Slight pull to the right

[Big Bear Bob]

I had my alignment done at Sears before then after the TT. In both cases when I got the truck back I noticed it would lean to the right pretty hard really. So I took it to a different Sears and they had some newer fancier equipment (what ever) but it still pulls to the right. Not nearly as bad as it did after the first alignment, but still a gentle pull to the right. I should say that when I first got the truck back from Sears, it drove straight as an arrow, but after a few days the thing would start creeping to the right again. I hate taking the truck in every week, it's not only a pain for me, but they're getting to know me.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Crankcase]

Are both front tires inflated equaly?

 

[becker69]

3B, This has been a minor issue with me lately also. I had mine aligned, and although it is much much better than before, it still draws slowly to the right. But with more than 1500 miles from my last road trip since the alignment I am not noticing any negative tire wear whatsoever, so I am just keeping an eye on it for now.

And my alignment specs are still way within Ford Specs.

 

[jimbo74]

how is the caster? normally, this isnt an easily adjustable thing, but it can be adjusted...... that would cuase a pull to the right.... or, did they not tightn the jamnuts properly? if they work themselves even only a little bit loose, that can also cuase it to pull right

 

[Big Bear Bob]

The guy at ford dais that my alignment specs are still way within Ford Specs too.

jimabena74 I am in no way a mechanic, I was able to work on the cars of the 70's and earlier, but todays cars...

He did bring an off center round piece of metal that was about an inch think, and said though it did not need repair right now, that it was beginning to wear.
So I'm not sure if thats what your talking about but there is some where in the fron end.

 

[skiingsean]

Got a 93X sport. Mine does the exact same thing. Even got new RadArm Bushings so I decided to get it aligned while I threw em on. It drove straight(er) for about 2k and now it pulls to the right again. Tell me though when you are on the highway does it sometimes feel like its toying with you, in that if you jerk it to the left or correct it it will drive straight but then the next time you look down its back off to the right?
Just curious. I finally gave up on mine, its not too bad and the tires are still good.

 

[Howard]

I'm not an expert but in my experience because there is always a tolerance in alignment it is possible that whilst they have set your vehicle to within tolerance it may require to be altered slightly to the other end of the tolerance. I had problems with another car pulling and if I had it check at one site it would pull but go to another site and they would get it spot on. Just a thought does the x get more fussy when its lifted (higher centre of gravity etc)?
Just my two pence worth.

 

[mattadams]

I think about everyone I know with an explorer has a pull to the right...

 

[skiingsean]

Hey matt, I definately have to agree with you on that one. Actually it kinda sux, I think the only way you could get 'em to go straight at that point or at least mine would be to miss-align it to the left. But anhows, how you liking CO. Im in AZ for school right now and I cant stand it, every drive you go on is the same, Rock, Dirt, and Heat. well almost. I can't wait to get back to CO, so does my Exploder.


Sean

 

[Isles4evr]

I am an alignment tech at goodyear, and I can probably tell you why it pulls to the right. more than likely it is the caster. Ford specs call for the same degree caster on both sides of the truck. When in actuallity it should be about .5 degrees higher ont he right side... this means .5 higher weather on not it is within spec. The caster won;t wear your tires, but rather cause a pull... if you have ever driven a truck with a caster problem, it is similar to riding a bicycle with the front tire turned around backwards. So what I would do is take a look at the spec sheet they prined out for you and see if the right side is higher or not, if not have them set it .5 higher than the left and I can almost guarente that it won;t pull. That is just as long as the have even tire pressure and your suspension isn;t saging at any point on the truck.

Hope this helps some,
Chris

 

[Big Bear Bob]

Chris thanks for the info.

The tires all have 35 pounds of pressure in them right on the dot. But could the TT have caused it to pull right? As I said earlier the measurements at top center of all four wheel wells is 34.5 inches exactly.

One of the guys at Sears says he thinks it's from driving it up and down mountain, and basically said I should just use the 6 month warranty to the max by bringing it in every other week or so.

I think I said it earlier but when it's first aligned it drives straight as an arrow, but after two maybe three weeks it's pulling to the right again.

Any ideas?

 

[Isles4evr]

I am not sure how bad the TT throws off the alignment on the X... I havn;t had to deal with one of those yet. I did however align a 97 S10 ZR2 that had bottomed out the torsion bars with an add-a-leaf in the rear and there was absoultly no way i could get it close to spec. The camber was a good 1.5-2 degrees out and the with the caster I could get it to even out to get 0 degrees cross caster but still couldn;t get it into spec. The difference in the Ford trucks and GM trucks is the the GM specs are compensated for the .5 degrees higer on the right. It is basically to compensate for the crown on the road. Since most roads are crowned for water draning purposes and we drive on the right, the truck will pull right unless compensate for so that is where the .5 comes in, and GM compensates for that in their specs.

But since you should have a waranty with the alignment, when you have a free day go in and ask them so try and set the right side to .5 degrees higer than the right and see how it does...

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

I also just realized how bad of a typer I am.... maybe I should try and take my time so I can make for sense!

 

[Big Bear Bob]

Thanks I'll do that. I have to have the tires rotated, and rebalanced next week at American Tire, then over to Sears to have them give it a try. Then to the Loma Linda University Medical Center, for another series of probing tests. Then back home up the long winding 50-mile drive back up the hill.

 

[Big Bear Bob]

Don't worry about it, I got the message and my typing sucks too.

 

[Maniak]

Chris,

I always understood it to be that it would pull to the side the the more positive caster.. In that case you would want the driver side to have more positive caster to fix a pull to the right.

Do I have it backwards?

~Mark

 

[Isles4evr]

Maniak, yeah you have it backwards. I have a lot of ford trucks that come in from other shops right after they get it aligned becuase the caster is lower on the right or equal to the left side. Now on a front wheel drive car, however, you won;t notice a caster pull for what ever reason. I would think it is becuase the front tires are pull fowards anyway so ya know....

Chris

I tried to type slower this time, seems like it worked

 

[97BlackX5.0]

I have a 97 X 5.0 that i bought with 86k on it.... i notice a little pull to the right also but have always chalked it up to the road i was driving on since my 89 bronco 2 had the same problem.... oh and by the way.... the 89 bronco 2 has 118,000 miles and has never had an alignment... and yes it has been offroaded... the tie rods are starting to wear now and it is finally starting to get bad so im gonna do the whole system at once....my advice get used to it... unless its bad... so i think its the wear of the road you drive on.... it will wear the steering just a little to the right.. from driving on a cupped road..... anyway just my opinion

 

[Maniak]

last time I replaced the RA bushings on our 1992 I put in Moog adjustable caster bushings....

Of course I set it so the passenger side had less caster than the driver side... After chris said it was the other way around I went back underneath and set the passenger side to as much caster as I could.. and set the driver side to as little caster as I could. Now it pulls to the left.. so I adjusted the driver side a little eveyr couple of days and now it doesn't pull either way (ok.. it follows the crown of the road)..

Amazing.. over 100,000 miles of having it pull.. and it was a simple fix.. I wish I could find a decent alignment shop that actually fixes thing instead of just swapping parts and setting things to specs..


~Mark

 

[Isles4evr]

Just wondering, has anyone tried getthing the right side caster increased?

Chris