2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Uneven tire wear

[brewer]

What would cause the right side front tire to wear fast on the outside. Just had it aligned. Lower control arm bushings and tie rod ends done. It's a 4X4. Thanks...

 

[Dave M]

I had the same problem... right front tire wear. I fixed it by finding a good frame shop who added a shim in the right steering knuckle to provide more negative camber.



Here is my thread:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...mission-discussions/144154-steering-woes.html

Here is an exerpt from that thread with the solution for my problem:

The alignment shop said the trucks camber was in spec (barely) but that the spec is so wide it could still cause problems. Everything in the front end was tight according to them. They removed a offset cylinder thing on the right front knuckle and replaced it to change and make the camber more negative to compenstae for the tire wear. This adjustment required replacement of the offset sleeve (cylinder) which changes both the caster and the camber so it takes longer to get all the specs set. After 4 months it appears to have corrected my problem. I requested they keep the caster between +3. 5 - +4. 5 deg, as recommend on this site, to correct for "death wobble".



Here are the alignment spec's the shop took before and after the camber change:



Before:

Camber: Left= +0. 0 deg Right=+0. 2 deg

Caster: Left= +3. 5 Right=+4. 2

Toe: Left=+1/16" Right=+2/16"



After:

Camber: Left=+0. 0 deg Right= -0. 5 deg

Caster: Left= +3. 5 Right=+4. 1

Toe: Left=+0/16" Right=+0/16" The alignment shop said since doing the adjustment at the right front knuckle affects both both camber and caster it took 1 1/2 - 2 hours to do. That was 3 months ago and the tires still show no signs of the outside edge wear I had before.

That was over a year ago and I had zero problem since then. Now I'm fighting a death wobble when hitting the brakes. I think front rotors are warped so am relacing them now. Back to the rotors for me.



Good luck,

Dave

 

[brewer]

Just bringing this back to the front so I can find it. Every time I print the reply, the page gets cut off in half. I want to bring the figures/stats. to the alignment shop

 

[Oil Burner]

Let me know if it works for you too KAbel. I have the exact same problem and I had it aligned, new bushings, ball joints are new and still bad right front tire wear on the outside.



Please post back when you go to the alignment shop.



Thanks,

Jason

 

[Dave M]

I had the same problem... right front tire wear. I fixed it by finding a good frame shop who added a shim in the right steering knuckle to provide more negative camber.



Here is my thread:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...mission-discussions/144154-steering-woes.html

Here is an exerpt from that thread with the solution for my problem:



That was over a year ago and I had zero problem since then. Now I'm fighting a death wobble when hitting the brakes. I think front rotors are warped so am relacing them now. Back to the rotors for me.



Good luck,

Dave

AS an update they added more negative camber on the right side using the cylinder replacement. They got the correct size cylinder to provide the offset I needed. Also I took it back a few months later and they added more caster... as much as they could get. . I think 4. 5. You might call my frame shop if you need more details. I posted the phone number in the "steering Woes" post.



I see you have a 97 3/4 ton so you may have the camber adjustment that I have but someone read my post a while back tried what I did but after calling my frame shop they said they didn't have the same offset cylinder adjustment available on their truck. Not sure what they did after that. They called the frame shop I used and talked to Mike and he provided the info for them.



Also I cured my "Death wobble" that I've worked at for 2 years now. I replaced both front rotors with NAPA drilled and slotted rotors. My rotors were warped and cracked bad. Before, when I touched the brakes even lightly the front wobbled bad.



Its great to have the front end solid... WOOPEE!.



Good luck on your problem. Let us know what you find.

Dave



Edit:

I see you have the 13 inch SBC clutch. I talked to SBC and they suggested the MU 13 1. 25 Con O for me. Which one did you get and did you like it and how hard a job is it to replace. I will try to replace my clutch the beginning of next year. What else is needed while in there. Did you replace the input shaft or 5th gear nut?



Here is the phone number of the frame shop I used: The shop is "Louis Frame, Wheel and Brake" - phone 559 233-8411 1574 north effie, Fresno ca 93703. I would highly recommend them. Talk to Mike.

Dave

 

[John - K5AWO]

Dave M

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!

I have been arguing with my alignment shops until I am blue in the face and they have not fixed my problem.

