Torsion screw mystery

[TommyJ1980]

1998 K2500 pickup, 5.7L. Howdy folks, would love to benefit from the combined wisdom here. I replaced the LCAs on both sides which involves removing torsion bars. While doing so, I counted the number of turns as I loosened them, then replaced them accordingly. Afterwards, I had the L front tire hitting the fender while turning to the right, and that was new. After getting a front end alignment, the guy at the shop “did me a favor and added about an inch”, however, it still rubs, albeit maybe not as much. Today, I jumped under there and turned them another 4 turns each, and- still rubbing. Would you think I have a stripped bolt maybe, and it’s not actually going up?? What the heck?

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

What LCA's did you install? New? Used?
Did you get an alignment after?

Besides ride height, there's another reason the tire now hits. It's called "axle setback".
Front end symmetry is absolutely worth looking at if the lower ball joints are sitting farther forward from where the OE ball joints were.

 

[Kens1990K2500]

How would one measure axle setback? I've never heard of it.

 

[Hipster]

What LCA's did you install? New? Used?
Did you get an alignment after?

Besides ride height, there's another reason the tire now hits. It's called "axle setback".
Front end symmetry is absolutely worth looking at if the lower ball joints are sitting farther forward from where the OE ball joints were.

looks like he put astro van lca's in it, and it looks like he had fitment issues getting them in. A couple mm's this way or that way can create issues.

 

[Hipster]

How would one measure axle setback? I've never heard of it.

It can be measured with a frame machine measuring system and it can also be detailed on the alignment sheet which most delete. Caster , camber, and toe can be correct while SAI, included angle, and set back can be wrong. Sai, included angle, and set back are often deleted by most guys. Caster, camber, and toe can be correct and you can still have bent compontents or a bent frame, the other numbers can give an indication of what exactly is bent.

Just curious, how did you come up with astro arms were the thing to do?

 

[Supercharged111]

And it's unlikely the torsion bar receptacles were clocked the same as stock. Better to measure fender height before and after, or Z height of you want to get fancy.

 

[TommyJ1980]

Thanks guys, lots of good info. The LCAs were very hard to find, and I found it on a suggested thread here that Astro arms fit, and they did fit, it was just hard to get the bushings into place. I got an alignment after my work was done, and I hoped that would fix it but it didn’t. Thanks for the info, I’ll do some reading and make a plan.

 

[TommyJ1980]

It can be measured with a frame machine measuring system and it can also be detailed on the alignment sheet which most delete. Caster , camber, and toe can be correct while SAI, included angle, and set back can be wrong. Sai, included angle, and set back are often deleted by most guys. Caster, camber, and toe can be correct and you can still have bent compontents or a bent frame, the other numbers can give an indication of what exactly is bent.

Just curious, how did you come up with astro arms were the thing to do?

Tried to find the LCAs everywhere and couldn’t, and someone here said they had checked fitment, and that they would work for 2500 and 3500s.

 

[TommyJ1980]

What LCA's did you install? New? Used?
Did you get an alignment after?

Besides ride height, there's another reason the tire now hits. It's called "axle setback".
Front end symmetry is absolutely worth looking at if the lower ball joints are sitting farther forward from where the OE ball joints were.

What would the fix even be for that?…

 

[TommyJ1980]

What LCA's did you install? New? Used?
Did you get an alignment after?

Besides ride height, there's another reason the tire now hits. It's called "axle setback".
Front end symmetry is absolutely worth looking at if the lower ball joints are sitting farther forward from where the OE ball joints were.

Also, it’s only on the driver side strangely enough, and when I’m making a sharp R turn. No other clearance issues other than in that one spot, at that angle.