Alignment/Camber Bushings

[SuddenDeath]

When I did my 2" coil spacer lift for the front of my truck, as a lot of people around here have, it was a nightmare. Took it to a shop who couldn't do it, they said I needed +3 degrees in camber bushings. Got the adjustable bushings and took it to another shop and they said my new bushings were useless and aligned the truck without the adjustable bushings.

So I have this piece of information and advice for you explorer guys, courtesy of my own experience and what I understand about camber bushings in our TTB Dana 35.

The TTB Dana 35 uses adjustable bushings to dial camber in, as we all know. Alignment shops turn and adjust these bushings to bring the camber in spec. These bushings, if you've ever seen one, are metal cylinders that look like they have a crescent moon cut out of them if you look at it from above. Adjustable camber bushings are typically 2 piece metal bushings with overlapping semicircles inside of them. You turn the top piece of the metal bushing to make the semicircles overlap, hence adjusting the camber.

You all knew this. Let me get to my point.

The stock camber bushings can be used to align your truck with a 2" coil spacer/F150 coil seat lift/3 degrees of camber offset. The shop I went to refused to use my adjustable bushings, as I said earlier, for liability. The 2 piece camber bushings lack the strength of the solid bushings, and are easy to break while trying to dial in the camber. However, the mechanic took my stock camber bushings and installed them backwards. By reversing the camber bushings my truck was brought back into perfect spec, better than before I lifted it.

Pics, before alignment and after:

Before:

After:

Sorry, the pictures are not from the same straight on vantage point, but you can see what I mean. Another useful tip to you guys who plan on coil spacer lifting your trucks it to check the strength of your retainer nuts on your hubs/wheel bearings. Mine had cracked on the passenger side, but it was a tiny hairline crack. Replaced the wheel bearings because the wheel was loose and would rock like the bearing was bad, but that didn't fix it. After staring at the hub for a few hours going "WHAT THE ****" I took a closer look at the hub retainer nut. The thing had a hairline crack and the second you put pressure on it it would loosten. I know a bunch of members had this problem too and paid lots of $$ to alignment shops/lots of stress trying to figure it out. I hope you guys learn from my mistakes!

If someone has posted this up before, My bad. If not, then I hope somebody learns from it.

 

[TACO626]

Interesting

 

[4x4junkie]

The shop I went to refused to use my adjustable bushings, as I said earlier, for liability. The 2 piece camber bushings lack the strength of the solid bushings, and are easy to break while trying to dial in the camber.

Never heard of that one... I would chalk it up to carelessness (or severe corrosion) if the bushing breaks while trying to adjust it.
Also, when the pinch bolt is tightened, everything is compressed and locked down solid, so I don't see what liability there would be in regards to strength unless they failed to tighten it up correctly.

Glad you got it aligned by reusing the stock ones though. Occasionally all the pieces do fall into place where you are able to do this.

 

[mrboyle]

You are 100% correct on the "adjustible" bushings. Don't waste your money on them. But there is more to this story. The stock style camber bushings come in all kinds of flavors (offsets). Most Ford TTB vehicles came from the factory with 0* bushings. Which means they have zero offset and can not be "turned" to correct caster/camber. A properly equipped alingment shop will stock replacement bushings that are similar in design to the factory bushings but can have anywhere from .25* to 2* offset. If the stock bushings in your vehicle are not offset or do not have enough offset the shop will recomend and sell you the proper bushing to correct the alingment. Any shop that tells you they can not aling the front end after a 2" lift is full of crap. You may not get as lucky as the OP (and get away with reusing the stock bushings) but they are alingable. Typically, if the shop says it can't be alinged it is due to lack of knowledge on the flunky running the alingment machine not the vehicle. Avoid chain stores (Big O, Sears, etc...) when having a modified vehicle alinged. Take it to a privately owned shop, where the tech's typically know what they are doing and are willing to do what it takes to aling a vehicle (even if it involves actual labor).

