Camber problems after 6" Superlift

[SwampHound]

Ok, so back in January I put a 6" Superlift on my truck. I initially had alignment problems due to the fact I had UCAs from Skyjackers 2-3" kit on the truck, which added far to much positive camber. I went back to stock arms and the alignment is close, but not perfect. I'm at about +0.6° on both sides. The whole front end is new. Ball joints, tie rods, idler, pitman etc. The guy at the shop said he got it as close as he could, and that it should be OK. Well, the tires are wearing significantly faster on the outside, and I'll be lucky to get another 5k out of them. What are my options here? I have aftermarket cam bolts in the control arms, and the torsion bars aren't decranked excessively. Should I try another shop? I've gotten several recommendations for shops, but they all came from people with the opposite problem, positive camber. Could really use some input, as I don't want to be having to put new tires on it every year [emoji20]

 

[GMC Burbalade]

Pretty easy to check. If you've got positive camber, the UCA is too far out. Just check the position of the cam bolts to see if they're all the way in. If they are, then you're out of range of what an alignment can fix. If not, then they probably just weren't set correctly in which case you should probably try another shop.

 

[99'Subourbon]

Hey Luke - I know we talked breifly. Here is my alignment. As you can see, I'm nearly dead center of the minimum and maximum of spec on everything.

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I have stock cam bolts, and Moog components all up front. I'll get a pic of my cam bolt positions when I can - I'm unable to move atm (tweaked my back, slipped discs).

 

[SwampHound]

Pretty easy to check. If you've got positive camber, the UCA is too far out. Just check the position of the cam bolts to see if they're all the way in. If they are, then you're out of range of what an alignment can fix. If not, then they probably just weren't set correctly in which case you should probably try another shop.

I have no idea how camber bolts work but I think I understand. Here are pics of the bolts for further analysis.

Driver side:

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Passenger:

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[99'Subourbon]

I have no idea how camber bolts work but I think I understand. Here are pics of the bolts for further analysis.

Driver side:

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Alright so that shop sucks... That picture I left above, that look at the bolt on the driver side is from the front of the truck, near the bumper, looking towards the rear at it, right? Its ALL the ways out (positive camber), and they can't get it any better? WTF?!

The passenger side is neutral, and can be adjusted in either direction.
Between -0.1 and +1.1 is spec on camber - are you sure you're +0.6?

Find a different shop, IMO.

Edit: Oh, also... looking at those pictures, I see no difference in the 'wear' position on the upper control arm bracket, or rust, to even indicate they attempted to move the cam bolt...
Find a different shop, as Richard said.

 

[SwampHound]

Just realized two of those pictures don't actually show the bolt head, which from my reading is the side used to judge the amount of adjustment left. Here are those pics.

Driver

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Passenger:

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And oh look at that, a coolant leak!

 

[SwampHound]

Alright so that shop sucks... That picture I left above, that look at the bolt on the driver side is from the front of the truck, near the bumper, looking towards the rear at it, right? Its ALL the ways out (positive camber), and they can't get it any better? WTF?!

The passenger side is neutral, and can be adjusted in either direction.
Between -0.1 and +1.1 is spec on camber - are you sure you're +0.6?

Find a different shop, IMO.

Yes, that first picture was taken near the bumper, facing the rear of the vehicle. I'm trying to find my alignment sheet right now, I think it may have been 0.8. Dont know for sure. It was enough to make me wonder when I left, but not enough to complain

 

[99'Subourbon]

Just realized two of those pictures don't actually show the bolt head, which from my reading is the side used to judge the amount of adjustment left. Here are those pics.

Driver

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Passenger:

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And oh look at that, a coolant leak!

The driver side picture here doesn't match the previous photos...

Your bolts are flipped (Nut on the opposite side), and the cam setting is nearly all the ways negative... Which is current? Or are they reversed, and the images flipped 180 degrees?

 

[SwampHound]

The driver side picture here doesn't match the previous photos...

Your bolts are flipped (Nut on the opposite side), and the cam setting is nearly all the ways negative... Which is current? Or are they reversed, and the images flipped 180 degrees?

Those pictures are of the rear bolts on the upper control arms. The ones closer to the firewall.

 

[99'Subourbon]

Those pictures are of the rear bolts on the upper control arms. The ones closer to the firewall.

That makes more sense, and sheds some light on the situation!

You have one end of the UCA with nearly complete negative camber setting, and the other end with nearly complete positive camber setting. Your UCA is literally twisterd/angle within the mounts. Think about it like holding a bar that's attached to a wall in front of you , and without letting go, try to shift your shoulders so 1 side is forward, and the other backward - you can't, unless you move your body. Well your UCA mounts can't shift (they are your shoulders) so the only thing that can is the bar (which is your tire) and when the bar moves, your TOE gets effected (sorry, really bad example, but it works).

2 things from this:

1st. The alignment shop should set those neutral, and then adjust the camber bolt on both ends equally. This would solve your camber issue (I don't think its that alone, tho - see 2)

2nd. This is effecting your toe setting, which would explain the faster wear on the tire. Toe should be set with the tie rod ends, after camber has been set. If you're camber is off, and its effecting your toe, and then they are trying to adjust your toe via the tie rod ends, they won't ever get it right.

100% go to a different shop - the shop you are at is lazy, and don't want to spend the time adjusting everything to get it right.