Steering Alignment

[smclaren]

Hi Guys

I got a steering alignment recently as the truck has been pulling to left. Sometimes it seems to intermittently "dive"to the left under brakes as well.

Anyway, the alignment was done and it hasnt improved the situation. I am disappointed that the steering company didnt point this out, but thats another story.

Could there be anything else that could be contributing to the poor alignment ? The steering company assured me that the king pins and steering comonents are OK.

What about suspension or springs ? Any spacers or bushes ?

I noticed that when I have lifted the truck in the air, the wheels hang down really low. The RHS wheels hangs lower than the left .. is that normal ? To me they look like they hange too low and wondering if something else may be contributing to the steering. Photo's below.

Thanks

[DIXONBOY]

You could have a tire pull. I would swap the front wheels to see if it pulls the other way. Thats how we use to do it.

[fordman]

the brake pull is bad shoes or they are wet or misadjusted. and it could be a tire pulling it also. rotate them or swap just the fronts from side to side to find out.

[Alvin in AZ]

the brake pull is bad shoes or they are wet or misadjusted. and it could be a tire pulling it also.
rotate them or swap just the fronts from side to side to find out.

x2 and what Dixon said too. :)
There ain't anything wrong with that -tough- and -simple- sucker you can't figure out and fix! :)

Brake pull to one side on my '75 "Dent" in 35 years has only been caused by one thing, the front
disc brakes having sorry caliper-slide grease on one side and good grease on the other.

Only front drum brakes I ever had "pulling-trouble" with were air-cooled VW's. Seems like all that
it took to fix one of those was redoing the brakes and being careful to do -everything- the same
to both sides, including the adjustment. {shrug}

Alvin in AZ

[smclaren]

Thanks guys, for all that great info.

I have swapped the tyres (front to back) mainly because the poor wheel alignment was causing tyre scrub.

I'll check all the components myself this week end and figure it out.

The basis of my original email was a question really to see if worn or dodgy springs and or shocks would have an impact on wheel alignment ?

Thanks again Guys

Steve

[Alvin in AZ]

...if worn or dodgy springs and or shocks would have an impact on wheel alignment ?
Steve

Yes Steve, it's best not to have "Dodge" springs on it. ;)

Both sides should be about 4" and within a about an 1/8" of each other...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/rideheight.jpg

I measured the living crap out of my pickup's frame (it's completely crap-less now!).
That baby is straight and square as anything and that is the place to start, IMO.
After you've established that as fact, then you have a good base to work with. :)
Without the rear axle being straight with the rest, it'll never be quite-right. :/

Alvin in AZ

[FORDification]

Just an FYI: bad radius arm bushings will cause the truck to pull to one side under braking as well. If they're partially collapsed or missing, that whole axle can move forward and aft. Double-check them to verify everything's tight and in good condition.

[Alvin in AZ]

Just an FYI: bad radius arm bushings will cause the truck to pull to one side under braking as well.
If they're partially collapsed or missing, that whole axle can move forward and aft. Double-check
them to verify everything's tight and in good condition.

Yeah good point, I knew we had you around here for something. ;)
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/radiusarm.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/radiusarm1.jpg
Poly-Urethane bushings there and the rivets removed and flywheel bolts installed.
(and showing off my power steering oil leak too ;)
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/radiusarm2.jpg
Used 7/16"-20 lugnuts upside-down and -no- washers of any kind were used! :)
Just like Ford does it on the newer stuff, where they use a nut and bolt.
Ford uses flanged nuts and bolts up in the "grade-8 strength range".
My setup mimics that with their larger-than-usual hex-size.

Alvin in AZ

[fordman]

alvin does that steering stablier do you any good? my 67 has one but i havent drove the truck enough to notice any diffrence. actually i have only drove it 10 miles down a country road. i couldn't tell anything really.

[Alvin in AZ]

...does that steering stablier do you any good?
i couldn't tell anything really.

Same here at ~50k miles, I can't tell it does anything. :)

Alvin in AZ

[ForingaMex]

Another thing to look at if it's pulling to one side is the steering gear box (if you have power steering). I can't explain it and don't know the reason for it but my truck used to turn by itself. If it was parked with the engine running the steering wheel would turn to the right all the way to the stop. I did some work to it (put a shim in steering gear box, don't exactly remember where, it's been a long time) and it doesn't turn by itself anymore but it still pulls to the right when I'm driving. I would love it if someone could explain to me why the truck would turn by itself. I thought it might have an evil spirit but I ruled that out already.

[fordman]

i dont know steering boxes that well but maybe it has a stuck relief ball in it. and the fluid has to go soemwhere. i'm not sure where a shim would be put in at. but i dont know steering boxes real well either.