1991 F150 Caster/Camber Question

andrewlail76

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Location
Hickory, NC
My truck and my co-worker's truck both have this problem. My co worker bought his new, and it has always been this way. He's been to the Ford dealership, and to alignment shops and had no resolve...

Our front tires sit like this

\ /

Of course not this drastic, but bad enough that the outside edges wear out on our tires and the inside still loos great. The Ford dealership told my co worker that the adjustment has been done as far as it will go, and there's nothing that can be done.

www.ford150.net

they basically tell us to replace springs, shocks, bushings, ball joints...

My co worker has replaced all but the ball joints. I need tires now, and I really don't want to buy any until I get this fixed...

Has anyone heard of this problem and is there a inexpensive fix?


Also, bear in mind that these trucks are bone stock...no lifts or anything. the quad shocks on the front that came from the factory this way is it.

Please help us...no one else has been able to...
 
Yeah, that is one reason why I hate a *%#@ Ford. I have seen a many late models with / \ scenario as well. WTF Ford? You were once an admired manufacturer but that stupid split-beam front end has been a piece of junk since the design board drawing. Yea, may be strong but what about the caster/camber issues? The only Ford truck I admired was the F250's 4x4's
with a Dana looking front axle suspended with leaf springs. Must have been some kind of HD option?

Best of luck with your problem. I suspect you will find the cheap rubber bushings beat flat and not a metal part needing replacement. I bet someone has a urethane bushing upgrade replacement kit.
 
It's really, really common. Do you have the actual alignment numbers? Post them up.
 
Let me get this straight..... Bought it new and never got it fixed from the factory???? How many sets of tires does he go through like this??

Since you've already replaced everything else to no resolve, I'd just replace the ball joints.I don't think they're too expensive.
 
Buy cheap tires:flipoff2:

I dealt w/ it for years and quit caring. Just rotate often because as soon as you start flexing you are at square 1 all over again
 
rbo1577186 said:
Let me get this straight..... Bought it new and never got it fixed from the factory???? How many sets of tires does he go through like this??
Since you've already replaced everything else to no resolve, I'd just replace the ball joints.I don't think they're too expensive.
Click to expand...


He's been through quite a few...trying to find a solution along the way...
 
Franklin said:
Buy cheap tires:flipoff2:
I dealt w/ it for years and quit caring. Just rotate often because as soon as you start flexing you are at square 1 all over again
Click to expand...


So is there no fix?
Where can you get cheap 31" or 32" tires?

:driver:
 
A friend of mine had a late '90s F150 4x4 that went thru tires like air filters... every couple of thousand. He had the front end aligned by every dealership (or their minions) within a 100 miles of GSO and still the same...

He was getting ready to sell it off (couldn't afford to keep tires on it) when someone suggested having it "4 wheel aligned"... I always figured that computerized alignments did this as most hang sensors off the rear rims to do the front... evidently not, because his numbers came back, the front to rear axle bias was off something stoopid like 1.5"! Maybe not your issue, but could be...

Also, you don't mention if these are 4x2 or 4x4, but when I used to drive a fleet of 4x2 F-series, there was a point where the adjustments were maxed out and the beams themselves had to be bent... we had Ford Body (near Battleground in GSO) do it as they had the equipment...

HTH
 
andrewlail76 said:
I'll ask him...
It's common? www.fordf150.net has made he and I both feel like we're the exception to the rules...what is the fix for it?
Click to expand...

Caver already mentioned one issue -- if the truck is dog-tracking, the front tires are always turned slightly to one side. That adds positive camber.

If the camber is really out of whack (couple of degrees), you can replace the caster/camber bushing with a different one, too.

Replacing the ball joints won't do anything at all unless they're already worn out. Either they're tight, or they're not. They don't contribute to the alignment on their own aside from that.

But you can change the alignment on a TTB truck just by backing it off the alignment rack and pulling back on again. I stopped getting mine "professionally" aligned a long time ago partly because of that. It was easier just to do it myself.
 
After I put a 6" Skyjacker lift on my Bronco, my front tires looked like this \ /. I bought the adjustable bushings and they fixed the problem.

abroncograveyard.com_images_catalog_8ALGMNTBSHNG.JPG


http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-33520_superlfit_adjustable_alignment_bushings_pair.htm

DK
 
SWEET

I passed inspection but was told that I'll need tires before the next time...

