I have a 01 dodge cummins 4wd, it has synergy steering, BD track bar, EMF ball joints and Redhead steering box. 

 

I recently had it aligned and I'm still getting tire noise and wear(getting choppy) and the truck still wonders back and forth. 

I'll attach my alignment specs the shop set everything to. I need some help with what is correct? Because I went from the Y style to the T style steering and I think it not correct now. 

2 hours ago, 01dodge24v5.9 said:

I have a 01 dodge cummins 4wd, it has synergy steering, BD track bar, EMF ball joints and Redhead steering box. 

Are all these parts new?  What about your bearings...how many miles?  Have you balanced your tires recently?  Something sounds worn out or possibly tires out of balance. 

@Bullet

Yes all new, along with new wheel bearings and u-joints had the tires balanced and rotated prior to alignment. 

Edited September 4, 20195 yr by 01dodge24v5.9

1 minute ago, 01dodge24v5.9 said:

@Bullet

Yes all new, along with new wheel bearings and u-joints.

What about tire balance?  A choppy wear pattern is often associated with that.  And bouncing tires will wonder on you and make noise. 

@Bullet

Yep had them balanced also. The seem to be getting choppy on the outside edges, or that's where I noticed it the most. With more tire noise when I say go through a "S" turn in the road. 

I found the "thuren alignment " specs that someone else posted. I'm not sure about the caster it says to run... my toe is a little off of what he recommends, but not much. 

THUREN_FAB_ALIGNMENT.pdf

The only other thing I can think of is worn out shocks. 

Run toe at zero castor as positive as itl go.

Dont trust tire shops to know what they're doing or seeing on the computer

 

What this print out tells me is they didnt touch castor and truck is towed in.

I'm assuming the 2.9 is positive castor. If its negative itl wonder and not return to center very well.

 

 

 

All they did was adjust toe. And printed you a fancy printout that pretty much means nothing.

 

Toe and castor is all that's adjustable anyways. 

 

I'd set toe at zero and run castor at the 3.7 positive.

 

Thuren specs look good .05deg toe in and 4.5 positive castor. 

 

The y link needs to run alittle toe because as suspension compress's tire will toe out and become zero or very close to zero. 

 

The solid bar like you have wont change as suspension compress's and should be set as close to zero as possible 

 

 

I'd get this corrected and then if theres still issues chase things like shocks 

Edited September 5, 20195 yr by Evan

Once your tires have started to wear they likely won’t get better 

@@Bullet

I have new fox 2.0 shock also forgot to mention that. I recommend them btw really improved the handling.

 

@Evan

I was kinda afraid all they did was adjust the tone, but I didn't have two fancy printouts to compare. 

I'm going back to have the toe set to 0 or as close as possible. 

Is there any way to adjust the caster myself ? I kinda want to try some different degrees if say 3.8 is to loose and 4.5 is to sluggish. Without paying $90 everytime.

 

@Royal Squire

I know I guess I'll just keep rotating them more often until I get this front end nailed down. 

Run toe at zero castor as positive as itl go.

Dont trust tire shops to know what they're doing or seeing on the computer

 

Yes you can adjust castor yourself. The bottom contral arm mount on axle has castor washers. And deg marks.  What I do is jack truck up. Pull one bolt all the way out so your not fighting yourself side to side.  The one arm will set castor for both sides. Finish and reinstall bolt. You can also just loosen it but as you adjust other side this washer will contact.

This is also why you see castor washers that are messed up. Tire shop guy reefng the one hes adjusting but not caring the other side is following it. Mushrooming against the axle 

I'd start by maxing the setting to positive side. If it's to far the truck will drive straight but feel like the steering is stiff. Like your steering stabalizer is super charged.

If its zero or negative the truck will steer very easy but not return to center coming out of turns and wonder.

Castor isnt a tire wearing angle. So you cant mess it up. Adjust through trial and error till you like it. Youl likely like it maxed to the positive side.

 

Research castor angle so you know what your doing when you make the adjustments 

 

Edited September 5, 20195 yr by Evan

@Evan

Adding positive caster means rotating the cam or wider position towards the front of the truck? Generic picture btw for example. 

Edited September 9, 20195 yr by 01dodge24v5.9

Yes I believe so. I just looked at mine. I dont have castor washers on either lower arm. 

Edited September 9, 20195 yr by Evan

2 hours ago, 01dodge24v5.9 said:

@Evan

Adding positive caster means rotating the cam or wider position towards the front of the truck?

Yes sir...you got it right.  Another way to think about it is pushing the front axle forward so that the center of the bottom spring perch is further forward than the center of the top spring perch.  Like Evan's pic indicates. 

This is through the ball joints 

Your rotating the axle forward.

What you do on one arm also moves the other side. That's why I like to take one bolt all the way out then set my castor.