Evenin, DTR...

Took the truck in for an alignment today, I was getting a little shimy like the horizontal Stab is going, and it us pulling to the right a little...

I get a call back saying that they fixed the shimy, which they did, but they cannot adjust the camber on my truck, because there is no adjustment. They tried to sell me an aftermarket ball joint so that they could adjust it.

Any love on this?

Here are my before and after numbers...

Camber / Camber
-0.2 / 0.0
Caster / Caster
4.3 / 4.3
Toe / Toe
0.04 / -0.01

Total toe
0.03
Steer Ahead
0.02

Camber / Camber
-0.2 / 0.0
Caster / Caster
4.3 / 4.3
Toe / Toe
0.12 / 0.12

Total toe
0.23
Steer Ahead
0.00

Still pulls to the right...

What my question is... Can you adjust camber with the stock ball joint? Truck rode great till a few months ago.

Any educated suggestions would be great...

TIA!!!

-mad

 

And... I'm a ding dong cause I put it in the wrong forum... Guess I'll have to take a pay cut... no one tell the boss...

 

need moog adjustable upper ball joints. my alignment guy said my truck was the easiest vehicle he ever aligned in his 17 years of doing alignments!

 

Doesn't look real bad to me madhat.......here's the specs......see what you think. From my experience, camber can be off a little and not wear tires. Some things that will make the camber be off is sagging rear springs, worn bushings, and worn ball joints. No more than you are off, I wouldn't be concerned. Wait to replace the ball joints when they need it. I replaced mine with the non adjustable Moogs and was within specs when done.





ALIGNMENT
NOTE: All alignment specifications are in degrees.

SPECIFICATIONS DESCRIPTION SPECIFICATION
VEHICLE 1500 WHEEL BASE CASTER (4.0° Min, +.75° Max) CAMBER (± .50°) TOTAL TOE-IN (± .10°)
4X2 120.5 in 4.0° .0° .10°
4X2 140.5 in 4.2° .0° .10°
4X2 160.5 in 4.4° .0° .10°
VEHICLE WHEELBASE CASTER (±0.5°) CAMBER (0.30°) TOTAL TOE-IN (±0.16°)
SRT-10 120.5 5.75 .0° 0.24°
VEHICLE 1500 WHEEL BASE CASTER (4.0° Min, +.75° Max) CAMBER (±.50°) TOTAL TOE-IN (±.10°)
4X4 120.5 in 4.2° .0° .10°
4X4 140.5 in 4.4° .0° .10°
4X4 160.5 in 4.6° .0° .10°
MAX RT/LT DIFFERENCE 4X2 1500 — .40° .50° 0.06°
MAX RT/LT DIFFERENCE 4X4 1500 — .40° .60° 0.06°
VEHICLE 4X2 2500 & 3500 WHEEL BASE CASTER (3.55° Min, +.75° Max) CAMBER (±.50°) TOTAL TOE-IN (0.20° ±.10°)
4X2 2500&3500 140.5 4.0° 0.0° .10° ± .05°
4X2 2500&3500 160.5 4.3° 0.0° .10° ± .05°
MAX RT/LT DIFFERENCE 4X2 2500&3500 — ±0.4° ±0.6° 0.1°
VEHICLE 4X4 2500&3500 WHEEL BASE CASTER (4.0° Min, +.75° Max) CAMBER (.25° ±.5°) TOTAL TOE-IN (0.20° ±.10°)
4X4 2500&3500 140.5 4.5° .25° .10° ± .05°
4X4 2500&3500 160.5 4.7° .25° .10° ± .05°
MAX RT/LT DIFFERENCE 4X4 2500&3500 — ±.5° ±.5° 0.1°
DESCRIPTION REAR SPECIFICATION
CAMBER (-.10° ± 0.35°) TOTAL TOE-IN (0.30° ± 0.35°)
CAMBER SRT-10 (0.00° ± -0.25° TOTAL TOE-IN SRT-10 (0.30° ± 0.16°)
THRUST ANGLE 0° ± 0.4° 4X2 4X4 1500
THRUST ANGLE -0.2° ± 0.2° 4X2 4X4 2500&3500
THRUST ANGLE 0° ± 0.17° SRT-10

 

Well, the problem now is that it pulls to the right... I gotta hold the steering wheel to the left a little when I go down the road.

 

2 questions..... 1- what did they do to get rid of the shimmy and 2 - did they actually align it?

You can have a thrust angle alignment on it that will help, but the little difference in camber should be able to be offset with a correct alignment. While you can't actually adjust the camber with the factory ball joints, you should still be able to get it to drive straight with the small variation that is there.

 

Your alignment shop is correct, there is no camber adjustment. Offset ball joints are available to combat the pull.

 

i had my right hand pull offset with some negative cross caster. i would try that before i shelled out for ball joints.

 

No camber adjustmnet and what you have is not bad.

Generally its the tires that cause the pull and about the only way to fix it is offset ball joints of a set of adjustable lower control arms to adjust the caster.

The camber being out is probably just due to wear but it normally doesn't cause a pull, but, every truck reacts differently to the suspension/tire changes.

 

VZ... They did change a little bit with the alignment, I'll scan the sheet they gave me. The shimmy seems to still be there a very little bit, but it is better.

I had them balance and rotate while they did it all. Maybe I'll get a vid of the pull to the right. It's not that bad... Solid other than that.

It was great a few months ago..

Thanks for the responses so far...

 

Stupid suggestion.

Measure your tires.

I know its a slim chance, but when the rears are slightly smaller " worn down " than the fronts, it will also cause a heck of a pull to the right.

Don't ask how I know this.

Just a long shot. You were saying they were rotated, but it is still something to check

 

You are victim of the "we put the machine in green" so you must have something wrong. What can we sell now??? OR the other side. It won't make perfect on machine so you gatta buy more theory.
Spec on your camber is reasonable. A little more toe than needed for good tire wear, and will cup agressive tread tires. 4WD tend to pull on crowned roads. My test is does it go left when crown is low on left(wrong side of road). At that point is a neutral as possible. Thrust angle is very important. Agressive or wide tread or offset wheels make condition worse. Good big tires that don't cause pull or shimmy or wear poorly are expensive and hard to find.