Alignment
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: bridgeport ca
Alignment
Hello from the sierra's! I have a 99 f-250 4x4. I recently replaced the upper & lower ball joints, had 4 new 315/75r16 TOYO M/T tires mounted
& it pulled realy hard to the right. So I scheduled an alignment at Les Schwabbs in Gardnerville Nv. After 4 hours of waiting for new bushings & a complete reconfiguration of the castor,camberand toe in and it still pulls to the right and the wheel weights were hitting my front callipers. So back to the shop after only 5 minutes. They reballanced the front wheels and a different tech took it for another test drive. He agrees that it is still pulling to the right & also that it is wondering at highway speed. So I rescheduled it for next Saturday to have the manager do the alignment this time as the tech says it is within specs and there is nothing more he can do. Any ideas as to why it is so hard to align this truck, past experiences or suggestions you may have for me would be greatly appreciated.
& it pulled realy hard to the right. So I scheduled an alignment at Les Schwabbs in Gardnerville Nv. After 4 hours of waiting for new bushings & a complete reconfiguration of the castor,camberand toe in and it still pulls to the right and the wheel weights were hitting my front callipers. So back to the shop after only 5 minutes. They reballanced the front wheels and a different tech took it for another test drive. He agrees that it is still pulling to the right & also that it is wondering at highway speed. So I rescheduled it for next Saturday to have the manager do the alignment this time as the tech says it is within specs and there is nothing more he can do. Any ideas as to why it is so hard to align this truck, past experiences or suggestions you may have for me would be greatly appreciated.
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Senior User
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From: bridgeport ca
Bowie, I was experiencing the wander prevoiusly & thats when I found the lower ball joints worn out. That was the fix for the wandering & it did. But then the pull to the right started & I figured either I had put the shim in incorrectly or as a result of replacing the ball joints I had changed the alignment on the truck. When they first put it on the rack yesterday they said it was within specs. I argued that it was pulling to the right & I was seeing cupping only on the inside of left front tire only. I thought It was probably toed out and that the right front caster was out as well. Anyway here we are now. I will let you all know how this turns out good or bad!
Thanks, MXFAM4X4
Thanks, MXFAM4X4
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From: bridgeport ca
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Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,453
Likes: 2,936
From: Reed Point, MT
I have a 99 f-250 4x4. I recently replaced the upper & lower ball joints, had 4 new 315/75r16 TOYO M/T tires mounted
& it pulled realy hard to the right.
After 4 hours of waiting for new bushings & a complete reconfiguration of the castor,camberand toe in and it still pulls to the right and the wheel weights were hitting my front callipers. So back to the shop after only 5 minutes. They reballanced the front wheels and a different tech took it for another test drive. He agrees that it is still pulling to the right & also that it is wondering at highway speed. So I rescheduled it for next Saturday to have the manager do the alignment this time as the tech says it is within specs and there is nothing more he can do. Any ideas as to why it is so hard to align this truck, past experiences or suggestions you may have for me would be greatly appreciated.
& it pulled realy hard to the right.
After 4 hours of waiting for new bushings & a complete reconfiguration of the castor,camberand toe in and it still pulls to the right and the wheel weights were hitting my front callipers. So back to the shop after only 5 minutes. They reballanced the front wheels and a different tech took it for another test drive. He agrees that it is still pulling to the right & also that it is wondering at highway speed. So I rescheduled it for next Saturday to have the manager do the alignment this time as the tech says it is within specs and there is nothing more he can do. Any ideas as to why it is so hard to align this truck, past experiences or suggestions you may have for me would be greatly appreciated.
Unless the actual measurements are right on or adjusted to compensate correctly, it's not aligned.
For a 99 Super Duty with 35x12.5 tires, I would set the camber at +1.0 degrees on the left, +0.75 degrees on the right. I would set caster at 4.5 degrees on the left and 5 degrees on the right. I would also set toe at +.15 degrees.
Specs for camber are -0.75 to +1.25 "perfect" is +0.25
Specs for caster are +1.5 to +5.5 "perfect" is +3.5
Specs for toe are -0.220 to +0.280 "perfect" is +.03
Larger tires (on wheels with less backspacing or more offset) are going to try to "pry" the tires outward while driving down the road so I'd try to stay with a more positive toe to combat this.
The truck will pull to the side with the most positive camber. It's customary to give the truck a bit more on the left to combat road crown effects.
The truck will also pull to the side with the least positive caster. It's customary to run half a degree or so less caster on the left to aid in road crown pull as well.
