Wierd camber question...

[Isles4evr]

Alright everyone, I finished my lift the other week... 6" skyjacker/superlift on top of my 2" spacer/shackle (wich my be comming off soon but we'll see). My question/problem is this...

When I initally finished the lift the front tires had almost no camber, then when I went to pull it out of the garage and take it on a drive the tires leaned out so bad I was only riding on the outside tread blocks. So I let it sit for a few days and when I got around to playing the the camber bushings this weekend, my tires magicly went to zero camber when I pulled it in the garage. At first I thought that it must have had something to do with the pitch of the road vs the garage, but after pulling it in and out a few times the tires had no rhyme or reason to when they were leaned out or straight. Has anyone come across this problem before? I have talked to a few guys at my shop but no one had a clue (granted that we work on VW's so not eveyone there knows a whole lot about anything else).

Any help would be great;y appreciated...

Chris

 

[Hartman]

When you pulled it out of the garage the first time, where you going in reverse? If so, your tie rods are most likely done for.

 

[Isles4evr]

Naw, I pulled it out forwards. I was thinging however that since it still has the stock steering setup that maybe the links being to small could pull the bottom of the tire in.

 

[Byrd91]

When you let the truck down off the jack the tires have enough friction to hold them in like that. We have enough droop that its noticable. Driving a little ways lets them move out to the normal position. Jack it up so the tires come off the ground and let it back down, you'll see what I mean. New springs can also cause this, but it will be for a lot longer, like a month or 2.

 

[Isles4evr]

Originally posted by Byrd91
New springs can also cause this, but it will be for a lot longer, like a month or 2.

So you mean it could take a month for my springs to settle in to keep the camber as it is?

Ya see the thing that really bugs me is that, since I have finished the lift I havn't jacked up the truck again. But yet the camber fluctuates so much that it puzzles me. I have been doing alignments for a while now, but have never seen a problem like this one.

Thanks for the help though
Chris

 

[FLYIN 5.0]

Most offroad shop take the trucks they put new springs on for a nice drive over alot of speed bumps so the springs will settle before they even look at the alignment

 

[Blaine122300]

Yeah, Been there, done that!!
You need an alignment.
Your tie rods are not set correctly. If your tie rods are not set properly, then they will either push your tires out, or pull them in which in turn (with the TTB) will make your tires go like this \ / or like this / \. get your alignment, and tell the alignment shop that you want your camber slightly like the first setup \ /. this way, when your springs settle after a while, it will come into sync perfectly, and your tires will run straight. Don't be suprised if you need 2-3 alingments before all is said and done. Go to a place that will warrantee their alignment so you don't have to pay a bunch of times. If you tell the place whats going on, they will probably work with you. It will be over 100 bucks for the alingnment though. Any more questions, just e-mail me.

Later,

Andy

 

[Isles4evr]

Thank god I'm not the only one! The good thing is, I work at a shop so I can do all the alignments that I please for free. So I am guessing that I should set the toe first to see how the effects the camber, then get the propper camber bushing.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Blaine122300]

Yup, you got it!!

Good luck

Andy

 

[splodo49]

Im not trying to say you guys are getting screwed or any thing.But the place ive tooken my truck to only charged me 45 bucks for the alignment.And ive been thier a few times.You might want to look into that.