2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front Wheel Spacer on 4X4 2500

[PPeterson]

I need info on which front wheel a spacer should be installed to correct a "pulling" problem on my '98 24V 4X4 2500.



I just had my tires rotated by my tire guy and he said I had a spacer on the left front wheel and a Dodge TSB said it should be on the right so he moved it. I'm waiting for an answer from my Dodge dealer. One guy in the parts department there said he recalled it depended on which way the truck pulled.



I feel it should have been left on the left side. My reasoning is that I had recently had both upper and lower control arms, both calipers, pads, a connecting linkage of some sort replaced 4500 miles ago under extended warranty (first time I was glad I got suckered into buying one). This was to correct a severe brake pulling problem (to the right). They then did a major front end alignment, which, I reason, may be affected by moving the spacer. I haven't had a chance to drive it far enough to see if there is any change in handling.



Last summer, I had to do a panic stop with my camper on board and it felt like it wanted to do a HARD right turn. I managed to free it up enough to get home by doing some hard stops in reverse but it returned before I got back home (near Seattle).



Any ideas?



PPeterson -- email address removed --

 

[kstehnacs]

wheel shim

I believe all 8800# gvw trucks come from the factory with the shim on the right side. Also, check the rear axle seals and wheel cylinders for leaks. If one side is leaking enough to soak the shoes, it will also cause the front end to pull.

 

[jrobinson2]

You need to add #5, throw the stupid thing in the trash and fix the real problem. On mine the calipers slides were not machined properly and were sticking. A few minutes with a flat file to clean up the high spots on the mating surfaces and some caliper grease solved my problem. BTW mine came on the right side and removing it had no effect at all.

Jared

 

[Cooker]

FWIW - My 96 had no spacers. A buddy's 98 has a spacer on the right. I am not certain if my Dad's 98 has a spacer or not?

 

[RustyJC]

If it was pulling to the right, the spacer went on the left front. If it was pulling to the left, the spacer went on the right front.



Rusty

 

[PPeterson]

Thanks for the replys. I tend to agree with RustyJC, although the rest of you gents have valid comments and suggestions. I'll jump out the dealer's tech guy in the morning; I have to take the truck back in for them to replace the antenna mount and cable--their care wash machine broke the antenna off... again... Duh. I'll added their answer... just don't want the expensive front end alignment to be screwed up if the spacer has an effect. (It shouldn't, as far as I can see, but...



Pete

 

[LHastings]

Mind pulls the left and sometimes it pulls to the right it can't make up it mind. When I do a panic stop I don't know which way its going to go.



Installed on the right.

98 12v 4x4

 

[PPeterson]

AND THE ANSWER IS..... if the brakes pull to one side or the other, the spacer should be on opposite side of the pulling side... (according to the Kahuna at Dodge.



I really like JRobinson2's solution but since I have new calipers maybe they will continue to function correctly.



Cheers



Pete aka PPeterson

 

[BK]

It has nothing todo with the pulling. The spacer is really put there so make the front wheel spacing the same , left to right, based on springs in the front end and such, due to the fixed length track bar.



If you really want to solve your pull problem, service your brakes once a year. Clean the surfaces that the calibers ride on, clean and lub them. Remove the slider pins, clean out the boots and clean the slider pins , re lub.

Your pulling will go away.



Keeping the correct pressure in the tires will help too, if the track bar is shot, the pulling will be much more evident and or clunks will be heard.



If you have rear drums, the self adjusters in the rear bite... every 5K miles or so, adjust them up and you'll help keep some of the heat out of the fronts... and keep them a bit happier.

 

[PPeterson]

Thanks BK. I'm off for a road trip to abuse some trout and beers. I've logged your maintenance tip to prevent future problems.



Pete aka PPeterson

 

[John]

My '98. 5 2500 4x4 QC was delivered with the spacer on the right (passenger) side.

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by BK

It has nothing todo with the pulling.

You might want to review TSB's 05-03-97 and 05-04-99. Use of spacers to correct brake pull begins on page 19 of TSB 05-03-97.



Rusty

 

[BK]

Rusty,

I know. I've read it, and as we've seen even the factory make mistakes... or maybe even distribute misinformation to satisfy some and get other off their backs.



