Superlift 5.5", Alignment problem

[Gofast]

I've had the lift for 4 months? I think, anyway I've had at least 10 alignments done. Camber has always been a problem. Somewhere along the line one of the alignment places moved the passenger pivot point to the next hole up in the bracket. That fixed camber problem, but the differential started rubbing on a bracket. Well we fixed that by moving the pivot point back to where it belonged. Now the camber is way out again. Last shop said I needed a 3 1/2 degree cam bolt for the passenger side. That seemed really high to me since I could not find one without doing a special order deal.

I called Superlift's tech line today, ( gave up on 4 wheel parts ). The first thing he had me do was measure the front coil springs from the top to the bottom. I came up with 14 1/2 ". He said it should be 16" and it sounds like I have the wrong coils. Hmm....

4 wheel parts is going to check it out on Monday and assures me that they will get it right this time.

Let's hope.

 

[rpenner54]

Rob I have ALWAYS had this sort of a problem. My solution was to buy an Escort. LOL Well accually I have had a number of alignments but everytime I get them they get "lost" as soon as I go off-road and smack the thing around some. I can say I would try torqing down the camber bolts/nuts/whatever is used up there more then the factory to see if that helps any.

 

[RFR2212]

Ya know, I don't know what to tell ya but I've got a 6in skyjacker lift and boggers and finally had it aligned at a shop that clams they've never had a truck they couldn't align. It was about 150 bucks to align, and it's perfect...so i know it can be done with even a bigger lift.....but I know it should be possible unless there is something strange about that particular lift.
Thanks.....Pete

 

[Gofast]

Good Points

Ryan, Good point about the daily driver, also on the camber bolt. But, this confuses me. They have to actully use an air chisel to remove the camber nut, so how come when I bump a rock the whole camber seems to shift? Am I stress some other point that affects this?

Curious now.

 

[rpenner54]

I am not sure. I just know that after I get an alingment then go wheeling its not the same. I am wondering if the big tires are enough to push it all out of whack everytime you smack somethign with them. I accaully have never really bothered to look that deeply into what holds it all aligned perfectly. An air chisel/hammer doesn't put out as much force as the Explorer smacking a rock from one side or another on the tires either.

 

[Gofast]

That's true. I wonder if I'm shifting the drop brackets just a little or compressing some of the stock bushings on the control arms?

Now I think back to geometry class and wish the teacher had said; " Some day your offroad vehicle will need an alignment, so learn this stuff now "

 

[mattadams]

Ryan-gofast's camber on his tires was worse then I'd seen in quite a while, they were sticking WAY out, not just like yours and mine sometimes do. They looked like half of the tires were practically off the ground.

 

[Rick]

Look at the way the tires are lined up here.

 

[rpenner54]

Jeez I am wondering if something is bent then? Or maybe you do in fact have the wrong size springs. I would say wait and see what Superlift sends you if you can get anything out of them and try that out.

 

[Gofast]

I'll let you guys know what I discover next week after they check my truck out. The wear pattern on the front tires was really bad. Good tread depth on the outside edge, bald on the inner edge. All this in only 3500 miles. I'm glad I get a free set of tires from Discount.

 

[tdavis]

Well, I found that on my truck, I've got:

1) drivers side radius arm bushing bracket bent back.
2) bent passenger side TTB drop bracket. on the superlift 5.5" kit, the bracket doesn't stay put. just driving bends it after a while.

I've got a new bracket for #1, and having a rod placed between the bracket and the cross member to keep it from moving, after the frame shop re-aligns the drop bracket.

I hope it stops moving after that!

This is a real design flaw with the Superlift kit!