Camber adjustment, shop confused

[eightynine4x4]

1989 4x4 2.9L automatic w Rancho lift

So after I replaced my busted passenger side axle drop bracket that’s part of the lift kit, I took my truck to a cheap spot down the road just to get a basic computer alignment. After installing the new drop bracket the wheel was quite off, as you’d expect, since the truck had been aligned to a half broken drop bracket in the past.

This alignment was in April. Seemed ok after, it drove straight and nothing looked out of sorts underneath. I didn’t ask questions.

After a few hundred miles the passenger wheel has been looking pretty off camber, it’s leaning inward.. top of wheel is closer to truck and bottom is further. It seems like this has slowly developed. I thought I was imagining things but sure enough someone on the road shouted a heads up about it and I pulled over and noticed it had gotten worse.
So as a customer I took the truck back to the cheap shop and fully explained the situation. My main concern was that someone hadn’t tightened back up the camber adjustment and it was gradually sliding out.

They had all new staff by this point. The turnover rate there is nuts. Anyways the new guy who “correctively” aligned it this time was very young and the camber wasn’t addressed at all. Naturally afterwards I asked if they did camber and they said they only adjusted the toe because “there is no camber adjustment in your aftermarket suspension” which was surprising to hear.

So I’m kind of at square one figuring out what is what.
The brand new aftermarket drop bracket has a pivot bolt (or whatever you call them) that are definitely a WAY to adjust camber. They’re located in middle area of the truck, not by the wheels. I had always figured these were kind of a “user camber” thing for quick customizing of camber on the fly without losing your base alignment. The old Rancho drop bracket doesn’t even have this camber pivot bolt, so there has to still be a way to adjust camber, no?
I have my user camber bolt dead center, I installed following instructions. And it hasn’t budged at all, it’s still perfectly centered. And I’m positive the wheel was not this off camber when I had it aligned at the same shop 3 months ago.

Im not well versed in suspension components yet. Can anyone tell from these pics what I should be looking for in order to determine if my truck is somehow missing camber adjustment points? These pics are all of the passenger wheel..

 

[RonD]

Good article to read thru here: https://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.shtml

Yes, those are pictures of the Camber bushings on the TTB axles

 

[eightynine4x4]

Good article to read thru here: https://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.shtml

Yes, those are pictures of the Camber bushings on the TTB axles

Wow that’s a great article thanks.
Ok so my truck does have camber adjustment, haha. I suppose it’s time for a new shop.

 

[Shran]

There are definitely camber adjustments that are done with either fixed angle bushings or adjustable bushings. I would be asking for a refund and finding a new shop if they can't figure out something like that... it would be like your eye doctor giving you a new pair of glasses without prescription lenses in them.

If they did any sort of computerized alignment on your truck, it would have flagged the camber as being way off and that should have alerted the tech to dig into it further!

 

[ericbphoto]

Definitely need better shop. This particular type of front suspension is not common and even Ford has not used it in many years, since mid 90's, I believe. So you need a shop with an older, more experienced tech.

 

[eightynine4x4]

There are definitely camber adjustments that are done with either fixed angle bushings or adjustable bushings. I would be asking for a refund and finding a new shop if they can't figure out something like that... it would be like your eye doctor giving you a new pair of glasses without prescription lenses in them.

If they did any sort of computerized alignment on your truck, it would have flagged the camber as being way off and that should have alerted the tech to dig into it further!

Yeah, they mean well but the guys there are KIDS now. Probably all just out of high school with one senior tech probably 23. Manager is maybe 25 and knows only a little about vehicles, mostly handling phone calls and paperwork. And i'm being serious when i say the entire shop/staff was different just 3 months ago.
Before the covid shutdowns this place had a regular staff that i had known for a few years and they all were pretty well versed. It's a chain store so it will not die it will just struggle to not cause damage haha.

 

[19Walt93]

I agree you need an EXPERIENCED alignment tech- and one than won't b/s you about what's adjustable. I would also request (1) that everything be set to preferred, and (2) a before and after printout. It takes time to do it right, if the tech is flat rate taking extra time to do it right will cost him money.

 

[RonD]

One pet peeve of mine when a shop does an alignment................
They often use the Locking steering wheel to hold the wheel straight, and its NEVER straight, lol

I ask them to please TIE OFF the steering wheel so its straight, before adjusting alignment

 

[19Walt93]

One pet peeve of mine when a shop does an alignment................
They often use the Locking steering wheel to hold the wheel straight, and its NEVER straight, lol

I ask them to please TIE OFF the steering wheel so its straight, before adjusting alignment

We always used a steering wheel holder to make sure it was centered, then we test drove every vehicle to confirm.

 

[4x4junkie]

Ford still uses the Twin-Beam suspension on 2WD F-250 & F-350 trucks (with the same camber bushings too). You would think because of this that shops would be familiar with them. I suspect typical shop training materials don't properly address these suspensions (never have), and is why so many places are just guessing at them. A small independent "mom & pop" shop that's been around awhile might be your best bet.

 

[ericbphoto]

Bring it to the trail ride next month, along with a tape measure, about 15ft f string, a yellow crayon and a case of good beer. We’ll have a TTB alignment training session around the campfire one night and you’ll be all fixed up good as new.

 

[19Walt93]

Ford still uses the Twin-Beam suspension on 2WD F-250 & F-350 trucks (with the same camber bushings too). You would think because of this that shops would be familiar with them. I suspect typical shop training materials don't properly address these suspensions (never have), and is why so many places are just guessing at them. A small independent "mom & pop" shop that's been around awhile might be your best bet.

You're assuming independent shops do training, after what I saw during 42 years at the dealer I think that's optimistic. We used to pay $5000+ per year to Ford for the "Value Package"- access to online training, manuals, etc. It wasn't "mandatory" but if a tech couldn't access web training to do the prerequisites, he wasn't eligible to go to classroom training and his certification would expire. No certs means any warranty claims with his ID would not be paid. But it wasn't mandatory to but the "Value Package".
We bought a Hunter Hawkeye Elite alignment system several years ago (for only $60,000) and it contained alignment manuals that showed how to adjust most vehicles. Most systems have similar features for the tech to access IF he wants to. Many alignment "techs" are of the set-the-toe-and-let-her-go philosophy, or they'll get everything in the green(meaning within specs) and ship it. Problem is, for example- if the toe-in is at max allowable and the camber is at max positive allowable- it will chew the outside edge off the tires.
If it ain't set to the preferred specs, it ain't aligned.

 

[dvdswan]

Bring it to the trail ride next month, along with a tape measure, about 15ft f string, a yellow crayon and a case of good beer. We’ll have a TTB alignment training session around the campfire one night and you’ll be all fixed up good as new.

I thought horror stories were told around the campfire...

 

[eightynine4x4]

I thought horror stories were told around the campfire...

I can just tell this story again but add some camber meddling ghosts..

 

[dvdswan]

I can just tell this story again but add some camber meddling ghosts..

That's not horrifying enough, perhaps add some rust/corrosion aspects to it with bleeding knuckles and a few choice words.