It also doesn't make sense from a physic's point of view, the tracking width , within a 1/4 inch isn't going to effect weight distrubution enough to do it... now the slightly differential friction from uneven pressure from hanging calibers, side to side, outboard Vs inboard, non- linear along the pad... ... . oh yea... . now we're talking hanging on for the ride...



Not only has it made no sense from the beginning when that TSB came out... the original explianation for the spacers was just for trueing up the wheels in the fenders for different springs. . since they used the same track bar. 1500's have the same track bar, no spacer... bigger the spring the more the axle shift to the left / driver's side... hence the space on the right / passanger side to push the wheel out to look the same as on the drivers side.



The pulling comes from the weight of our engines, the slop in the front end, big rubber cushy bushing, and the effects the brakes hanging up a bit have on all of that. . it's all part of the wondering front end that follows the road. Adding more caster helps the tracking too.



Others have played with the spacer. . moving it around, on / off... not untill the brakes are serviced can you really feel the difference and does the pulling go away. Been there, done that each year.

I haven't even seen a dealer do the brake service right. . they usually slap in the new pads , maybe turn the rotors... . I haven't seen one take the time to do it right. . Even the FSM manual states the importance of servicing the front brakes once a year even though you don't need pads.

 

[RustyJC]

The purpose of the spacer is to move the centerline of the tire contact patch farther outboard of the point where the kingpin (steering) axis intersects the pavement. This creates a moment (a lever arm with torque applied) that tries to pull the tire/wheel back (i. e. , will make it tend to turn toward the side with the spacer) under braking or even due to normal rolling resistance. This is intended to counteract the pre-existing pull to the opposite side. From a physics standpoint, this approach makes perfect sense. From a "fix the problem" standpoint, I don't like it, but I can certainly understand what they were trying to accomplish.



Rusty

 

[BK]

you'll see more in movement of those two points from side wall flex and that doesn't cause pull...



a great difference in airpressure side to side will cause pull, due to a more than 50% increase in contact surface... and increased rolling resistance. . but most people don't feel that when driving around and applying brakes... .



So 1/4" difference caused by the wheel spacer is a fraction of those varibles...

 

[RustyJC]

I've pointed you to the TSB. I've explained the engineering principles behind the spacer vis-a-vis correction of "pull". If you want to ignore this, believe whatever you wish. Life's too short to debate some things.



Rusty

 

[BK]

I was gonna say the same thing. . atleast we agree on something!!



There's the forest and then there's the trees...

I don't disagree with the basic interaction, but it's effect in change is so minor and cant be felt under partical conditions compare to other contributing factors that are often overlooked due to the "silly" TSB. Compare side wall flex , weight shift, contact print change, caliper problems... during braking,,, to a 1/4" change in off set... the spacer interaction is soo minor in scope... . thats my major point.



I guess what more soo sets me off when I read this thread is that this TSB with the spacer just reminded me of the lack of real support and backing from DC.....

And then there's the dealers and DC themselves... while they are supposed to be the almighty know it all for us and our trucks. . they are far from it. If they were the almight know it all's for us and our trucks and everything they write was correct then we would have TSB's and recalls for Lift Pumps, recalls for tank straps... . instead of some really useless TSBs that dont cost them $$$ and are bandaids to try and get the trucks through warranty instead of owning up to there being design problems and fixing it correctly.



That's what's great about the board, many view points... many ways to skin a cat... all great food for thought. .

And with each of the big three doing silly things, they keep each other in business.



I just got done replacing my evaporator ( there's some more useless TSBs - for the evaporator, the real fixes aren't documented in TSB's - cost to much todo ). My 2nd lift pump is down to 10psi ( was holdng at 12-13psi for 1year ) and if I change my fueling system they'll void my engine warranty... so I"m a bit upset at DC. Bet you couldn't tell... . no solutions for lift pumps, crappy slider boots in the calipers ( need yearly attention for calipers to work correctly), too small a Scrub radius in the front end, dissolving evaporators, snapping tank straps, pukeing front ends breathers, pukeing oil breather tubes, killer dowl pins even in 24Valvers..... ah seems I could go on all night... .



Time to get a horse and shoot the dodge.