Alignment questions...specific settings

[The patriot]

After 145K miles I'm doing an alignment.
All of the front end parts that move have been replaced with OEM, including wheel packs, rotors and ruff country end links on the sway bar.
I also added one of those steering sector shaft stabilizer things . (ENORMOUS improvement...words cant describe...)
Now, I have an appointment for Wed morning. The shop sounds like I can specify a spec for each setting.
I've researched most everything I can find on the web concerning this.
Anyone have an opinion?
I'm running the Michelin 265's, and thus far they wear nicely. Typically 60-65K miles per set.
I'm not worrying about cornering etc, I just want to wear nicely, and maybe a little more stable (I'm thinking camber)
Oh, BTW I'm 90% certain my toe is out. It's been hellish out, and I forgot how many turns it took when taking it out. So, it's "ballparkish" right now.

 

[GReed]

IIRC, dodgeram.org had an article about alignment specs. Genos Garage may have a link to those specs.

 

[The patriot]

Yes, I saw that.
Don Thurens site has some good info, but dont specifically talk about 2nd gens,,,,,

 

[The patriot]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/recommended-alignment-specs.204525/

 

[petersonj]

I'm not worrying about cornering etc, I just want to wear nicely, and maybe a little more stable (I'm thinking camber)

If your truck is a 4x4 and the lower ball joints are stock, there is no camber adjustment.

Years ago I set the caster on my truck to 4 1/2 degrees and that was the single best steering improvement I have done. This adjustment improved the steering return and steering stability through curves and straight sections on highways. A caster setting of 3 - 3 1/2 degrees would probably be just as effective - I just ended up with 4 1/2 degrees through trial and error and left it there because it works..

For the toe adjustment, I strive for just slightly toed in (no more than 1/16").

I also installed the steering box brace years ago, but I did not feel a real difference. I figured that the brace was designed more the long term of protecting the steering box sector shaft bearing wear, for which I think it would be effective.

Just recently I switched tire size from 265/75R16's to 245/75R16's which has reduced steering effort. Just before switching tire sizes I installed a rebuilt stock 3 1/2 turn stop to stop steering gear box and removed the steering box brace (needs to be modified to fit). With the smaller tires and the faster ratio steering box, the truck steers and handles very well at 297,000 miles - much better than when the truck was new.

- John

 

[HHhuntitall]

Peterson nailed my thoughts on it for most aspects... I replaced my control arms on the old '03 with adjustable arms, and spent months playing with them, watching tire wear, driving conditions, etc.... I came up with about 5* camber on mine unloaded, but it's a happy median between loaded and unloaded until I can get the rear springs redone. I'm also running 315 tires, so it magnifies the camber change between loaded and uloaded with the longer rolling radius. I usually set up customers around 4* if they're willing to spend the time it takes me to get the truck figured out. I'm amazed how varied the axles are from truck to truck... some are near perfect, while others need the brackets chopped and rewelded to the axle tubes. GAH!! And they just get worse as the years go on from '05-'09. The later models don't seem to be quite as bad, but the weak rear springs drive me nuts, trying to explain what's happening to the customer as the rear of the truck falls into an abyss under a trailer..... Toe-in also seems to vary with tread design. The more aggressive the tire, the more toe-in it seems to need, but trying to explain it usually get the blank stare, smile, and head bob.... Oh well....

 

[fest3er]

... The more aggressive the tire, the more toe-in it seems to need, but trying to explain it usually get the blank stare, smile, and head bob.... Oh well....

Pondering.... Might it correlate with tire noise? That is, the more aggressive the tread, the noisier the tire is on the road and the more resistant it is to turning easily. So maybe aggressive tread makes the tire 'pull' backward and thus needs more toe-in to compensate?

 

[KATOOM]

The 2nd gen is one of the easiest vehicles I've ever aligned. Simply put, if all the steering and suspension components are in good shape and nothings bent then all you do is set the toe in about 1/16" - 1/8" using a ruler or string running from the inner edges of the front rims. Then set the caster pointers at about 10 o'clock towards the front of the truck. Thats in the positive caster direction too. And the farther positive you set the caster the better these trucks steer and track. People try to have them set factory which is too negative and causes twitchy steering, places increased stress on the steering components, and leads to the death wobble. This is why the later non-CAD axles are set with more caster...
I have had my control arm casters set as positive as I can get them for years and the steering is smooooooth..... FYI, the axle has a cross caster built in for the road crown, so you'll never get both sides set the same.