I just got the truck aligned but they couldn't the caster/camber correct because they said I didn't have adjustable ball joints. After some quick research, it seems that there isn't adjustable ball joints for the D44 but rather adjustable sleeves. Is this the case? If so, can I just buy the adj. sleeves to correct the caster/camber? The truck is a 78'.

 

I am unaware of this being the case for the solid axle D44. The Twin Traction Beam version of the D44 has the ball joint sleeves and they are the ONLY means of adjusting caster AND camber. However, the TTB D44 didn't show up 'til 1980.

Caster for the solid D44 is dictated by the C-bushings that hold it to the radius arms. If caster is off, you must replace the C-bushings. Again, this is semi-rigid setup that has no real adjustment but can be off if the bushings are old, crushed, rotted, etc. In the event that the radius arm bushings are extremely worn, caster can be affected by this as well. (With the bushings crushed or worn, the aft end of the radius arms is free to slap up and down in the frame mounting causing a change in caster every time you pull away and then again when you apply the brakes.) Being a solid axle, the camber setting is irrelevant. as long as the ball joints are in good condition and installed correctly, your camber should be fine. The only other components that might affect camber would be severely worn wheel bearings and/or hub bearings.

 

The guy at the shop said that he couldn't correct my camber becasue I didn't have adjustable ball joints. So I started searching around and have found adjustable sleeves that look like they go in the spindle of the axle and can be rotated to adjust the camber. Is this correct and if so can I just buy the sleeves and use my current ball joints as they are still good. I do believe the PO replaced all the wheel bearings and u-joints in the axle recently so I am not sure if that would be the case here.

 

What I am telling you is your alignment guy is blowing smoke! There IS NO camber adjustment for a solid axle. Caster can be corrected after a lift with different angled C-bushings. Toe in and out can be adjusted with tie rod end adjustments. Camber is fixed. The only way you have issues with camber in a solid axle is if the balljoints are bad and they will not hold the steering knuckles in the proper position. No such animal as an adjustable ball joint on a solid axle D44.

Out of curiosity, is your "alignment guy" telling you the camber is "out of alignment"? If he is, get your money back!

(BTW, the sleeves you have found are the ones for the upper balljoints on a Twin Traction Beam D44. These are ONLY for the TTB D44 axle assembly.)

 

The guy at the shop is blowing smoke (or he's an idiot)! There IS NO provision for adjusting camber in a solid D44. End of story. The ONLY way you will have camber issues with a solid D44 is if the balljoints are bad and they won't hold the steering knuckles in the right position. In which case you would go about the process of replacing said balljoints.

Not sure where you are finding these "shims" but the ONLY D44 that uses any kind of shims is the Twin Traction Beam D44 that was used from 1980-1996. And those shims fit over the upper balljoint studs and into the axle housing to afford a small amount of caster AND camber adjustment.

Now if your guy insists that there is a serious camber alignment issue that cannot be addressed any other way, then I submit that the axle you are dealing with is damaged... as in bent. Bent balljoint tabs or axle tube could potentially give you camber issues not typically associated with a solid axle assembly. In this case, you could go looking for a set of custom spindle shims. These are used when this kind of damage occurs and one is not willing or able to replace the entire axle assembly. But to be clear, these are not stock simply because they are not necessary on such an axle unless it is damaged.

 

The camber IS adjustable. It requires as tapered shim placed between the steering knuckle and the end of the axle housing where the five boles go through the spindle then the steering knuckle, the shim then into the axle housing to hold it together. I have done several of these . These shims are tappered, made of nylon and or fiber glass. They come a varity of thicknesses . They can be installed for positive or negative camber correction simply by flipping them over. They are available from any body who sells Dana stuff I got mine from NAPA.

 

Available doesn't mean they are original. Also means that something has happened to make it necessary to shim something that didn't originally need it. As I said, you CAN get the necessary shims. I was unaware that they are available through typical parts suppliers.

 

These Ford straight axles over time even with out any collision damage tend to spring or settle a little . This shim correction is quite a quite common procedure to bring camber back to within specks . Chevrolets 44 axles in this era used adjustable upper ball joints to correct the same problems.

 

My passenger front tire is where my real issue is. The top of the rim is about a half inch further out than the bottom of the rim and is starting to wear the tire unevenly which is why I took it in too be aligned. I have found said sleeves mentioned earlier and wanted to make sure that is all I needed to correct the issue and it sounds like it will. It has the 5 prongs as mentioned and the shim is labled with the alphabet indicating different settings. The guy at broncograveyard said the same thing.