 

[mrboyle]

Never heard of that one... I would chalk it up to carelessness (or severe corrosion) if the bushing breaks while trying to adjust it.
Also, when the pinch bolt is tightened, everything is compressed and locked down solid, so I don't see what liability there would be in regards to strength unless they failed to tighten it up correctly.

Glad you got it aligned by reusing the stock ones though. Occasionally all the pieces do fall into place where you are able to do this.

The "adjustible" bushings are made two thin pieces of crap cast metal and are VERY weak. I have seen them brake from hitting a pot hole. The factory and stock style replacement bushings are a single cast steel bushing and are tremendously stronger than the "adjustible" bushings.

I personaly refuse to use the adjustible bushings when alinging a vehicle.

 

[4x4junkie]

Actually I do believe they are made of some type of bronze, not steel.

I've yet to ever see one broken where the bolt was properly tightened.
I've been running mine with the 2-piece adjustable bushings with 35" tires for years now (both on the street and rockcrawling). If anything was going to overstress and break them it would be that. But still nothing.

 

[SuddenDeath]

Yeah, I'm sure there are good stories and horror stories from both sides of the adjustable bushing camp. I'd take a look at your stock bushings, though. A buddy did the F150 coil spacer lift and I did this exact thing to his truck to get it 'close enough'. I just put the things in backwards and it brought it in a whole helluva lot.

The way I look at it, I'd rather try this fix first and then spend money second

 

[Tbars4]

...I was able to get 2.75* bushings from my alignment shop that they stock when I did the F150 coil seat lift, and all the other shops said they could only use the stock bushings, or they could find by special order either 2* and one shop said 2 1/4*..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187201&highlight=f150

...The biggest I could find in my search was 3* bushings for the Ranger and first gen X's...(Didn't need and info for reference only)

When I originally decided to do the lift and before I even started it, I spent a couple afternoons running around to different shops and quizzing them...I explained what I was doing with my truck and then asked what it would cost, if they had the bushings in stock, what size bushings will it take, etc.

..I have actually taken in trucks to a shop that the camber was wacked out and all they did was align it for steering straight...They said "Here you are, all done" and I said " No we are not"...The next thing you know, they put the guy who actually knows how to do alignments on a truck on the alignment, and all is good...There are lot's of shops who don't have a clue at all throughout the vehicle repair biz...(and all other kinds of service and repair business's)

...Educate yourself first then, quiz them on what you do know and pay close attention to their answers...It keeps you from having nightmares...

...This has been my .02...

 

[squireofgothos]

I used to work in a shop, and did quite a few alignments. Ninety-nine percent were stock alingments, toe & go thrust angles, and similar. Every now and again, a custom would come in. Getting all 4 wheels tracking straight wasn't so much the issue... the real trick is adjusting so that it is properly compensated for in actual use, such as road crown, and load levels. This gets tricky because the wheel travel changes depending on the lift type. Straight body-only lifts are easy because the have minimal impact on the suspension. Coil and/or shock lifts were much more of a challenge because the charactaristics of the suspension have been changed so drastically. Ford trucks are among the more difficult due to the unique setup of the front end (crossed independent suspension).

The big problem today is the ultra-automated alignment machines. They make the final adjustments a piece of cake, but only if you have properly compensated them for any modifications. They are pre-loaded with all of the specs, and those specs have to be adjusted to correct for the new wheel travel. Fail to do that and you'll never get the job right. The machine is only as smart as the person that programs (or compensates) it.

With this in mind, I drive mechanics nuts when I come in for an alignment. I go straight to the tech, hand them a $10, and talk about reducing the tolerance range. I'm not happy unless I can let go of the wheel and have the truck hold a straight track for an eternity. It's that moment when they usually realize I'm a former alingment tech.

 

[offroad.gearhead]

I did the F150 coil spacers on my '94, then took it to 4WheelParts for the alignment. I think they charge me about $135 for the alignment, including the shim kit. They did a great job and alignment has held up well over the last two years.

 

[mrboyle]

Actually I do believe they are made of some type of bronze, not steel.

