2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Looking for an alignment shop

[JKaptchinskie]

Does anyone know of a good alignment shop in Houston, TX that understands our trucks?

 

[Grizzly]

If you have a 4WD don't go the dealer, they will rip you off. I know, been there, done that.

 

[JKaptchinskie]

Yes, its 2002 4x4. I have gone to Firestone Tire & Auto since I have a lifetime alignment there, but they just put the truck on the rack and make sure it matches specs. I want to take the truck to a guy who understands the issues we have with all the weight on these front ends and really knows what he is seeing under there.



I have replaced the steering box, all tie rods and ends, 3rd gen track bar conversion and DSS from solid steel. The only thing left is ball joints (which I am intimidated by from reading a few other posts) and the control arms. I have it pretty much where I want it as I have removed almost all of the play out of the front end. Now want to get the front end aligned correctly.

 

[JessePayne]

I just went through the same thing. Went to les schwab tires and was completely disapointed with the alignment job. They tried to put cross caster, truck wandered brought it back and demanded they set it to 3. 5 degrees caster on both sides. I have the solidsteel adjustable lower control arms so adjusting it is real easy. I took it home and adjusted each side equal amounts until the truck tracked straight. I am guessing about 5 degrees positive caster. With toe set to 0.

 

[Grizzly]

Yes, its 2002 4x4. I have gone to Firestone Tire & Auto since I have a lifetime alignment there, but they just put the truck on the rack and make sure it matches specs. I want to take the truck to a guy who understands the issues we have with all the weight on these front ends and really knows what he is seeing under there.



I have replaced the steering box, all tie rods and ends, 3rd gen track bar conversion and DSS from solid steel. The only thing left is ball joints (which I am intimidated by from reading a few other posts) and the control arms. I have it pretty much where I want it as I have removed almost all of the play out of the front end. Now want to get the front end aligned correctly.

Welcome to TDR JK... This is a great site. I suggest you include your signature. It helps to know a little more about your truck.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

Most can do a decent alignment but can't answer questions regarding wandering problems. Adjusting Caster and Camber and Toe-in with the use of their equipment whatever it might be is as far as they know. Most dealers don't know and I doubt any Alignment shops know that Dodge used the wrong ratio steering box in many of our Rams. They chose to use the old GM Saginaw steering box which is an excelent box but obviously did not know they come with different ratios. Looking at the outside of the box provides no information as to which ratio it is. Turning the input shaft from stop to stop and counting the number of turns or turning your steering wheel stop to stop and counting the turns is the way to see what ratio you have. 3 turns is what a Ram should have. 4&1/4 is going to wander all over the road and that is what Dodge mistakenly used.

 

[SHobbs]

I have always had luck with the dealer on alignments. I realize I have a 2wd but, I always stand and watch the guy doing it and ask questions about the numbers and pressure him to do it right. Always had the truck run straight down the road too. So far the dealer has not told me not to stay out. The work bays are just inside roll up doors so watching ain't much of a problem.

 

[JZerfas]

Most can do a decent alignment but can't answer questions regarding wandering problems. Adjusting Caster and Camber and Toe-in with the use of their equipment whatever it might be is as far as they know. Most dealers don't know and I doubt any Alignment shops know that Dodge used the wrong ratio steering box in many of our Rams. They chose to use the old GM Saginaw steering box which is an excelent box but obviously did not know they come with different ratios. Looking at the outside of the box provides no information as to which ratio it is. Turning the input shaft from stop to stop and counting the number of turns or turning your steering wheel stop to stop and counting the turns is the way to see what ratio you have. 3 turns is what a Ram should have. 4&1/4 is going to wander all over the road and that is what Dodge mistakenly used.

I just replaced my gear box with the same 4 turn box, can you get a box with 3 turns?

