Front axle alignment

[notlimah]

So I've had the DOR track bar on for almost 2 weeks now and it's been great having the extra strength up there and it's keeping everything in line much better when truckin down the road. When my brother and I originally put the track bar on we basically used the stock end links as visual cues as to where the 'center' would be. Well going solely on that, I think things turned out pretty good. Truck drives straighter then it ever has and has little to no wonder now and I haven't even gotten a proper alignment yet.

 

Needless to say I was taking out the trash and just happen to glance over and saw that my passenger side tire is sticking out noticeably further then my drivers side. Now I'm not 100% sure if it's because of my driveway angle and the wheels weren't perfectly straight but it's quite noticeable. I plan on checking it again when on level ground and wheels straight. Either way, how do you center this out? Do you use tires as a reference? Somewhere on the frame or axle? I thought I had it good to go but being this far off can't be right, can it?!

[Haggar]

It is kinda funny....

It should be established from frame centerline.  But the body is on mounts, so it could be correct to the frame, but look wrong because the body is on crooked. You can't really use the rear end, the track width is different and it has a +/- 4 degree thrust angle tolerance.

 

With the wheel straight measure from the RIM to the frame on each side.  The hard thing is making sure the wheel is straight. 

Looking at some pictures, you could probably measure from the spring to the frame on each side.  Or center the sway bar in the sway bar mounts.   You could hang a plumb bob from the centerline of the frame, then measure to the rotors too. 

 

Hope that helps.

[notlimah]

Ok so basically it should be centered via the frame not the body? 

 

Ill get get out and take better measurements and see where I'm at based off that.

[Haggar]

The front axle "should" be centered on the frame.   But parallel offset of the front and rear axle is not a terrible thing.  So I would probably make it a balance between the two if the body is that far off. 

 

 

 

 

[notlimah]

Ok so if I get it to center off the body/frame and my end links end up being crooked again, how do I get those straight?

[Haggar]

What end links?  Sway bar?  If so just slide the sway bar left or right.  The frame mounts of the sway bar do not resist lateral movement of the sway bar.  They have straight holes through them with no axial load capability.

 

You may have to loosen those mounts to allow the sway bar to shift laterally, but it should move easily then.  (as easily as rusty metal moves in rubber/polyurethane bushings)  a little bit of silicone spray will help.

 

HTH  

 

Hag

[CSM]

The control arms align the axle perpendicular to the frame and constrain it for and aft. 

 

The track bar aligns the axle laterally.

 

The track bar should float.  If your axle is out of whack and track bar is solid, it could be any of the 8 control arm bushings, or a bent frame/bracket.  It may be adjusted some with the 4 cams, but the main issue i see is the track bar being too short for a levelling kit.  

[notlimah]

I have the DOR installed now so I have adjust-ability. I think its fairly centered, I checked it on more level ground and just eye balling it it looks pretty centered.

[CSM]

For your original question, i would measure from frame to hub on each side.  There should be some numbers in the chassis manual... i have a copy but im not sute if it is in the downloads.  Im guessing that the axle hangs out from the frame equally.