For those who have done their own alignments

[farmer]

How did you do yours, and what do you think is the easiest way? Getting ready to lift the 91 and keeping with the budget beater theme I plan on doing my on alignment.
My thought was get the 3.5 degrees fixed bushings and get everything set up with the maximum positive camber, and just add washers inder the coil until it's in spec. What do you guys think of this?

 

[bobbywalter]

how much lift? what type and size of tire? what wheel width--offset? what type of steering? long radius arms short radius arms?


camber 0 to neg @ 1 deg depending on how its used/work /play commuter--light load heavy load..with 3-6 caster and 16th toe in...and depending on spring rate...sometimes 16th toe out.


thats general for 5 in lift and light 35's and 10 in wheels w 4.5 bs 4 in lift drop pit and long radius arms..


i usually set it to feel and monitor tire wear closely.

 

[farmer]

Only leveling it for now, stock 4.0 supercab springs in a 2.9 reg cab truck, with washer spacers underneath. Steering and suspension is all stock for now. 33" gateway buckshots on steel wheels 8" wide.

I was asking more for peoples personal methods for doing the alignment. I read the article in the tech library and was looking to see if anyone had anything to add.
Thanks Bobby

 

[4x4junkie]

This one? (scroll about halfway down)

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

Remember that as you add washers, you'll be reducing your caster angle. Be sure you're compensating for that as well.

 

[doorgunner]

how much lift? what type and size of tire? what wheel width--offset? what type of steering? long radius arms short radius arms?


camber 0 to neg @ 1 deg depending on how its used/work /play commuter--light load heavy load..with 3-6 caster and 16th toe in...and depending on spring rate...sometimes 16th toe out.


thats general for 5 in lift and light 35's and 10 in wheels w 4.5 bs 4 in lift drop pit and long radius arms..


i usually set it to feel and monitor tire wear closely.

Man! The OP needs to print this! Thanks for taking the time B W !

 

[farmer]

This one? (scroll about halfway down)

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

Remember that as you add washers, you'll be reducing your caster angle. Be sure you're compensating for that as well.

ok that helps a bit, but thats using fully adjustables. if i can, i want to run fixed bushings, just because theyre cheap, and its a beater wheeling truck.
I guess the part thats confusing is setting the caster. with the fixed bushing i guess i need to set my caster to whatever i need, then i will adjust the camber with spacers. and i understand what you mean about the caster when adding spacers, thanks for that tidbit!
is there a way to guess the caster by looking at the bushing, as a baseline?

 

[4x4junkie]

Not really... You would need to get the truck onto an alignment machine to effectively use fixed bushings.
You have to insert a 0° bushing, take the measurements, then select the correct degree bushing that would position the knuckle for proper camber & caster (charts in the factory service manuals would need to be referenced for this).

I s'pose if you just go buy the biggest bushings you can find, stick them in there angled back at about 30-45° for some extra caster, then do your thing with adding & subtracting washers under the springs to get the camber good, you'd be pretty close. But if there happens to be a slight pull to one side, you won't be able to do much about it without messing up your camber too (that is unless you don't mind if your truck leans heavily to one side )


The adjustable ones really make it a lot easier for an average "shadetree" mechanic to use, it's well worth the $50.

 

[farmer]

I think I might do the second thing, put big bushings in and eyeball the caster and road test it. I don't mind if the camber is off a little, the truck wont see much street time