I have an 04 Lariat screw 4X4, 79000 miles. I let the tires go un rotated for a long time probably like 20,000 miles or more and notcied that the fronts had worn the inside of the tire more. I thought it probably needed aligned so I took it to the dealer I bought it from and they called and said they wouldn't align it because it needed new c-v boots, new lower ball joints, new front rotors,etc.etc. I told the guy just rotate the tires and I'm comin to get it. Well I took it to Neal Tire and asked them to do an alignment and all they mentioned was the C-v boot on the driver side, so they changed it and did the alignment, said nothing about the lower ball joints. Well, the truck drives like a dream, no pull or nothin(didn't pull before though either), but when I look at it head on it still looks like the front wheels are sprawled out(my hick way of saying it) a little. I guess that is called negative camber. I don't think they are sprawled bad, but it seems like I can see a little. I have looked like an idoit walking around the Menards parking lot and looking at other f-150's to see if they look like mine(some seem sprawled, some don't). Anyway, do you guys think the lower ball joints could cause this? maybe the dealer was right. And do any of you notice a little "sprawl" in yours?

 

do you have a leveling kit?

 

sorry forgot that part. no leveling kit, just stock.

 

yes the lower ball joints can cause that. And your truck does not have alignment cams on the lower control arm from the factory. Alot of times to align these trucks it is recomended to get alignment cams because that makes it easier to align. If you have the alignment printout from the shop look at the before and after specs and see if they changed. If not they may not have adjusted the camber.

 

I am thinking that I will probably put lower ball joints on it(have them put on). I was reading in another thread and saw that someone said the moog joints were good. Do I need to watch where I buy those. Are there any knockoffs out there. Specifically I found a good price on rockauto.com, but didn't know if I should buy them. Also per the last post, are you saying there is no camber adjustment on the truck without a camber kit?

 

there is adjustment because the holes are sloted but it is alot easier with the kit. The moog ball joints are good. At my shop we work with alot of lifted trucks we get ours from napa they have ball joints with lifetime warranty.

 

Yeah, I noticed the holes where the lower control arm bolts in are slotted. Do you guys ever have any problem with them slipping after they are adjusted? Also, since you have done ball joints, how much labor should I expect to be involved? It looked like the axle would have to be unbolted to get it out, but when the weight is off the wheel is there enough clearance to get it out without dropping that axle?

 

You need to undo CV shaft, undo lower ball joint, and for the life of me I thought there was one other component I had to remove. Word on the street has it that Autozone MOOG ball joints are made to lower quality standards than anywhere else you may get them. That coming from a MOOG rep it is entirely possible he was just saying that for different motives. However I'm inclined to believe it because I hate the "Zone" around here. Crappy service, dirty store, and too many garbage parts.

 

what about moog joints bought online? specifically from rockauto.com, you know anything about their stuff? i found them on another site too, can't remember the name of it right now though.

 

Lol, Rockauto.com. everything seems pretty legit, part numbers are the same. My favorite thing to do is print out a copy of the part on rockauto.com and have advance price match it. The Zone doesn't even list moog for that application. Just duralast.

 

I think it's common for the front tires of trucks to sit with the tops in a little farther than the bottoms. That way when you put a load in the bed the front will raise up a little and the tires will straighten out. At least that's what I was told, mine are like that a little, but the tires wear fine.

 

Mine actually wore the tire uneven. I think the way that I am going to go is make an appointment at a local shop for an alignment. The guy said that they would then install the camber kits fo $31 each side and then align it. He said that they will also check the ball joints real good , if I need those then we are looking a lot more money obviously. I am going to tell him to put it as far to the positive end of camber range as he can when they do the alignment. after they get the kits on there he shouldn't have a problem changing the camber. He seemed very knowledgeable and acted like he had been into a lot of these front ends before. I just hope I don't need new ball joints......but im not holdin my breath.

 

Man, my truck is ALL messed up. I just put in a new drivers upper control arm (old one bent, salvage title truck). My steering wheel was previously crooked, and my drivers inner tie rod was bottomed out in the outer tie rod (out of adjusment) and now after I put new control arms on its even worse. I'm hoping that someone installed the wrong tie rod that is to long or something. But yeah, now my camber on the drivers side is WAY negative.

The reason for negative camber stock is so in a turn the tire will stand up straight and have a larger contact patch with the road, and in return you get better cornering traction.

 

Well, I got an update. I had it at the shop today. I feel like I got off pretty good. The mechanic checked the ball joints first, he said they are fine. He said they have little to no play in them, far below what is allowed(he said they are allowed 75 thousanths range of motion and mine don't even have that, whatever that means). Also, he called and said the camber was at -.5, he said that was in range. I told him I would like it brought as close to neutral camber as possible. he adjusted it to neutral camber(.0) and didn't even have to put a camber kit on it, which I was prepared to buy. the lower control arms bolt into the frame and it is slotted where they bolt in, so he was able to adjust it there. I told the guy thanks for being honest on the ball joints, I was prepared to put them in, and he knew that, so I am glad he was looking out for me. The final bill was $90.

 

Your off alot better than I am. I brought my truck to a shop that one of my x coworkers manages. Put it on the rack, and adjusted the alignment straight, all was well. However going straight the steering wheel is turned like 45 degrees right, and there is no adjustment left in the tie rod (driver side inner is bottomed out in the outer). Took it to the body shop, left frame rail is put back 3/8 of an inch, and both are swayed to the left 1/2 inch. So I will be set back about $500 all said and done.