alignment tech/ help thread

Caster MUST be 2.0 or more or your shit will feel squirrelly. Ideal is 2.8 to 2.5
Camber must be 0.5 or less down to 0.0
Toe should NOT be 0 but .02 or greater up to 0.05


If you run aftermarket UCA that adds caster you may move the rear wheel into the cab mount under compression while at full lock with factory spec caster... solution is caster of 3 to 3.5 which will max out caster you can acheive while still keeping camber under .5

 

Hey thanks. So that explains the squirrely feeling. I am under 2.0 for caster.
I dont plan on changing the UCA's for now, $ tight. I will talk to the alingment guy about bumping up the caster to a min. of 2.0 on the left.

 

The fact that you have after market spindles makes this situation a little clearer. Yes, as Liveoveryde said the top (right-passenger) is maxed but it's maxed IN. That must be because of the spindle. Usually the cams are maxed the other way.

Here's what I don't understand. You state your right camber -1.7. So your LCA cam is turned inward the max amount. (It would also help if you posted pics of your other cams from the back side because you are only showing half of what's going on)

The left side camber -0.7 but the cam is about in the middle! This tells me either something is bent or maybe you posted the numbers backwards?

When it's all said and done, you are not fucked. You just need to take it to a different alignment shop. I don't think the guy you are using knows what the hell he's doing.

 

Yep. Having zero toe in (or neg toe) will also make it squirrely.

 

heres the backsides...i got the lifetime alignment from firestone

 

Ok so with my caster being low and my camber bein maxed out but still at 0.8, and I have camburg ucas, if they adjust caster in the 3-3.5 range will it provide morw adjustment to camber so I can get it to 0???

 

Both of those are almost maxed out (as opposed to maxed in like one of your fronts was). Likely reason, they are trying to boost up the caster while maintaining camber.

You should post a scan of the Firestone alignment sheet just to confirm the numbers.

 

so what should i tell them to do? i will post up the numbers from my big brand tire alignment and my firestone alignment when i get back from vacation

 

What do you have for tires? Some tires tend to follow 'ruts' in the road more so than others, especially wider tires. I've got almost identicle alignment specs and I'm lifted higher and mine rides and drives great. I'm surprised the alignment tech couldn't get your caster higher and camber lower though...

I've got more lift as him and the same alignment specs and it rides/drives great... With under 1" of lift, you don't need the caster to be that high to get a comfortable ride and certainly don't need new UCA's to get a proper alignment.

 

Going by everything I've seen I'm thinking your right side is bent and the shop is trying to compensate by the maxed in cam on the front. They might be able to get the camber within spec by losing some caster. The best fix is to fix what's bent.

 

what would be bent? the right side lca? it drives straight and doesnt look very bad

 

Maybe the aligment numbers are wrong? Get a second read to confirm.

If it is bent, could be anything. LCA, UCA, spindle,frame. Who knows? But like I said, the adjustments are there to compensate for imperfections. A good alignment tech may be able to lose some caster to get that camber in spec. Who knows?

 

that scares me!

will these numbers affect my tire wear? i will roatate every 5k

 

I would look at the coil bucket. If you dont have UCA gussets that is usually the first to bend on LT's at least

 

If the numbers are correct the passenger side tire will wear the inside edge some.

 

No if you decrease caster you can decrease camber. If you start at 3.something and go to 2.something caster you will be able to get to zero camber. In your case you are starting low not high. Sounds like you might have an older camburg uca that does not add caster... you need an uca that adds caster.

More caster on lca = less adjustment down on camber
More caster on uca = less caster on lca = more ability to adjust camber down.

Your camber can't get BELOW .8 right?

Good thing about positive camber is it can be cured by reducing lift or suspension settling. Remember our trucks toe out as the suspension compresses to create understeer. We gain tow out (neg tow) as the suspension settles and road force can cause it to spread .02 per side due to give in the components.

How much lift do you have?

 

Nvrmnd wrong quote...

 

yeah the tabs are maxed out at .8 camber. I have the 1" uniball caburg ucas and ur saying that because they dont have built in added caster i wont be able to adjust everything right!? And i have 3" of lift on the COs. So u think if i turn them down to say 2.5" lift it will give me camber back?

 

How does this look?

 

they look perfect... lucky