Can anyone offer advice on this alignment?

Discussion in '3rd Generation Ram Forum (NO engine/transmission topics) Archive' started by Musicianized, Oct 24, 2019.

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  1. Ozymandias TDR MEMBER

    I bet for the balljoint.

    Because for going back to straight it is not Toe - it is Caster .
    And Caster wasn't touched during the alignment.
     
    Ozymandias , Oct 26, 2019
    #21

  2. mwilson TDR MEMBER

    Not the case with mine Wayne. No noise, no obvious binding with linkage intact.
    When I unhooked the tie rod end there was a little binding. When I removed the knuckle the lower ball joint was metal to metal, all I could do to manipulate the ball joint stud back and forth. I couldn’t believe it...

    And my truck handled like his from the time I installed the Moogs. You got some temporary relief after greasing it but as soon as the truck sat for any length of time it would start in again.

    Last fall it was bad enough that I didn’t want to drive it anymore until it was fixed...

    I don’t think a standard ball joint inspection will reveal what I had going on either..when it would really show would be with the full weight of the truck on it. When you jacked it up a little play returned so the knuckle didn’t seem to bind..
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
    mwilson , Oct 26, 2019
    #22
    Ozymandias likes this.

  3. Ozymandias TDR MEMBER

    How many miles on the tires right now?
    Because that's EXACTLY what mine did with the new ones on, gave a little steering input and it felt like sliding into the other lane.
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
    Ozymandias , Oct 26, 2019
    #23

  4. Musicianized

    Tires have 25 miles on them. Ball joints are a year ood on one side and 2 months on the other. Not sure what brand.

    Steering was perfect before alignment.
     
    Musicianized , Oct 26, 2019
    #24

  5. Ozymandias TDR MEMBER

    Drive it, at least 100 Miles, then we see if there is really a problem.

    Like I said above, mine was hell for 100 Miles, bad for 500 Miles, then it was back to normal. Even for me as a professional driver the road feel was scary, I didn't let my wife drive it for this period.
     
    Ozymandias , Oct 26, 2019
    #25

  6. mwilson TDR MEMBER

    Agreed, drive it at least 100 miles. If it settles down then probably it’s just new tire squirm.
    If it persists then you may have a sticky ball joint..
     
    mwilson , Oct 26, 2019
    #26

  7. mwilson TDR MEMBER

    Why did they replace the ball joints at different time periods??
    Usually do them at the same time..
     
    mwilson , Oct 26, 2019
    #27

  8. Musicianized

    One side was bad the other wasnt.. and I could only afford one side at the time. ‍♂️
     
    Musicianized , Oct 26, 2019
    #28

  9. mwilson TDR MEMBER

    Understood..been there..
     
    mwilson , Oct 26, 2019
    #29

  10. cerberusiam Staff Member

    The steering was fine until he had alignment and changed tires. Not ball joints, not steering damper. Looking at the toe in it is too high, should be closer to what the rear is than what it is now. If they set it spec that is part of the problem, the factory spec is wrong. The other part of the equation is the tire and inflation, an under rated tire and low inflation will cause the same issues. Without verifying what tire spec is actually on there and inflation pressures it is just a guessing game.
     
    cerberusiam , Oct 26, 2019
    #30
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  11. Musicianized

    I'm sure it's to factory spec. What is wrong with factory spec? I'm not sure what factory specs are but if anyone does they would be able to answer that based on the printout I provided.

    Duratracs aren't under rated. It's my second set and I never had steering problems with any new set of tires on this truck they all steered fine even under a 100mile break in. Definitely nothing like its doing now.

    We'll see what the new tie rod does but I have my doubts. I agree it's something in the alignment. I need a suggested toe-in to have them set it at if they will, or something. I'm about to tell them to put the sob back to what it was when I brough it in at least it steered safe.
     
    Musicianized , Oct 26, 2019
    #31

  12. Wayne M.

    The printout has the application at the header. Those fields are green meaning it’s in spec, but to have those needles dead center is perfection.
    If you went for perfection, and whacked a tire with a rubber mallet, it’ll be out. So perfection in wheel alignments is not realistic.
    WAS YOUR STEERING WHEEL TAKEN CARE OF?
    Are you steering in the center of your steering gear?
    I do agree with new tire squirm. Give it a chance.
     
    Wayne M. , Oct 26, 2019
    #32
    brucejohnson likes this.

  13. nibroc

     
    nibroc , Oct 26, 2019
    #33

  14. nibroc

    haven't seen anyone mention e-rated tires
     
    nibroc , Oct 26, 2019
    #34

  15. nibroc

    haven't read where anyone mentions e-rated tires
     
    nibroc , Oct 26, 2019
    #35

  16. nibroc

    haven't read where anyone mentioned e-rated tires
     
    nibroc , Oct 26, 2019
    #36

  17. nibroc

    no wonder I don't post much here
     
    nibroc , Oct 26, 2019
    #37
    Michaelsloft and Ozymandias like this.

  18. cerberusiam Staff Member

    Toe in should be set to almost straight head or you will have tire wear and other issues, 1/32 to 1/16 toe is ALL it needs. IIRC, that somewhere around .06 - .08 degrees. Take it back, make them center the steering wheel correctly and then check their numbers again. since they can't center the wheel correctly there is no telling what else they cannot read. I have gone thru multiple shops and multiple people at alignment places to get a CORRECT alignment, if you don't monitor them you do not know what they did right or wrong.

    GoodYear does in fact make tires that are not rated for these trucks hence my suggestion you actually CHECK what you got for tires. If they stuck a set of C or D rated tires on there you are fighting a loosing battle. Trusting a tire shop is like trusting a dealer to do the right thing, check every single thing they do or you will have issues. As far as that goes Good Year is right up there with BFG being junk tires for these trucks, they never work out and always issues of some kind.

    Tire squirm, if it does exist, should be so minor that doesn't effect anything. I have gone thru Toyo, Nitto, Falken, Cooper, and some others in various flavors on multiple trucks. If you have a good tire, it is rated correctly, and inflated correctly squirm doesn't happen. I have made shops replace the tires if it did not feel right and when a good tire is used there is no problem.
     
    cerberusiam , Oct 26, 2019
    #38
    brucejohnson likes this.

  19. Musicianized

    Duratracs are C rated. I had no issue with the same tires before at all.
     
    Musicianized , Oct 26, 2019
    #39

  20. JR

    Well there you go. Not only is it the completely wrong tire for the application you are a serious safety hazard to yourself and others on the road. Get the right tires ASAP.
     
    JR , Oct 26, 2019
    #40
    Michaelsloft, Ozymandias and brucejohnson like this.
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