams on the wrong side or the springs are wrong.
What could cause this? I have attached the link to some pictures in my gallery. I have never done this before, so hopefully it will work.
In the pictures it does not look that bad, but believe me it is.
I replaced the I-beam, pivot arm and spindle with the parts from a 1976. This was to put in front disc brakes. I also bought new front springs from NPD. I put everything together and it didn't seem right, but I thought I would wait until the motor was put in to see if some weight on the front end fixed it. With the motor in the camber is almost 1-1/2" out (positive). Both sides are the same. It is not good....
Obviously, I have done something wrong: put the front end together wrong, or have some wrong parts. It looks like the spindles can only go one way, so I am wondering if I have the I-beams on the wrong side or the springs are wrong.
What could cause this? I have attached the link to some pictures in my gallery. I have never done this before, so hopefully it will work.
In the pictures it does not look that bad, but believe me it is.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
This usually happens to twin i-beam truck after being jacked from the center. It should 'fix' itself when you drive it a bit. another way to correct right away is to jack one side at a time (at right under the spring) this should allow the beams to spread apart
BTW, nice clean chassis
BTW, nice clean chassis
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: OKC, Ok
Before you freak out over the way the camber is, finish building the truck and see where it settles at. The worst thing that can happen is you will have to drive it to your local front end shop and have the beams rebent to the correct degree of camber. I have been there / done that with my F-150 years ago when I installed 10,000# one ton coils on the front of it. Mine looked even worse than yours does and it was a fully built '77 long wheelbase 460/C6 supercab! It was a very heavy truck to start with. Tom
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton Canada
Before you freak out over the way the camber is, finish building the truck and see where it settles at. The worst thing that can happen is you will have to drive it to your local front end shop and have the beams rebent to the correct degree of camber. I have been there / done that with my F-150 years ago when I installed 10,000# one ton coils on the front of it. Mine looked even worse than yours does and it was a fully built '77 long wheelbase 460/C6 supercab! It was a very heavy truck to start with. Tom
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 80
From: tujunga, calif
I agree to waiting until the full weight of everything is on the truck and the springs have some time to settle. Nothing to panic about at this time.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 275
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From: OKC, Ok
What Carras means is once it is on the ground and moved everything will settle into place, maybe, same thing I said. And yes, I had the beams rebent to the correct camber on mine. Tom
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 46
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From: N.W. Arkansas
Mine looked the same way with the engine in the chasis until I mounted the fender,hood,bumper,batt. This added quite a bit of weight to the front end. Also and this is a biggy...having that camber and then putting in the engine and all the front in componets and not moving the truck.... all that weight on the tires and they cant slide out so to speak....roll the truck forward or backwards a few feet it will appear that the camber is incorrect until you do this then the tires will "roll out". At least this happened to me.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,836
Likes: 3
From: Elizabethtown, PA
These guys are right...it's the lack of weight AND the fact the truck hasn't moved yet. When you lower one of these back down from jacking, even stock, you've got positive camber while it was jacked up because the I Beams will pivot down and inward. When you return the tires to terra firma, the outside edge of the tires are the first thing to contact the garage floor. The grip of the tires will retain this camber aspect until the truck moves forward or backward, allowing the tires to rotate and settle the suspension back to where it belongs. So even after you bolt all the stuff back on, until it moves 5 or six feet in either direction, it's going to look like that.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 90
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From: Edmonton Canada
Looks like I probably do not have a problem. The truck is in the process of a complete frame-off restoration and I am at the point where I am ready to put the cab, inner fender wells and radiator support on. So if I had a problem it is going to be way easier to fix now....
Thanks everyone for your advise and input.
Thanks everyone for your advise and input.
