Add a leaf issue...

After my 3 leaf progressive add a leaf install my steering wheel is now slightly off center? truck drives fine (no pulling, drifting, or wandering) but the steering wheel is slightly off to the right while driving straight.

I measured from the axle to the front of the spring connections on both sides and it was about a 1/4 inch off. If I measured from the tire to the front of the wheel well it was 5/8 off. Soooo, I jacked her up again loosened the u bolts and tried to shift everything back in alighnment. I got the measurements from the axle to the spring connections to be within a 1/16th but the difference between tire and wheel well is still off by 3/8 to a 1/2 inch. The steering wheel seems a little better but it is still off.

What the fuck am I doing wrong? Any suggestions? This is not my first spring work I have done and have never had this issue before. Any thoughts are appreciated .

 

I think @BarberRider had the same issue with his lift. It just needs an alignment. I did the AAL on the rear also, and mine was the same.

The thrust angle is off most likely, at least on mine is was. I did my 4 wheel alignment at work and it drives as straight as a new truck. Just get it aligned. Anytime you remove suspension components..... yada.....yada.... like you said, you've done it enough times to know!

 

I know nothing about alignments. I thought they only worked on front end components.

 

Thrust angle is pretty critical so your vehicle doesn't dog track. Just google it.

Alignment is a full chassis and 4 wheel alignment. If you can't align a vehicle, it has some serious suspension or chassis/frame issues. Most places only do the front end because you feel it through the wheel the most. Plus, a lot of front drive vehicles pull the ass end. Our trucks, the ass end pushes, so your axle relationship to chassis centerline is important as well if your wheel is off from the factory setting.

 

How do they adjust the thrust angle?

 

Google it... you already tried it yourself, but you need chassis measuring equipment. Just take it in for a full alignment.

 

Here you go OP

 

My hero.... thanks midnight!

 

What he said

 

I just talked with the shop that typically does my alignments and they said there is no rear adjustments on Tacomas. Said they would look at it but could not promise anything. Not sure what to do. I live in an isolated rural area so maybe I will need to take this to a bigger city to find someone that is familiar with this adjustment?

 

rear adjustments? no. its a solid axle. but if that axle is not aligned with the truck, it is out of alignment and needs to be addressed. they need to loosen the u bolts and shift the axle to the correct position. bring it to a truck shop if they dont know how to do it.

 

It CAN be adjusted. You rack the truck, jack the frame up with the alignment lifts down the middle of the rack, loosen the U bolts, and set it back down a bit and keep checking and adjusting. It's a crude way of doing it, but prybars, ratchet tie downs are your friend when this is done. Even YouTube has methods on how to do this on solid axle vehicles. I've done it personally on my 2016 at work on a Hunter machine.

Given it's not a huge amount of adjustment, but it will help set your rear axle closer to perpendicular with chassis centerline. That shop must have some inexperienced people to say "there is no adjustment". Not every process in auto mechanics requires a "recipe book".

If the rear end is within spec,leave it be and just have them set the front end to "within spec". Just play with your caster settings a bit if they're willing to setup to your custom settings. There are recommended settings that work on most of these trucks found within this helpful site.

 

Great post. I appreciate the help.

 

When you change something in the rear it changes your thrust angle,chances are even though you changed the rear the front is going to need adjusted

 

I agree. You may be able to get it closer if you torque the U-Bolts with the suspension hanging. The service manual for the 2013 states to torque it while the suspension is hanging, and not on the ground. I think the axle settles differently if you leave the U-Bolts loose and torque it while on the ground. TIFWIW, but I noticed this when I changed my 3 leaf pack out to 4 leaf. There is just enough slop between the axle perch hole and the leaf spring center pin for this to happen. It is not a tight fit.