Front axle centering.

[Marcus2000monster]

My front axle is way off center as in at least  1.5 or more inches too the drivers side of he truck. I just replaced track bar a month ago and it wasn’t like that. How do I resented the axle? I’m planning to rebuild the entire front end with the axle swap that is coming soon. New everything. Tie rods, ends, sway bar, stabilizer, etc. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Are you using a levelling kit? Just remove the levelling kit and the axle will be centered once again. Other than that you need an adjustable track bar to make up the change in geometry.

[Marcus2000monster]

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Are you using a levelling kit? Just remove the levelling kit and the axle will be centered once again. Other than that you need an adjustable track bar to make up the change in geometry.

Dang I just put a new Napa track bar in. There’s no way to center it without a adjustable track bar?? No way I’m not running anything but stock height. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Either that you got the wrong track bar. 

 

The track bar is the only thing that holds the left to right position of the axle.

[Marcus2000monster]

2 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Either that you got the wrong track bar. 

 

The track bar is the only thing that holds the left to right position of the axle.

The sway bar end links were almost perfectly vertical when I installed the bar and now they’re leaning really hard how did it move?? Wierd as heck. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Track bar is either too long or too short causing the axle placement to be wrong.

[Marcus2000monster]

4 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Track bar is either too long or too short causing the axle placement to be wrong.

Hmmm. Maybe I should be complaining to Napa about this. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Can you hold your old bar up next to the new one and verify the bar length?

[Marcus2000monster]

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Can you hold your old bar up next to the new one and verify the bar length?

Yes I actually can I saved the old one. I’ll def look at that. 

[dave110]

Not sure if it's possible without looking, but IIRC you had your sway bar removed. Could it have slid over in the rubber frame mounts due to not tightening something? Is it just the sway bar that's crooked or the whole axle?

[Marcus2000monster]

10 minutes ago, dave110 said:

Not sure if it's possible without looking, but IIRC you had your sway bar removed. Could it have slid over in the rubber frame mounts due to not tightening something? Is it just the sway bar that's crooked or the whole axle?

I’m assuming the whole axle here’s a couple pics of sway links. 

[dave110]

Looks like the coil springs are pretty straight. With that much off set in the sway bar links you should be able to see one tire sticking out farther than the other looking straight at the truck from the front if the whole axle is offset.

Edited December 19, 2018 by dave110

[dripley]

Is one wheel sticking out from the fender and the other recessed? From the looks of the pics @dave110 might be ontothe problem.

[Marcus2000monster]

9 minutes ago, dave110 said:

Looks like the coil springs are pretty straight. With that much off set in the sway bar links you should be able to see one tire sticking out farther than the other looking straight at the truck from the front if the whole axle is offset.

 

7 minutes ago, dripley said:

Is one wheel sticking out from the fender and the other recessed? From the looks of the pics @dave110 might be ontothe problem.

Lemme take a look. 

So the axle is moving which explains my steering wander. The sway bar end links are now almost perfect compared to when I left the shop. Something is allowing he axle to move side to side. 

[Tractorman]

1 hour ago, Marcus2000monster said:

My front axle is way off center as in at least  1.5 or more inches too the drivers side of he truck. I just replaced track bar a month ago and it wasn’t like that.

 

53 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

The sway bar end links were almost perfectly vertical when I installed the bar and now they’re leaning really hard how did it move??

 

Are you absolutely positive the axle was centered and the sway bar links were vertical when you first installed the track bar?  Also, is this the first time the track bar has been replaced?

 

There are two reasons that I ask this question. 

 

One reason is that if everything was aligned correctly and then shifted at least 1 1/2 inches over within a month, something very significant had to happen - like a coil spring broke, or something. 

 

The other reason I ask is that I replaced a track bar on my brother-in-law's 2002 3/4 ton 4x4 truck (a May build date) and the original OEM track bar that came off of the truck was about 3/4" longer than the replacement track bar.  I was replacing a lot of steering components at the time and I did not notice the shifting of the axle and the misalignment of the sway bar links until after I test drove the truck.  It took me awhile to figure out what was going on.

