Still trying to fix my alignment. Few more ?'s

[themaxx69]

Finally!

I got a hold of raybestos this morning and for passenger caster with positive camber you just follow it over to the correct caster setting, even though when you go over you are on the drivers side of the chart. That's what was throwing me off. If you look at the chart it's confusing, it says drivers on one side and passenger on the other and to get the passenger side correction you have to use the intersection on the drivers side. So, I needed 2 1/4 + camber and + 1 3/4 caster, that intersection was only on the drivers side though, so I used it and now I know it was backwards. I guess you start from the passengers side +1 3/4 and follow over to +2 1/4 camber even though on that side it then says - 1 3/4. I think they should be more clear about that in the instructions. That's why I had that prob, cause it didn't explain to ignore the OTHER sides reading if you ended up there.

Anyways, as soon as I reversed it, it was pulling a lot less, so I moved it to +1 3/4 caster on passenger side and BAM! it was almost perfectly straight, just a very slight wander to the right. Another 1/4 or 1/2 caster and it should be straight.

Also, I was using two greased 1/4" steel plates with 3 1/4 steel rods in between under the tire to allow the suspension to settle(thanks junkie). I think I might make another so in the future I do both sides at once. Only cost like 15 - 20 bucks. Could do it for less if you used thinner plates. 1/8", half the weight, half the price. And air tools would help A LOT! Or and electric impact wrench. Loosening and tightening those damn lug nuts over and over and over again is a real pain. I have done that like 4-5 times per side with a short 4 way.

 

[4x4junkie]

Cool deal then, I'm glad you finally figured it out.

Sorry, I guess I should've realized the chart might've been what was confusing you lol. I've just gotten so used to reading them I didn't think of how it saying "Passenger" on one side and "Driver" on the other your mind sortof automatically thinks there's a "middle line" on it that separates both sides when there actually isn't (I thought the same thing too at first, but after pondering for a bit "how would you adjust it the other way" it 'clicked' in that the numbers across the entire chart are used for either side). The "passenger" and "driver" thing is merely indicating which way is positive and negative caster direction.

Anyway, hopefully you can take comfort in now knowing you no longer need to rely on others for this job anymore (who may or may not be competent). Think of it as just normal DIY vehicle maintenance that goes along with replacing balljoints and such (BTW, I don't even bother to take the tires off anymore, I just turn the steering fully one way so I can get at the bushing, jack the tire off the ground, and then just pop the bushing out right there on the spot. A slight wiggling of the tire should let you wiggle the bushing out of the knuckle).


I'm going to move your post into the Steering forum so others can benefit from it and it won't get lost.


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[themaxx69]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Now onto all the other crap I gotta fix/replace/swap.