2003 FX4 diy alignment need help.

[grp2012]

Lowspeed
yes, it's suposed to be 2 1/2

 

[grp2012]

Steering Tech - Discussing TTB Steering and Alignment - The Ranger Station

Improve TTB steering alignment in lifted Ford Rangers. Learn why lifted angles cause bump-steer, and how proper pitman arms or crossover linkages help fix it.

www.therangerstation.com

Front Wheel Alignment (1983-1997 Ford Ranger) - The Ranger Station

Lifting the front of a coil sprung Ford 1983-1997 Ranger more than 2-inches a wheel alignment. Here's how it's done.

www.therangerstation.com

I know that's for 4wd, but the final numbers and theory should be the same.

Thank you!! any sugestios on what can I do to get it close to what it should be? I have a few camber/caster inserts i had preorder but the shop didnt even look at them I can chance them as needed I just need some gidance or I can order a set of fully adjusted ones,

 

[SenorNoob]

I really like my adjustable ones. I can't get it right either. But close enough to not eat tires off too bad.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

I might have posted this before, but '94 specs are slightly different, so:

Which is relevant since your pass caster right now is "high" for the older specs, but in-spec for '94.

So the main issue is really the cross-caster, right? We want more driver's caster or less pass caster without messing up everything else.

As always, someone smarter might know better, and I'm working with 4x4 and a mild lift, but since the alignment bushings are a compromise, if I have to choose, I care more about caster than camber. Camber (mostly) wears tires. Cross-caster (mostly) pulls all the time on flat.

Do you understand how the alignment bushings work? They tilt however many degrees in any direction, so (I'm not looking at it and might be getting this exactly backwards) for example 9-o'clock is max (full degree rating of the bushing) camber, positive for driver's, no change to caster. 7:30, for example, would combine fewer degrees camber and positive caster. EDIT: I just reread the tech article. I'm talking here about the position of the BJ stud, not the bushing slot.

So how to adjust it depends on what bushings you have and how they're oriented now. Optimally you want more driver's caster, so that's rotating the driver's bushing towards 6-o'clock.

If it's currently on the left half of the clock, this will reduce your camber. If it's currently on the right half of the clock, this will increase your camber. If you swap to a different-degree bushing, you may be able to achieve the same caster change with a smaller relative camber change, but again, it all depends where it is now.

 

[grp2012]

I might have posted this before, but '94 specs are slightly different, so:
View attachment 134169
Which is relevant since your pass caster right now is "high" for the older specs, but in-spec for '94.

So the main issue is really the cross-caster, right? We want more driver's caster or less pass caster without messing up everything else.

As always, someone smarter might know better, and I'm working with 4x4 and a mild lift, but since the alignment bushings are a compromise, if I have to choose, I care more about caster than camber. Camber (mostly) wears tires. Cross-caster (mostly) pulls all the time on flat.

Do you understand how the alignment bushings work? They tilt however many degrees in any direction, so (I'm not looking at it and might be getting this exactly backwards) for example 9-o'clock is max (full degree rating of the bushing) camber, positive for driver's, no change to caster. 7:30, for example, would combine fewer degrees camber and positive caster. EDIT: I just reread the tech article. I'm talking here about the position of the BJ stud, not the bushing slot.

So how to adjust it depends on what bushings you have and how they're oriented now. Optimally you want more driver's caster, so that's rotating the driver's bushing towards 6-o'clock.

If it's currently on the left half of the clock, this will reduce your camber. If it's currently on the right half of the clock, this will increase your camber. If you swap to a different-degree bushing, you may be able to achieve the same caster change with a smaller relative camber change, but again, it all depends where it is now.

yes I think that will be the way to go, more driver side caster to like you said correct the cross caster without messing with much else and if you say the passenger side is with in specs just need to tackle driver side , I will take pics of the position of the bushing and also provide specs of all the spare bushings I currently have. I can order more but it will take 2weeks because everything has to come from HOME state side,

is there any way to find out the bushing size as I mentioned the driver side has nothing stamp on it that I can see,



thanks again for your help!!!

 

[SenorNoob]

I'd have thought there would be a mark on the top surface, but since there isn't you should be able to arrange by degree based on how close the center hole is to the outer edge at the top.