 

I ended up removing the replacement track bar and placed both track bars on the floor side by side and found there was a difference in length - about 3/4 of an inch.  There is only one stock track bar sold for the second generation 4x4 truck - they are all the same length no matter who you get one from.  I know because I checked with three different auto part stores and NAPA bent over backwards trying to solve my problem, but to no avail.  I ended up using Luke's Link on the original track bar.

 

If this is not your case, then you can disregard.

 

- John

 

 

 

 

[Marcus2000monster]

8 hours ago, Tractorman said:

 

 

Are you absolutely positive the axle was centered and the sway bar links were vertical when you first installed the track bar?  Also, is this the first time the track bar has been replaced?

 

There are two reasons that I ask this question. 

 

One reason is that if everything was aligned correctly and then shifted at least 1 1/2 inches over within a month, something very significant had to happen - like a coil spring broke, or something. 

 

The other reason I ask is that I replaced a track bar on my brother-in-law's 2002 3/4 ton 4x4 truck (a May build date) and the original OEM track bar that came off of the truck was about 3/4" longer than the replacement track bar.  I was replacing a lot of steering components at the time and I did not notice the shifting of the axle and the misalignment of the sway bar links until after I test drove the truck.  It took me awhile to figure out what was going on.

 

I ended up removing the replacement track bar and placed both track bars on the floor side by side and found there was a difference in length - about 3/4 of an inch.  There is only one stock track bar sold for the second generation 4x4 truck - they are all the same length no matter who you get one from.  I know because I checked with three different auto part stores and NAPA bent over backwards trying to solve my problem, but to no avail.  I ended up using Luke's Link on the original track bar.

 

If this is not your case, then you can disregard.

 

- John

 

 

 

 

You could very well be correct. I’ll have to get my old bar and check the length. 

[Dieselfuture]

This is exactly why I made my own track bar. I too had the same problem looking for the correct length. I didn't have money at the time so I made my own. I would not recommend making your own unless you're very confident in your welding job. Personally if I had a choice now I would just buy an aftermarket adjustable track bar, but money was tight at the time. 

Looking at end links, your axle is shifting towards driver side, which would men your track bar is shorter than need to be. I've heard of different companies trying to make up for front suspension settlement over the years and by having a shorter track bar it would center your axle if your springs were sagged. But I would think quarter to a half inch would be more than plenty. Once again that's just a rumor I heard.

[Marcus2000monster]

9 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

This is exactly why I made my own track bar. I too had the same problem looking for the correct length. I didn't have money at the time so I made my own. I would not recommend making your own unless you're very confident in your welding job. Personally if I had a choice now I would just buy an aftermarket adjustable track bar, but money was tight at the time. 

Looking at end links, your axle is shifting towards driver side, which would men your track bar is shorter than need to be. I've heard of different companies trying to make up for front suspension settlement over the years and by having a shorter track bar it would center your axle if your springs were sagged. But I would think quarter to a half inch would be more than plenty. Once again that's just a rumor I heard.

Thanks man. I’m really pissed off that they make them shorter on purpose. Now I’m likely going to have to buy a 600$ adjustable bar unless Napa has different lengths...

[Stormin08]

confirm length, bushing conditions...and if all is good, crank the heck out out of the bolts. THEY NEED TO BE TIGHT !

 

 

[dripley]

10 hours ago, Marcus2000monster said:

 

Lemme take a look. 

So the axle is moving which explains my steering wander. The sway bar end links are now almost perfect compared to when I left the shop. Something is allowing he axle to move side to side. 

Unless your track bar is faulty how is the axle moving? Faulty as in one of the joints failed to allow movement. I know when my last one failed you could turn the sreering wheel back and forth and watch over the hood and see the body move back and forth about 2" before the wheels turned.