front end alignment

[Buck69]

It's a good practice to roll your truck back and then forward with it's weight on the ground and then rechecking your adjustment. It adds the "normal load" to the steering components that will be seen while driving down the road.

 

[Ricko1966]

Fwiw I put more directions like stuff I remembered after the first post so read them all carefully. Ask questions if you need to. I change control arms steering racks bushings ball joints anything and everything.Caster will not wear out tires, camber and toe will. Toe is actually the most important,there's even a saying among guys on the alignment rack( set the toe and let it go).On somethingbthats too worn to do right. Anyways caster can cause pull left or right or instability at speed. If you set camber carefully and toe carefully,if the cars stable and doesn't pull no need for an alignment shop or a caster sweep. Yep buck is right we bounce the front end up and down to settle the suspension and recheck toe..If you use the string box method center the steering wheel before you set toe and your wheel will be straight. Some one else mentioned it I'll explain it a little bit. If the steering wheel isn't centered loosen the sleeve clamps and go for a drive pull over lengthen 1 side 1/2 turn shorten the other side 1/2 turn repeat as necessary,as long as you
move them both equal turns your to will still be good. One last little tip bit get as close as you can with what yoi have to work with you will be just fine. When we do them on the machine it doesn't say get it exactly this spec. It is this spec plus or minus a certain amount,very rarely are you going to get an alignment anywhere that's dead nuts on spec. If it's in the green it's done. Look at what I and others have written and look at your tires from the tires point of view,if they are sitting flat with the ground not angled in or out at the top and bottom and pointed straight ahead toed in just a smidgen so they straighten out going down the road your tires will be happy.

 

[idahovette]

Specifications were always just a guide, you always have to read the tires and go from there. Different rigs take different settings and so does the usage of the vehicle. A lot of the time, air pressure will have a large effect on tire wear, also. Road crown needs to taken into consideration, think rural atmosphere. Positive caster pushes, positive camber pulls and toe is the biggest wear factor of all!..............along with a tight suspension and linkage.

 

[CalSgt]

I use a couple of pieces of angle iron for setting toe

 

[Ricko1966]

I use a couple of pieces of angle iron for setting toe

This method will not work on ifs,without using jacks underneath the ball joints holding the control arms,up a great method if you have 2 Jack's 2 stands and some shims to level the car,I wasn't going to go there thought it would make things harder and more complicated. But from this point except leveled and supported you can check camber right at the brake rotor using an angle finder and check caster also. If the rotors are good they are an excellent place to take your measurements,learn to do a caster sweep and you'll never need to visit the alignment shop again,and probably have a better alignment anyway. Get this one done if it doesn't pull,awesome if it pulls I'll teach you how to do a caster sweep.

 

[CalSgt]

This method will not work on ifs,without using jacks underneath the ball joints holding the control arms,up a great method if you have 2 Jack's 2 stands and some shims to level the car,I wasn't going to go there thought it would make things harder and more complicated. But from this point except leveled and supported you can check camber right at the brake rotor using an angle finder and check caster also. If the rotors are good they are an excellent place to take your measurements,learn to do a caster sweep and you'll never need to visit the alignment shop again,and probably have a better alignment anyway. Get this one done if it doesn't pull,awesome if it pulls I'll teach you how to do a caster sweep.

I thought a V1500 was straight axle 4x4?...

 

[Grit dog]

I use a couple of pieces of angle iron for setting toe

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I do the same. Except my last setup was 2 hockey sticks and some duct tape…

 

[Ricko1966]

I thought a V1500 was straight axle 4x4?...

I don't know if it's straight axle or not I was just clarifying for anyone wanting to do this.

 

[Ricko1966]

It never occurred to me until just now. Caster and camber are just angle measurements if there is angle finder app for your phone and the angle,bungees tape measures and clothes pins from post 8 .you can do the whole alignment

 

[BurbanPena]

I thought a V1500 was straight axle 4x4?...

It is