Alignment issue?

[MichaelD86]

View attachment 141380 View attachment 141379 22 2500 mega cab. While driving down the highway I have to hold the steering wheel to the left. If I make the wheel strait the truck pulls to the right. Figure it needed an alignment. Took to Les Schwab who brought me back and showed me the truck. Front alignment was in spec. Said however my real axle is not strait. They provided me the spec sheet with all their measurements. Has anyone seen this or had it happen? Wanting to know a cause or if anyone else has a spec sheet with their numbers. Spec sheet attached.

 

[Diesel85]

Attachment isn't opening.

How many miles on the truck and is it still under warranty?

What do you mean the rear axle is not straight? Do you mean it's canted or shifted one way or the other?

How about if you have someone record your truck while they are behind you? Does it crabwalk?

 

[MichaelD86]

Attachment isn't opening.

How many miles on the truck and is it still under warranty?

What do you mean the rear axle is not straight? Do you mean it's canted or shifted one way or the other?

How about if you have someone record your truck while they are behind you? Does it crabwalk?

 

[MichaelD86]

It looks like one side is forward compared to the other. It’s still under warranty at 34k miles. Took it to the dealer this morning. Just find it odd. Went camping over the weekend and while sliding my fifth wheel hitch I had my wife bs k the truck up while I held the handle and when she put it in reverse and it loaded the axle it looked like it moved forward.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Your FIRST mistake is taking anything to a LesSchwab.

 

[MichaelD86]

Your FIRST mistake is taking anything to a LesSchwab.

Sounds like that could be the case. Dealer called and said nothing looks physically wrong with my rear end. Said their tech has heard of this issue and has a way of getting the alignment done. They’re going to do the alignment and go for a drive.

 

[petersonj]

While driving down the highway I have to hold the steering wheel to the left. If I make the wheel strait the truck pulls to the right.

Try swapping the front tires left to right. Sometimes a tire can have a radial pull.

- John

 

[petersonj]

Also, if you haven't already done so, check all tire pressures - a significant difference of pressure side to side can cause a pull in one direction.

- John

 

[MichaelD86]

Also, if you haven't already done so, check all tire pressures - a significant difference of pressure side to side can cause a pull in one direction.

- John

Thanks. I keep an eye on pressure and recently had my tires rotated. The issue has been going on longer than that. Still waiting to see what the dealer finds.

 

[Diesel85]

Also don't rule sticking brakes or warped rotors. Jack the truck up and apply the brakes hard, release, and spin the front tires and there should be minimal to no resistance or dragging.

I had this happen on my truck this year and I had to clean up the slides and pins. Caught it before I had to replace a set of rotors.

 

[sag2]

So did Les Schwab just check the alignment for you or did they "align" it? Because the toe is still not correct. That does not change the thrust angle, but if they charged for an alignment they didn't set it correctly. And according to their specs, the thrust angle is within specifications, factory spec is 0° +- 0.4°..

 

[MichaelD86]

So did Les Schwab just check the alignment for you or did they "align" it? Because the toe is still not correct. That does not change the thrust angle, but if they charged for an alignment they didn't set it correctly. And according to their specs, the thrust angle is within specifications, factory spec is 0° +- 0.4°..

They checked and said it was in spec enough not to do it and suggested a bigger issue. I did just get it back from the dealer who did an alignment and got it strait. Everything seems to be fine now? So not sure as the dealer didn’t give me any sort of print out of the alignment before and after. But it drives strait.

 

[Ozymandias]

Sounds good to me then, even without a print out.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Factory spec is OLD SCHOOL 1/4" Toe. Proper Toe is 1/64". My alignment guy started this when I first owned my 11 DRW and he stated 1/4" toe was why I had outside edge "STEPPING".

 

[Ozymandias]

Factory spec is OLD SCHOOL 1/4" Toe. Proper Toe is 1/64". My alignment guy started this when I first owned my 11 DRW and he stated 1/4" toe was why I had outside edge "STEPPING".

Problem is that the Dealer won't align to anything but factory spec - under warranty.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Problem is that the Dealer won't align to anything but factory spec - under warranty.

True! While at May madness in 2012 with my DRW I had them do an alignment and they said it was on spec at the local dealer in Pahrump, NV. That is when I contacted my alignment guy and he said the spec was a joke!

 

[Diesel85]

AFAIK, aren't those specs really just a "suggestion" and not hard set specs like lug nut torque values?

All the years of dealing with alignments, that is what I've experienced. You go to those specs, then test drive, and adjust as necessary to get a good driving experience.

 

[Ozymandias]

No the alignment settings are meant to be matched on spot - for almost all vehicles - except Ram where for whatever reasons the specs are just plain wrong to the mechanical Hardware. I've no idea why they use the setting for a Chrysler Neon in our trucks.

 

[Diesel85]

No the alignment settings are meant to be matched on spot - for almost all vehicles - except Ram where for whatever reasons the specs are just plain wrong to the mechanical Hardware. I've no idea why they use the setting for a Chrysler Neon in our trucks.

I humbly disagree, based upon my last several vehicles and many manufacturers. Yes, some took it spot on. Some not so. My 2020 RAM 1500 is one of those.

I had this issue on my 2020 DT 1500 when I bought it, where they aligned it per spec, and I felt like it had a slight pull to the left about every 2 telephone poles doing 55 mph. Checked the brakes and what not. They took it on a test drive with me and the tech noticed it, and they adjusted the camber and caster slightly to correct for it. No uneven tire wear or anything. Fast forward to earlier this year, I put on new tires, and I wanted an alignment done again and I referenced back my alignment sheet, and they did it again to spec and the different tech took it for a test drive and realized that the specs I had previously seemed to give the best steering control. They re-adjusted it, and now I got about 5k on the new tires and they are wearing perfectly, and the steering/handling is amazing. I can take my hands off the wheel and she'll just trek down a flat road for 10 telephone poles.

When I'm saying "out of spec", I'm talking like 0.07 degrees to 0.13 degrees. Amazing how those little numbers can make a HUGE difference.