Alignment Issues

[98silveraydo]

I’m having similar issues, I just got my alignment done about a week ago, it was good and tight, then I took my tires off and did the brakes, and now I wander, pulls right sometimes and I don’t want this to happen everytime I have to take the tire off

 

[Schurkey]

1. How do you get MORE toe on a solid rear axle than you have up front?

2. 22" tires? If you rotate the tires, does the wander change?

3. Based on caster, I'd expect less "wander" and more of a "pull" to one side.

 

[inscarguy]

They questioned the same thing, it actually got worse after the alignment.

Tires are brand new, have about 100 miles on them.

It definitely wanders.

 

[kennythewelder]

The problem is most shops do not know how to align these old trucks. All they do is set it to spec on there machine. Issue ism GM spec is very wide, and these trucks do best with a little negative camber. Specs are plus .05 plus or minus .05. So 0.0 is still in spec. I had mine set to -.03 and it was good. This is given that ALL of you front end parts are good. I had 1 shop redo mine 5 times( for free after the first time). I gave up and went to a different shop. The alignment man at the new shop has over 30 years doing alignments. He cared. He found bad bushings on the drivers upper A arm. My truck finally quit eating tires. I will never bring my truck that wants me to drop it off and come back later. I want to be there as long as my truck is there. Real issue is, you have to find a shop with a tech who cares about his work. Not a tech who is just doing a job for a pay check.

 

[Bob L]

Caster is the amount the spindle is tilted back on top as opposed to the lower that is fixed. Lack of caster will make it wander and will hinder the wheel from returning when going around turns. I do collision repair and only have alignments done by an alignment shop. Someone that specilizes in alignment not a place that gives the job to whoever has time to do it and may only be doing a couple a month. I had the manager of a Goodyear tire store tell me his guy was new and I would do better to go somewhere else years ago. So many new cars have toe in only adjustment on the front so they are not familiar with aligning something that actually adjusts.

 

[98silveraydo]

I found out my wandering, the plastic bushings on my sway bar link have gone out, you can basically throw it up and down and however while it’s sitting there. Maybe that could be something to check. It has a lot of play on the highway when I get up to speeds.

This is from adjusting my ride height.

 

[Vodka0tter]

I dropped a new front end in my '97 and had problems with caster resulting in a quick steer that gave the feel of wander. I switched up to some tubular uppers and lowers (also went coilover) and had no troubles getting it into spec. My steering box also had a ton of play which didn't help matters... Very nice adjustable ride and not bad on responsiveness now. Looking into a R&P so I can loose the whole steering set up...

 

[Bob L]

I found out my wandering, the plastic bushings on my sway bar link have gone out, you can basically throw it up and down and however while it’s sitting there. Maybe that could be something to check. It has a lot of play on the highway when I get up to speeds.
i don't think the sway bar links are causing your truck to wander. They basically control body roll when cornering.

 

[inscarguy]

This all stinks. Noone around me can do a real alignment. Its whatever the machine says. I even found a TSB from GM on the trucks fir a wandering issue. I spent all this money to restore the truck and a alignment is all thats keeping me from enjoying it.

 

[kennythewelder]

This all stinks. Noone around me can do a real alignment. Its whatever the machine says. I even found a TSB from GM on the trucks fir a wandering issue. I spent all this money to restore the truck and a alignment is all thats keeping me from enjoying it.

I know the feeling. It took me a long time to find someone who knows what they are doing. As mentioned before, the camber and caster work together, and need to be set rite for the truck to track straight. It isnt easy to find a good alignment shop. Pep Boys, Firestone, any of the chain shops are not what your looking for. You need a true alignment shop.