v6engine Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I took a turn too fast on a dirt road some months ago. The right tire landed on a 15" ditch. The steering wheel was off center afterwards and I fixed that. I just want to learn how to do my own alignment. Both tires have the same symptom. Simply put: What do I need to adjust to solve this problem? (How to pictures would help) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 You need to adjust your camber. If its not off, then your ball joints are toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 First things first- make sure you don't have play in your ball joints or wheel bearings. If good and tight then adjust camber. AFAIK it's only adjustable by shimming the UCA at the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 You need to adjust your camber. Well, how? your ball joints are toast. My rig is a 2x4. I don't think I have ball joints up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Well, how? My rig is a 2x4. I don't think I have ball joints up front. Yes you have ball joints...They are a part of all independent front suspensions. The camber is adjusted with shims like nunya said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 With shims at the frame where the upper link is bolted on? Got to understand that beside from shocks, my suspension knowledge is limited. I never dealt with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) See the bolt to the righ tof the shock on the contorl arm cross bar(correct term?)? Theres one on each side of it actually. Shim between the bar and the frame. :edit: change pic to make bolt more obvious Edited September 15, 2009 by nunya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Got it. I'll get shims at my next visit to the junkyard. Thank you both. http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/v6engine/DSCN5809.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Got it. I'll get shims at my next visit to the junkyard. Thank you both. http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/v6engine/DSCN5809.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Quick question. Should it be done for both sides or just the side that fell in the ditch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Depends, your tires sitting like this? I-I You good, /-I or \-I Fix the leaner, /-/ /-\ \-/ \-\ do both sides (hope you understand what I'm trying to point out). But you said both sides have the same symptoms so I am guessing you mean they are both worn the same. If so then both sides need adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 /-\ Understood. I'll do both sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 if he cranks the TB's won't that help adjust some of the camber issues? b/c I know with cranked Tbars you do a lil \-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 did you check the TREs, BJs, and CL? i bet it's one of those that's busted/bent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 if he cranks the TB's won't that help adjust some of the camber issues? b/c I know with cranked Tbars you do a lil \-/ Ahh.. the benefits fo an open forum, someone will generally chime in with good forgotten info. Thank you uncc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Also look at those tension rod bushings. Might want to inspect those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 if he cranks the TB's won't that help adjust some of the camber issues? b/c I know with cranked Tbars you do a lil \-/ Cranking them up will make the / \ worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 where do you guys see need for camber adjustment? it's all toe here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) from the pic to me it looked like there may be some sag in the Tbars and if the issue was on both sides so it could very well be a combination of toe and camber IE cranking the T bars gives you negative camber and eventually affects toe b/c the TRE's start to sag/bend (I think making it toe in) so without looking at the truck it could be a simple camber issue or toe issue but I didnt see how old the tires are and know that I wore my old tires on the outside from a t bar crank...it was probably maybe at a 20% higher rate on the outside than the inside and my toe is was good but i need to check it b/c i noticed the other day my TRE's are starting to bend Edited September 15, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beavis0076 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 from the pic to me it looked like there may be some sag in the Tbars and if the issue was on both sides so it could very well be a combination of toe and camber IE cranking the T bars gives you negative camber and eventually affects toe b/c the TRE's start to sag/bend (I think making it toe in) so without looking at the truck it could be a simple camber issue or toe issue but I didnt see how old the tires are and know that I wore my old tires on the outside from a t bar crank...it was probably maybe at a 20% higher rate on the outside than the inside and my toe is was good but i need to check it b/c i noticed the other day my TRE's are starting to bend Unc, what are you reffering to when mentioning TRE's? I am having this issue but not very bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammyb33 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Cranking them up will make the / \ worse. no GG you got it backwards, as you crank them , the arms swing down in their range of motion, effectively making the camber off, making the tires like this \\ // Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Unc, what are you reffering to when mentioning TRE's? I am having this issue but not very bad. tie rod ends...check out some of 88's posts on them...mine arent near that bad but i can see they are starting to yield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beavis0076 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 tie rod ends...check out some of 88's posts on them...mine arent near that bad but i can see they are starting to yield cool, thanks for the reply. I will check out the posts, then check out my tir rod ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6engine Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 I'm waiting for the weekend to fix the problem but I see by reading the postings that there is no consensus on a solution. A few questions about the terms used in the postings: did you check the TREs, BJs, and CL? I guess BJ stands for ball joint. TRE probably tension rod ??. What's a CL where do you guys see need for camber adjustment? it's all toe here. If it's a toe, can you provide a solution to fix it? (I'll look up what's a definition of toe on my own) I'm familiar about engines, diffs, brakes but never mess with suspension aside from putting new shocks. Which is relatively a simple job in this truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 TRE = tie rod end CL = centerlink as far as toe in, you can adjust that by adjusting your tie rods. however I have been told you can also adjust it by adding shims to one of your uppercontrol arm bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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