Can anyone offer advice on this alignment?

05 2500 Shortbed Ram

Over the last year I had all the ball joint replaced and since the tires were near the end of their life I waited on an alignment until I bought new tires. Even after the replacement of all the ball joints I never had any steering issues with my truck. It ran down the road perfect.

Fast forward to a week ago. I bought 4 new BFG K02 tires and an alignment from belle tire. From then on its been a nightmare. The truck is darting side to side down the road and is dangerous especially when winter gets here. I've been back to belle tire 3 times and they claim the alignment is perfect. They swapped the ko2's for some GY Duratracs. And told me they thought its a lot better. It's not. Also when Im going straight the steering wheel is at 11:00 and it was never off before. Here's the alignment specs.

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Steering wheel should never be of center because the steering gear is only thight at center position.

Do you have the 2008.5 steering upgrade or still running the Y-Setup?

 

No its a stock 05 steering.

 

I'd have them put it back on the rack and fix what "they" broke. My WAG is they took all the toe error out on only one of the tie rods. Ask them when was that last time the equipment was calibrated. Ain't no way that the steering wheel should migrate that far from the before and after figures. Have you checked for steering components tightness?

 

How many miles have you driven since the alignment??

 

The alignment actually looks pretty good I dont think thats your issue, the steering wheel being off is just the draglink needing adjustment which is an easy fix thats wont effect the caste or toe.

Sounds like new squishy tires on a heavy truck, I have seen where some aggressive tires have a break in period and will feel odd for a few hundred miles but I would also never put a tire with soft sidewalls on these trucks.

 

That's where I was going as well.

Ozy put 4 new tires on before leaving Maine and I warned him that the truck would feel like it was ice for about 100 miles....he didn't believe me....until he drove it. He admitted I was right....

 

I also dont trust BFG tires on our trucks, I know some people love them but have seen many issues caused by there soft sidewalls, heave heard the new ones are better but still hesitant.

 

Oh yes that's correct! First 100Mi no faster then 60mph, then slowly faster.
Needed 500Mi to come to a good solid feel.
Tyre is Toyo Open Country MT.

TO did not mention which Balljoints he installed, maybe the dreaded MOOGs.

 

Just a thought: in addition to what Mike, Ozy and AEdelheit stated another thing just came to mind, something I have seen a few times which brought the handling squirrels out. Check the tire size, tire pressures and construction. I have seen P series and LT series mixed as well as size differences on an installed set --- due to tire weasels not paying attention.

 

They're not. I was hopeful when I bought the new K02's but ended up warrantying out all 4 with about 20k because the sidewalls all had 2" slits in the sidewalls. Clearly a structural failure. I have about the same mileage on my Nitto's now, zero issues.

 

I know that Hunter machine. I use it myself.
They broke step 3.
Step 1 is to do your compensation (set the sensors up)
Step 2 run the steering wheel left and right as guided by that machine.
Step 3 is to center the steering wheel.
Step 4 is to make your adjustments after the steering wheel is locked straight ahead.
Ozy may or not may not be correct about the steering box being sloppy off center, but the first step in any diagnosis is to make sure what’s obviously wrong is corrected.
That truck should be perfect if that print out meant everything.

I run KO2’s myself and never had a problem.

 

Tire size is 265/70/17

I switches from the K02 to Goodyear Duratracs which is what I replaced and never had an issue with them.

They are going to replace a passenger tie rod that they said was a little "sticky" but I don't see that fixing it. If the tie rod was bad I wouldve had the problem before they aligned it too?

 

Is it darting or is it more like sticking....ie you have to constantly correct your direction??

 

Kind of both, it's hard to describe. But yes I'm constantly having to correct the direction but it does seem like when Im turning the steering wheel doesnt want to straighten out by itself like normal.

It doesnt dart back and forth by itself its more like it's exaggerated when I get too close to the centerline and steer right it veers right fast and then when I steer left to correct it it veers left so it's a constant back and forth like a drunk driver.

 

How many miles on the ball joints? What brand are they??

 

If they’re not fixing your alignment (including the steering wheel angle) I would find another shop.

 

Mike, if the ball joints were at fault, you’d see it in the alignment or on the tires, if they were tight, they’d sound like a creaky Ford IFS with all those sealed dried out joints.

 

Since the toe was out of whack in the beginning, the tie rod was adjusted. If the tie rod end pivot joints are adjusted "out of phase" when the adjustment sleeve is turned and tightened (one end not moving from an extreme position while the other moves to the opposite extreme) there will be a binding when the steering wheel is turned. Also, consider the possibility of a faulty or binding steering damper .