Hope this helps.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
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From: bridgeport ca
Cody, dealer readout as follows
left right
actual before specified actual before specified
0.6 0.0 -0.8 1.3 camber 0.6 0.1 -0.8 1.3
3.9 4.6 1.5 5.5 caster 4.1 3.9 1.5 5.5
-0.07 -0.04 -0.13 0.13 toe -0.09 -0.08 -0.13 0.13
actual before specified
cross camber 0.0 -0.1 -1.0 1.0
cross caster -0.2 0.7 -1.0 1.0
total toe -0.16 -0.13 -0.25 0.25
I will be at dealers on Saturday morning with your specs in hand.
Thanks again!!!
left right
actual before specified actual before specified
0.6 0.0 -0.8 1.3 camber 0.6 0.1 -0.8 1.3
3.9 4.6 1.5 5.5 caster 4.1 3.9 1.5 5.5
-0.07 -0.04 -0.13 0.13 toe -0.09 -0.08 -0.13 0.13
actual before specified
cross camber 0.0 -0.1 -1.0 1.0
cross caster -0.2 0.7 -1.0 1.0
total toe -0.16 -0.13 -0.25 0.25
I will be at dealers on Saturday morning with your specs in hand.
Thanks again!!!
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,453
Likes: 2,936
From: Reed Point, MT
Cody, dealer readout as follows
left right
actual before specified actual before specified
0.6 0.0 -0.8 1.3 camber 0.6 0.1 -0.8 1.3 I'd leave the camber alone.
3.9 4.6 1.5 5.5 caster 4.1 3.9 1.5 5.5 Increase both casters. Make the LF .5 degree less.
-0.07 -0.04 -0.13 0.13 toe -0.09 -0.08 -0.13 0.13 The toe is -.07 and -.09!?!?!?
That definitely is going to cause a wander. It needs to be about +.07 and +.07 (+.14 to +.2) if it's an individual L/R measurement.
actual before specified
cross camber 0.0 -0.1 -1.0 1.0 This looks good. The cross camber is fine.
cross caster -0.2 0.7 -1.0 1.0 Cross caster needs to be a bit more...like -0.5 to -0.7.
total toe -0.16 -0.13 -0.25 0.25 Negative toe is BAD!!! Especially with larger than stock tires!!!
I will be at dealers on Saturday morning with your specs in hand.
Thanks again!!!
left right
actual before specified actual before specified
0.6 0.0 -0.8 1.3 camber 0.6 0.1 -0.8 1.3 I'd leave the camber alone.
3.9 4.6 1.5 5.5 caster 4.1 3.9 1.5 5.5 Increase both casters. Make the LF .5 degree less.
-0.07 -0.04 -0.13 0.13 toe -0.09 -0.08 -0.13 0.13 The toe is -.07 and -.09!?!?!?
That definitely is going to cause a wander. It needs to be about +.07 and +.07 (+.14 to +.2) if it's an individual L/R measurement.
actual before specified
cross camber 0.0 -0.1 -1.0 1.0 This looks good. The cross camber is fine.
cross caster -0.2 0.7 -1.0 1.0 Cross caster needs to be a bit more...like -0.5 to -0.7.
total toe -0.16 -0.13 -0.25 0.25 Negative toe is BAD!!! Especially with larger than stock tires!!!
I will be at dealers on Saturday morning with your specs in hand.
Thanks again!!!
Camber:
L +0.6
R +0.6
Caster:
L +4.0
R +4.5
Toe:
L +.07
R +.07
Total +.14 to .2
I wouldn't recommend these measurements on a stock-tired truck, but 35x12.5 tires are kind of a special needs case.
See if they agree with these numbers.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,453
Likes: 2,936
From: Reed Point, MT
If the rear is truly out of whack, as would be the case with a bent axle tube, then it's not repairable. However, rear camber and toe readings are given on alignment machines as well as "thrust angle" which is the angle that the rear wheels are trying to push the vehicle (dog tracking).
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,515
Likes: 0
From: Jonestown PA
I wouldn't say that a "pull" would result. More of a constant drift or off-center steering wheel.
If the rear is truly out of whack, as would be the case with a bent axle tube, then it's not repairable. However, rear camber and toe readings are given on alignment machines as well as "thrust angle" which is the angle that the rear wheels are trying to push the vehicle (dog tracking).
If the rear is truly out of whack, as would be the case with a bent axle tube, then it's not repairable. However, rear camber and toe readings are given on alignment machines as well as "thrust angle" which is the angle that the rear wheels are trying to push the vehicle (dog tracking).
Thanks for clearing that up.