Re: Need Alignment Guru

If your readings are accurate, even though they are still within the tolerance, I wouldn't want my truck running with those kind of camber readings. You can't really blame the alignment place, as they will say, and rightfully so, "it's within spec". Now that you have some knowledge, you can get them or another alignment shop to "put it to the preferred" specs.

And the knockouts aren't as big a pain as everyone makes them out to be. You will get charged extra though.

Ian

Yeah I guess that's what my point is. You and Refinish King both state what I don't like about it, I'm at the end of the tolerance allowed by the alignment specification. And as the ball joints wear over the next 50,000 or so miles it takes me to wear these tires out the camber will worsen as well, accelerating the tire wear even more.

I did call them today and I'm taking the truck into them in the morning, I told them I wanted to be there when they align it. They said OK as I'm probably going to be the only customer there anyway. I'm in Cincinnati and we just got pelted with a snow storm and should have about 16" by tomorrow night. I'm willing to pay extra to have the knock outs removed and the camber set where it really should be. But I would have liked to have the option in the first place.

Thanks for all the advise from those who answered.

Brian

I thing that's what happened, and that's why I took it to the dealer rather than a tire shop so that wouldn't happen. So I guess that I'll ask for before and after print outs from now on.

Brian

Funny but Ford trucks always seemed to chew tires at a much faster rate then GM. And it seemed to be the outside tread area that wore the most on trucks that carried a lot of weight, or that towed a lot. As they get older, it seemed the inside wore more on trucks that were light loaded or used as cars. Could that be because when they were loaded the front end picked up, and camber changed positive loading the outside edges, and in the older rigs, spring sag caused the front end to ride lower, again changing camber this time negative wearing the insides? Both cases also cause toe changes. Also interesting that ford finally gave up on twin I-beam.

Whitelightning

The shops get paid for a: "Wheel Alignment"

Punching or grinding out the adjustment locks or knockouts is extra labor! So they do a: "Toe and go" get paid for an alignment, and the alignment was within tolerance. No harm done as far as they are concerned.

The trick to establishing a good alignment reputation is:

1- Always explain to the customer before hand the procedure of adjustment, especially on a non adjustable vehicle. (Give them the option to forgo the extra and document it!)

2- Explain sometimes the factory does not install adjustable bolts and eccentrics in, and there is an extra charge for the kits. (Give the customer the option of installing the kit, or do a slip and slide adjustment!)

3- After adding any adjustment kits, and finding there isn't a way to get the alignment into the desired range, diagnose the problem and call the customer. Never let it go as good enough!

Refinish King

That was due to the:

Front end geometry, the I-Beams were mounted almost at the center of the front end, albeit asymmetrically. That was why one side tire wore more than the other, and there was such a drastic feathering difference side to side.

From toe out on turns when cornering.

Refinish King

Not to mention they cornor a whole lot better, ride better too. As for big trucks, yeah no doubt striaght axles can haul more weight. But in a light duty truck, and by that I mean any truck with less than

15,000 lbs gvw, IFS using uneven control arms is fine. It would be nice to see real bushings as opposed to the rubber ones they use now on the A-arms. Whitelightning