Now, with this ammunition I am going to go back to them and have them FIX IT RIGHT!!!

Again, many thanks for bringing this to light.

This thread alone has made the last 4 years of TDR membership worth a pile of gold coins. Not to mention all the other fixes I have been able to take care of on my own without using the dealer$hip even once. :-laf

 

[Dave M]

Dave M



Thank you so much!!!!!!!!



I have been arguing with my alignment shops until I am blue in the face and they have not fixed my problem.



Now, with this ammunition I am going to go back to them and have them FIX IT RIGHT!!!



Again, many thanks for bringing this to light.



This thread alone has made the last 4 years of TDR membership worth a pile of gold coins. Not to mention all the other fixes I have been able to take care of on my own without using the dealer$hip even once. :-laf

I'm glad I could share my fix with others but, again I caution you, you may not have the adjustment for camber I have on my truck. I forget what happened to the guy who did not have this adjustment but I believe he was looking at an aftermarket adjustable knuckle. Search on my user name "dave m" and you will find his predicament. Maybe someone will chime in and help if yours is not adjustable.



I'd recommending calling Mike at 559 233-8411 and ask him if yours has the replacement cylinders on the knuckle. He will point you in the right direction. He was very helpful to me and I even copied all the front end mods I did and left it with him. Tell him Dave in the big red 97 Dodge dually with all the aftermarket track bars etc sent you.



I have had zero uneven wear on that right tire for over a year now. Boy am I happy with that frame shop. Let me know how it works out for you.



Good luck,

Dave

 

[Dave M]

Which Trucks have the camber adjustment?

I'm glad I could share my fix with others but, again I caution you, you may not have the adjustment for camber I have on my truck. I forget what happened to the guy who did not have this adjustment but I believe he was looking at an aftermarket adjustable knuckle. Search on my user name "dave m" and you will find his predicament. Maybe someone will chime in and help if yours is not adjustable.

I searched and found the TDR member who did not have the offset sleeves on his steering knuckle... . his user name is "JessePayne". He has a 2001 4x4. Here is the thread where he discussed not having the offset cylinder:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...discussions/168349-alignment-specs-tdr-3.html



Look at post #22 and #23. There he discusses he found the 97-99 trucks have the offset sleeve but his 2001 does not. He provided a link to an adjustable aftermarket ball joint that would supply camber only (which is what I needed to correct the tire wear) for his 2001. He discussed this with my frame guy Mike and found out his truck was not adjustable. His link to a Moog adjustable ball joint did not work for me.



Here is an excerpt from what he found out:

I talked to mike from louis frame in fresno. On my setup there is no individual caster setting on the steering knuckle. The only option for camber setting is the aftermarket adjustable ball joints. The two factory adjustments available are the toe in/out and lower control arm eccentric for caster. Also there is no cross caster setting available. Both sides of the axle must be lined up straight. Brents article must have been written before this year (2001 dana 60 4500lb) front axle was out. Now to find an alignment shop.

He got some adjustable control arms to get more caster adjustment.



I haven't found a link to an adjustable ball joint for vehicles without the offset cylinder adjustment for 97-99 trucks.



I hope this helps some who are confused on this camber adjustment as related to being available on some trucks but not others.



Dave

 

[WTBurke]

Dave,

This is all good stuff!



But, why is the caster readings different?

After:

Caster: Left= +3. 5 Right=+4. 1



I thought both cams on the lower had to be the same? Is this an example of where the axle is twisted to compensate for road crown? it's 6/10s but, still... is this not a twist?



William

 

[Dave M]

Dave,

This is all good stuff!



But, why is the caster readings different?

After:

Caster: Left= +3. 5 Right=+4. 1



I thought both cams on the lower had to be the same? Is this an example of where the axle is twisted to compensate for road crown? it's 6/10s but, still... is this not a twist?



William

I don't know enough about alignment to answer that and it is a good question. Maybe someone will chime in on this.



What I do know is the caster eccentric bolts on the axle control arms are both pointing to the same spot on each control arm. I have heard they both need to be the same or the axle will be twisted... and they are set the same.



Therefor, when they added the offset sleeve they must have gotten the difference in caster (from left to right side) from the offset cylinder they replaced and since they only replaced the right side offset cylinder that side may have become different but the axle position at the control arms is still the same on both control arms.