Front end issues

bigjoe1094

bigjoe1094

New Member
So, idk where to put this thread but I need some help lol. The front end of my truck has given me nothing but issues. I've finally gotten all the broken and worn parts that needed to be replaced fixed and I have a camber kit in the truck but my alignment is still way the hell off. The only thing I can think is twisting the torsion bars somehow screwed with the geometry too much. Any one else have any issues with their front end? And any ideas what's wrong with it? and yes I know a D30 or D44 will fix everything lol
 
Let us first figure out what makes up that 5-6" of lift listed in your sig. Truck set up please...


Also, what all got replaced? Was it professionally aligned afterward? What is the alignment condition....too much toe...too far negative camber...caster off??? Are the tires wore out terribly uneven? Bad tires can wreak havoc while on the rack making for inaccurate numbers. Getting camber bolts put in the upper control arms is definitely a step in the right direction. Ford should have included those from the assembly line! lol.


The avatar looks alot like a forum member's old truck from up in Jersey... If it is, front end help was for sure needed.


I'm assuming bodylift and torsion crank. If you've got torsion lift keys or longer torsion adjustment bolts, that could be part of the issue...but it's hard to say without knowing what was replaced. Cranking up stock keys with stock bolts won't cause un-fixable geometry.


I've been on 35's for over 70,000 miles. Never had any issues getting perfect alignment using the cam-bolts and having it done for me at a specialist shop. Everything has been replaced before except the inner tie rods....all balljoints when the lift went on at 60k, outer tie rod ends at 80k or so, wheel bearings/hubs at 115k. Truck currently has 140k. The only components that had to be replaced when I replaced them were the wheel bearings/hubs....they failed horrifically! Lead to a 200 mile tow home.
 
Ok let me try to get everything you asked about. It is body lift and torsion crank with blocks and AAL (I know tht didn't have to do with the front I'm just putting everything). It is his old truck and I replaced both hubs, inner and litter tie rods, upper and lower ball joints and I do have longer bolts but the keys are not maxed out. And it was professionally aligned however they couldn't get it dead on. I took it to crazy house customs which is a very credible lift shop by me and was told I need longer steering knuckles which I know is bull because I know plenty of people with a torsion twist without. And I'm sorry for my stupidity but I'm not sure which camber and caster are but the top of my tires are in and I think my toe is off
 
camber looks like this basically | that would be a neutral camber, / is positive camber IIRC, and \ is negative camber.
 
then you have negative camber in both front tires I know the twin I beam setups would do that when sitting still...
 
bigjoe1094 said:
Ok let me try to get everything you asked about. It is body lift and torsion crank with blocks and AAL (I know tht didn't have to do with the front I'm just putting everything). It is his old truck and I replaced both hubs, inner and litter tie rods, upper and lower ball joints and I do have longer bolts but the keys are not maxed out. And it was professionally aligned however they couldn't get it dead on. I took it to crazy house customs which is a very credible lift shop by me and was told I need longer steering knuckles which I know is bull because I know plenty of people with a torsion twist without. And I'm sorry for my stupidity but I'm not sure which camber and caster are but the top of my tires are in and I think my toe is off
Click to expand...

I would get the stock bolts back in it and remove the AAL or the block. The 'safe' amount of cranking of the adjustment bolts (stock bolts maxed) will not compensate for the added lift above stock out back. The new stock adjustment bolts are only a few bucks at Ford. I bought a set about 2 months ago. Bring her down.

Sounds like you took care of the wearables, which is good.

I always wondered why the lower control arm angle was SO SO SO extreme on that truck...previous owner never released that info.


bigjoe1094 said:
ok the tires look like this: / \
Click to expand...

Negative camber like you've pictured is very common for over-cranked trucks or even lifted trucks with all the right parts. I've even seen folks with coil-over conversions and a Superlift over-crank their stop nuts on the shock and needing to build new upper control arm mounts farther out to compensate for the over extension of the outside of the lower control arm (ie same theory as over-cranking torsion bars).

Over-cranking (or longer bolts in your case) kills downtravel. You'll gain some ride back too if you take care of the longer bolt issue and the AAL.

Best bet as I said above, put in stock adjustment bolts and remove either the block or the AAL. Then head back in for alignment.
 
Dude seriously thanks for all the advice, more than I could have asked for. After I get mt drive shaft issue figured out ill definitely put stock bolts back in. The new bolts I put in we're a bad idea :P also ill probably end up leaving the rear as is because I haul a lotta **** in my bed pretty often so it'll make it level when loaded. Thanks a ton!!!
 
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