Alignment for my 98 XE: what can be adjusted?

[ascdesigns]

All,

 

When I bought my 98 XE, I found out the previous owner had all the 8 rear arm bushings replaced . I also just recently replaced my front struts/rear shocks, strut mount bearings, ball joints, repacked the front bearings and adjusted my toe settings using a large "toe-plate" to essentially 1/16" toe (as best as I could). The tie-rod ends are in good shape as are the swaybar links, i.e. tight/no clicking/no rattling. I have the stock lower strut bolts, so no camber can be adjusted (other than a small wiggle). Couldn't see any caster adjustment either and none that I've read about.

 

So even after all the suspension components have been replaced, my Pathy still pulls to the right. I've learned that pull usually stemmed from a misaligned rear, i.e. thrust angle pointing right or left, thus the pull. Excessive toe caused instability and wear, not pull.

 

So my question is: can the rear arms be adjusted? Not so much on thrust angle since it's a solid axle, but in a "yaw" setting? I couldn't find any posts about rear alignment adjustments.

 

Thanks again for all your help. My Pathy is so close to driving the way I'd like it to!

 

- Al

Edited August 4, 2009 by ascdesigns

[180sx]

very strange. Maybe your track bar bushings are shot? Or maybe you messed up the toe settings real badly! OR, you have an inbalanced wheel. Yes, that can cause it to pull. But you should notice a shake in the steering wheel. Hm...I still think track bar...or something is bent...

[ascdesigns]

Track bar, eh? Didn't think of that. Is that the diagonal bar in the rear? Is there any length adjuster on that? I remember my Jeep Cherokee a while back had one on the front (solid axle). If it was bent, would my rear axle seem shifted to the right or left? I guess that's "dog-tracking" if it's way off, right?

 

Thanks,

 

Al

[XPLORx4]

All,

 

When I bought my 98 XE, I found out the previous owner had all the 8 rear arm bushings replaced . I also just recently replaced my front struts/rear shocks, strut mount bearings, ball joints, repacked the front bearings and adjusted my toe settings using a large "toe-plate" to essentially 1/16" toe (as best as I could). The tie-rod ends are in good shape as are the swaybar links, i.e. tight/no clicking/no rattling. I have the stock lower strut bolts, so no camber can be adjusted (other than a small wiggle). Couldn't see any caster adjustment either and none that I've read about.

 

So even after all the suspension components have been replaced, my Pathy still pulls to the right. I've learned that pull usually stemmed from a misaligned rear, i.e. thrust angle pointing right or left, thus the pull. Excessive toe caused instability and wear, not pull.

 

So my question is: can the rear arms be adjusted? Not so much on thrust angle since it's a solid axle, but in a "yaw" setting? I couldn't find any posts about rear alignment adjustments.

 

Thanks again for all your help. My Pathy is so close to driving the way I'd like it to!

 

- Al

 

The alignment of the rear suspension is not adjustable. You have a solid rear axle! Besides, even if the rear axle were skewed slightly, your Pathy would not pull to the right, it would just drive crab-walk style.

If the front alignment is verified to be in spec, you could have an underinflated tire or a bad tire. (Read about Tire Pull here.)

 

Pulling to either side (assuming that the toe is correct and your tires are OK) is usually caused by uneven caster angles on the front. Right-side pull means the right tire has less positive caster than the left-side tire. A bent A-arm could be the culprit. But if you're certain that's not it, read on.

 

The interesting thing about the Pathy is that, officially, the caster angle is not adjustable. Here's a tip I discovered last year after driving my Pathy with a right-side pull (hands-off steering wheel would result in an automatic lane-change in under 400 feet) for over 100,000 miles:

 

The upper suspension mount (strut) is on the chassis, while the lower suspension mount (A-arm) is on the subframe. The subframe is bolted to the chassis. The subframe can be shifted forward and backward by about 1/8" on each side. This effectively moves the bottom suspension mount forward or backward, and will affect left and right caster angles. (Backward movement creates negative caster, forward movement creates positive caster.)

 

Here's what I did. I lifted the front of the truck in the air by placing jackstands under the frame (not the subframe), right behind the front wheel wells. At the front edge of the subframe where it bolts to the chassis rails, there are little tabs with holes in them, that line up to holes in the chassis. I used these holes as your guides, noting the relative position of the tab hole with the chassis hole on each side.

 

Then, using an impact wrench, I loosened the 8 bolts attaching the subframe to the chassis. Using a pair of ratchet straps attached between the subframe and the main frame/chassis, I pulled the left side of the subframe rearward, and the right side of the subframe forward.

 

With the ratchet straps still holding tension, I retightened the 8 subframe bolts, and now my truck will lazily drift to the right, which to me is far more acceptable than before. (I think it still doesn't drive dead-straight because I bent the subframe slightly many many years ago.)

[ascdesigns]

XPLORx4 - Thanks for your feedback. I did read an earlier post where you mentioned shifting the front subframe. I was afraid that it may be coming down to the control arm or a bent subframe. From eyeballing my front caster, I can put one fist plus two fingers between my driver-side front wheel and the rear of the wheel well. On the passenger side, it's just one fist and barely one finger.

 

How difficult was it to shift the subframe? You make it sound rather easy!

 

- Al

[XPLORx4]

How difficult was it to shift the subframe? You make it sound rather easy!

 

- Al

 

With the bolts loosened and the chassis supported, the subframe isn't that hard to move with ratchet straps. The hardest parts are suspending the chassis and loosening the bolts, because you need a hydraulic lift or jackstands suitably high enough to give you room to work, and an air wrench to loosen the bolts. If you live in a rust-prone area, that could be problematic.

 

Before you tackle anything, check the tab holes' alignment with the chassis holes at the front of the subframe, where the swaybar passes through. If you see they're relatively lined up, then you probably have a bent right side A-arm. You should have your alignment professionally checked to see how far out of spec the caster is.

Edited August 4, 2009 by XPLORx4

[ascdesigns]

I'll check the tabs when I get home later. I've also got an alignment check setup this evening as well. Fingers and eyes are crossed that my A-arm isn't bent. I'm getting tired of pulling apart my front suspension!

 

Thanks,

 

Al

Edited August 4, 2009 by ascdesigns

[ascdesigns]

So I got my alignment checked:

 

...........................Left.....................Right

Camber................0.0.....................0.9

Caster..................2.9.....................2.1 (red)

Toe......................0.03...................0.02

 

Would 0.8 deg difference in caster create enough of a pull? It's not so much the pull that's bothering me, but rather the tire wear on the outside passenger front tire that's causing concern.

 

I'm going to try XPLORx4's suggestion of shifting the subframe next weekend. The alignment tech said/pointed out that the A-arm was not bent.

 

Thanks,

 

Al

Edited August 5, 2009 by ascdesigns