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

I got my 3 turn box from Power Steering Services, Inc. Springfield MO 417-864-6676. "Chip" will build you a box with small pistons and the correct 3 turn ratio for our Rams. "Chip" has the training and experience to properly re-build a steering box. My 98 12v 2 WD Ram now steers*like a car. It drove me nuts for 7 years until I read an article in TDR sent in by Quigley (hope I spelled it right) and that was the first time I ever heard of different ratios. I was 77 at the time. Drove 18 wheelers for 16 years 1966 to 1982 and they all drove nice as far as the steering goes. Adjusting does NO good. A power steering box can not be properly adjusted without being taken out and apart. Then it has to be a trained Tech. Dodge does not know anything about steering boxes. They chose to use the old Saginaw (GM) box which is an excellent box but the different ratio boxes all look the same on the outside. Obviously the assembly line workers did not know to turn the input shaft and count the turns before they installed it and who knows how many Rams got the wrong box? I would never attempt to discus it with a dealer. Dealers are of the opinion that they are the only ones that know anything and the customer is stupid and has to be dealt with as such. Send me an e-mail if you have any questions. -- email address removed --

 

[JPointer]

I called a local 4x4 shop, a place that sells a lot of lifts for pickups, and asked if they did alignments or sent them out. Turned out they send them out, so that's where I took mine. Won't help you much since it's in KC, but you might give that approach a try.

 

[Jbryant3]

Try http://www.beasleytire.net/map.htm the Eastex freeway location. I had no luck at 3 different Dodge dealers. Then a friend told me about Beasley Tire on the Eastex freeway. The guy has been doing alignments for a long time and he not only understands the specifications but understands are trucks and after the first mile I could till he got it right

 

[JKaptchinskie]

Jbryant3, thanks for the info. I will give these guys a try.

 

[JKaptchinskie]

Can you get the alignment specs noted on the Geno's Garage site with the stock control arms? The reason I ask is I was told by an alignment shop that he could not get no more than 2. 8 degrees caster on my truck and needed longer control arms to get any more. Is this guy blowing smoke up my @ss?

 

[Jbryant3]

Sorry but I don’t know the answer.

I just asked for my truck not to pull to one side and not to wear out the new tires. And to have the steering wheel be in the center. This was too much to ask of the dodge dealers. I looked at my alignment sheet left front caster 2. 3 right front caster 2. 8

Left Front camber . 3 Right Front . 1

Toe 0 in 0 in

SAI 13. 6 17. 7

Front cross camber . 2

Cross caster -0. 5

Total toe 0 in

I had this done in March 2006 and it still tracks striate with no uneven tire ware.

 

[JKaptchinskie]

JBryant, is this the spec sheet from Beasley's? I am going to call them this week. Thanks again. JK

 

[Dave M]

Can you get the alignment specs noted on the Geno's Garage site with the stock control arms? The reason I ask is I was told by an alignment shop that he could not get no more than 2. 8 degrees caster on my truck and needed longer control arms to get any more. Is this guy blowing smoke up my @ss?

On my 97 the caster cannot be adjusted much at the control arms but it can be on the steering knuckle by replacing an offset cylinder that effects both caster and camber. That's what I had an alignment shop do to correct right front tire wear.



It my be different for your year truck as someone in this thread found out:



http://www.tdr1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168349&page=1&pp=10



Here is another... lots of reading material for ya :-laf :



Steering Woes - TDR Roundtable



Good luck,

Dave

 

[jelag]

What I've learned is that you need to find an independent tire shop or alignment shop... . There you'll find some old guy who's been doing alignments for years... who undestand the angles besides camber, caster, and toe and what they represent on the vehicle. .



The problem with modern equipment and guys who run them is they don't understand the angles or what they mean... . or what they effect... they were just taught that this machine is magic and always send the vehicle out within spec's... as an example Caster is not a tire wearing angle... no matter how much positive or negitive you go caster will not wear a tire..... BTW caster is the forward or rearward tilt of the king pin at the top... . camber is the inward and outward tilt of the kingpin at the top and too much postive or negitive camber will wear tires.....



I don't rotate tires or do alignments on my trucks unless we see a wear pattern start... . I end up paying 50 - 75 for an alignment and we often have to change shims to get there..... but the guy who does them for us understands the angles including tow out on turns and included angle... . all of which play into the tire running correclty down the road and not scrubbing off... and tracking right.....



Look in the yellow pages for alignment and drive by the shop..... if the guy has 20 cars out front and can't get to you for a week... my guess he's the guy you might want to talk to.....



Just my thoughts. .

 

[Jbryant3]

I agree with jelag. The numbers I posted were my after alignment settings. As a side note the before and after numbers are not that far off each other but must make a big different. All I told the counter guy was the steering wheel was off center and I had just put on new tires because of tire wear along the edge. I did not tell him which way the steering wheel was off or witch edge was wearing out. After the alignment was done the old guy that did it told me which way the wheel was off and witch edge was wearing and witch way the truck was pulling.