$50 to fix this and to get some tires!!!


I'm on my way now

Any chance you can give me a breakdown of how hard it is to install these?
 
andrewlail76 said:
SWEET
I passed inspection but was told that I'll need tires before the next time...
$50 to fix this and to get some tires!!!
I'm on my way now
Any chance you can give me a breakdown of how hard it is to install these?
Click to expand...

Remove the upper ball joint nut, and the adjuster sleeve is right there under the nut. I remember one of mine was easy to get out, and the other being very difficult.

DK
 
Well, my camber bushings are due to be here tomorrow. How long do you think it would take to pop these things in? My only real concern is that the nut may be hard to get off...any suggestions on an initial setting? I'm actually thinking of setting it at the max setting and working my way back. If I get a hair of / \ I really won't mind to terribly much...but I'll shoot for as close to | | as I can get.
 
We always set the f-sereis and the ranger/exploders to in max allowed negative with a full tank of gas. Set the toe to absolute nuetral spec with a spreader bar shoved in it. I also would make sure the spare was under it. Those things have HUGE camber changes through the cycle of suspension movement. A adjustable (read stiff to stiffer) shock like the RS9000 seems to help as well. Either drop brackets and/or adjustable bushing bolts helps too when lifted. I've also had to grind the holes oblong, set the camber, mark the bracket and weld washers in to get the camber righ on a lifted truck. Bending the arms is acceptable but, I prefer not to add any heat to a cast arm like that if I can avoid it.



That being said, I'm glad I dont have to deal with those things any more. You do know a 44hd or D60 would fix all that shit right? :flipoff2:
 
My truck is bone stock...and this is a beater work truck that I have. I'm not looking to dump all kinds of money into this thing. I just want a base 4x4 that doesn't eat tires...
 
OK

I got these adjustable camber bushings...Here is my question...there are like a super combination of settings on the sheet that came with these things. I have no clue how to line a vehicle up. I do know how to take stuff off and put stuff back on. Am I better off removing the existing camber bushing, and putting the new one on, or should I take it to an alignment shop and let them swap em out and line it up?
 
andrewlail76 said:
Well, my camber bushings are due to be here tomorrow. How long do you think it would take to pop these things in? My only real concern is that the nut may be hard to get off...any suggestions on an initial setting? I'm actually thinking of setting it at the max setting and working my way back. If I get a hair of / \ I really won't mind to terribly much...but I'll shoot for as close to | | as I can get.
Click to expand...

How long it takes depends on how difficult it is to remove the stock bushings. You will have to look at the hole position of the current bushing and then take a guess on where to set the adjustable ones. You may not get it right the first try.

DK
 
Here's a question...I called my local alignment shop and asked them what they would charge to put these things in and do a front end alignment. They said $65...and they said that the adjustable bushing can lose there setting, even after you tighten it down...I really don't see how it could lose the setting if it is tightened down...kinda sounded like they were trying to get some extra $$$ from me.

They said that they had fixed bushings that they can put in it that would work better...

Is there truth to this?
 
I HATE my local alignment shop

THey had my truck all morning Friday. I take the truck and explain the \ / situation...I give them my adjustable bushings and they are on their way (this is 8:15 in the AM).

They take down my phone number and I leave. (Keep this in mind..they close at noon)

I walk in at 11:45 and they tell me that it needs an upper ball joint. They didn't put any bushings in it and the fron tires are still \ /. They tell me once that ball joint is in, they can fix it with no problems...

Now, why the hell didn't they call and tell me that it needed one and I could have approved the work and my truck would have been fixed. They had it for the entire morning, they weren't busy, and there were a few guys there that could have knocked it out quickly. Instead, they charged me $30 for an alignment...which they say it really wasn't that bad, and they tell me that the upper joint replacement will be $160 when I bring it in to be done.

I'm so mad I can't hardly see straight...

Thanks Holland Alignment in Hickory!!!


So my next question is...how hard is it to change an upper ball joint?

I'm thinking I'm doing it...
 
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