I've yet to ever see one broken where the bolt was properly tightened.
I've been running mine with the 2-piece adjustable bushings with 35" tires for years now (both on the street and rockcrawling). If anything was going to overstress and break them it would be that. But still nothing.

There are different types of bushings (material) depending on the manufacturer, but I do not recall any that were bronze. You may be one of the lucky few that has never had a problem with your 2 piece bushings, but I have seen several that have failed (I did front end work for a living).

Oh and Tbars4 is correct, they are available up to 3* by special order (most shops only stock them up to 2*).

 

[Maniak]

There is an old thread about those bushings on here. IIRC.. the max for the 4x4 was 2.75, which was the same bushing used on a 2wd that would actually give 3 degrees on the 2wd..

~Mark

EDIT: I found the list of possible bushing sizes.. You can see that you get more adjustment from 2wd vrs 4wd, using the same part from Specialy Products Company

Series 2WD Adjust. 4WD Adjust
Part # Total Change Total Change
23181 .25 degree (1/4 degree) .20 degree
23182 .50 degree (1/2 degree) .40 degree
23183 .75 degree (3/4 degree) .60 degree
23184 1.00 degree (1 degree) .75 degree
23185 1.25 degree (1-1/4 degree) .90 degree
23186 1.50 degree (1-1/2 degree) 1.10 degree
23187 1.75 degree (1-3/4 degree) 1.25 degree
23188 2.00 degree (2 degree) 1.40 degree
23189 2.25 degree (2-1/4 degree) 1.60 degree
23190 2.50 degree (2-1/2 degree) 1.80 degree
23191 2.75 degree (2-3/4 degree) 2.00 degree
23192 3.00 degree (3 degree) 2.25 degree
23193 3.25 degree (3-1/4 degree) 2.50 degree
23194 3.50 degree (3-1/2 degree) 2.75 degree
23199 0.00 degree (0 degree)

 

[Tbars4]

...I believe MrBoyle...:

 

[4x4junkie]

There are different types of bushings (material) depending on the manufacturer, but I do not recall any that were bronze. You may be one of the lucky few that has never had a problem with your 2 piece bushings, but I have seen several that have failed (I did front end work for a living).

Oh and Tbars4 is correct, they are available up to 3* by special order (most shops only stock them up to 2*).

Bronze was my first assumption the bushings were made of when I saw the brownish-copperish color of their metal if you scrape a bit of the zinc coating off them. Whatever it is, it isn't steel.

I've been on these forums for some 8 years now (here, TRS, and others) and this is the first time I've seen anyone reporting problems with the two piece bushings, outside of corrosion freezing the two parts together making them difficult to turn. I can only assume people aren't tightening the pinch bolts enough, allowing the bushing to wiggle around in the hole, leading to it failing (granted, it does seem you do have to tighten it a bit tighter with adjustables vs. with standard bushings).

 

[Myoldcar]

Ford Explorer 1993 4WD

Hello to all. Here is my question: I got adjustable ( 2 pc bushing) alignment camber from Rockauto 4* left and 4* right adjustable. ~ 8 US each. I just want to exchange the bushing , will set to 0 * and go an alignment shop. But they do not have the pinch bolts to tighten the bushing. Where do I get those pinch bolt?
1. Ford does not produce them anymore and 2. do I need a special tool to unscrew the bolt.) Your help is appreciated.

 

[botijo]

I think I got the same from Rockauto with 4 degrees of camber and caster adjustment. The manufacturer is Moog and I expect a good material from a good brand or it doesnt matter ? Somebody has the same bushings ? Thanks

 

[RangerX]

Moog is a good brand in general, I have no idea about their camber bushings specifically.
I would imagine you would reuse the factory pinch bolts.

 

[botijo]

Moog is a good brand in general, I have no idea about their camber bushings specifically.
I would imagine you would reuse the factory pinch bolts.

Now I see I have a factory bolt and in the other side a strange gold bolt. The factory one must be the best. I ll look for the old factory bolt to reuse .
Thank you very much