Pulling pretty hard to right (1 Viewer)

[Pin_Head]

Yep, alignment "techs" are often one step from the floor sweeper and maybe the same guy?

Whuut?
Alignment is one of the top jobs in the shop. It goes: floor sweeper < grease monkey < tire buster < suspension parts replacer < brake jobber < alignment guy.

Alignment was mostly easy work too. Put it up on the Hunter laser liner, check all three angles and when you find that they are all in spec you can spend the next 20 minutes lying down on the rack listening to the radio and banging on the frame with a wrench every new song.

 

[bwiygul]

Well I’m going to go pick up new tie rod ends, new bars and drag link. That’s going to be my first set of stuff to change.

Took it back to the brake/alignment shop and they said my thrust angle is positive. But I’m also toed out and they said the tre adjustment bar is seized. So I’m going to start with that stuff and see what happens.

 

[ppc]

I would get a refund for the original alignment and go elsewhere. They should have diagnosed the problems and discussed your options the first time.

 

[Pin_Head]

Changing all that stuff won’t make any difference if it is not worn out. It is easy to check.

 

[bwiygul]

Changing all that stuff won’t make any difference if it is not worn out. It is easy to check.

The bar is seized on the tre’s so since they’re toe’d out they couldn’t adjust em. I didn’t have to pay for alignment since they couldn’t do anything but they were talking $900+ to change the components. I don’t know if they tried heat or not but I’m leaning toward getting a new bar and tre’s and getting the steering wheel straight which also has the adjustment bottomed out so I may have to reconnect the pitman arm on the steering box.

See how that goes.......

Btw- where the heck can I get TRE’s and why are they so friggin expensive!?

 

[decoco]

The bar is seized on the tre’s so since they’re toe’d out they couldn’t adjust em. I didn’t have to pay for alignment since they couldn’t do anything but they were talking $900+ to change the components. I don’t know if they tried heat or not but I’m leaning toward getting a new bar and tre’s and getting the steering wheel straight which also has the adjustment bottomed out so I may have to reconnect the pitman arm on the steering box.

See how that goes.......

Btw- where the heck can I get TRE’s and why are they so friggin expensive!?

I bought mine at a local toyota dealership. They're not prohibitively expensive though; better than continuing to chase your alignment issues.

 

[decoco]

The bar is seized on the tre’s so since they’re toe’d out they couldn’t adjust em. I didn’t have to pay for alignment since they couldn’t do anything but they were talking $900+ to change the components. I don’t know if they tried heat or not but I’m leaning toward getting a new bar and tre’s and getting the steering wheel straight which also has the adjustment bottomed out so I may have to reconnect the pitman arm on the steering box.

See how that goes.......

Btw- where the heck can I get TRE’s and why are they so friggin expensive!?

post picture of those TREs, I bet they didn't even use anti seize try using anti seize and leaving it on for a while; see if you can get them to turn. 900+ sounds like armed robbery, unless they're quoting you the price for a front axle housing

 

[Tools R Us]

...

Btw- where the heck can I get TRE’s and why are they so friggin expensive!?

Cruiser Outfitters has all of that stuff.

 

[bwiygul]

Going to a pick apart tomorrow and getting a set up off of a 96. Try it out and see what happens. If something changes I’ll know. And it shouldn’t be more than maybe $20.

 

[BILT4ME]

I think Kurt at @cruiseroutfit can help you out. Call them and/or email them.

You can pick up a NEW tie rod and two TRE fairly inexpensive $150-$200 from Kurt. Definitely less than the dealer.

I installed Moog parts from O'Reilly on mine, but it took me 4 hours with torches and hammers to get them loose. Just call Kurt and get them moving. Slobber a bunch on anti-seize inside the threads and ON the threads and assemble and install. Borrow the TRE removal tool from O'Reilly. Do NOT put anti-seize on the tapered pin the goes into the hub or you'll be buying a new hub and LOT more work.

So, what you are NOW describing is NOT a PULL to the left, but a mis-aligned steering wheel. Huge differences in diagnosis......

 

[Pin_Head]

Seize schmeeze. Put the blue tip wrench on them and then a 4 foot pipe wrench and make them turn or twist off.

 

[bwiygul]

I think Kurt at @cruiseroutfit can help you out. Call them and/or email them.

You can pick up a NEW tie rod and two TRE fairly inexpensive $150-$200 from Kurt. Definitely less than the dealer.

I installed Moog parts from O'Reilly on mine, but it took me 4 hours with torches and hammers to get them loose. Just call Kurt and get them moving. Slobber a bunch on anti-seize inside the threads and ON the threads and assemble and install. Borrow the TRE removal tool from O'Reilly. Do NOT put anti-seize on the tapered pin the goes into the hub or you'll be buying a new hub and LOT more work.

So, what you are NOW describing is NOT a PULL to the left, but a mis-aligned steering wheel. Huge differences in diagnosis......

I’ll call him for sure if I get a change, for new stuff. It still pulls. It’s not just a steering wheel that’s off.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Going to a pick apart tomorrow and getting a set up off of a 96. Try it out and see what happens. If something changes I’ll know. And it shouldn’t be more than maybe $20.

For the effort involved, I'd not go this route unless on a really tight budget.
Good chance you'll still need to adjust to tierods, which brings you right back to where you are. Also if the used TREs are at all loose, you are no closer to diagnosing the real issue, and possibly just muddied the water

 

[bwiygul]

Just ordered new bar and tre’s for the toe. I’ll have it for my thanksgiving weekend job. Thanks guys.

 

[digitalmarker]

@bwiygul did you ever get your issue figured out? I am having the same problem on my 80 with a 4" lift from slee - constant pull to the right. Alignment is within spec, nothing is bent, and the truck drove straight before I went up to 4". Banging my head against the wall at the moment. Did you get yours driving straight?

 

[BILT4ME]

@bwiygul did you ever get your issue figured out? I am having the same problem on my 80 with a 4" lift from slee - constant pull to the right. Alignment is within spec, nothing is bent, and the truck drove straight before I went up to 4". Banging my head against the wall at the moment. Did you get yours driving straight?

But, you have 4" lift.

Do you have the adjustable panhard bars? you SHOULD on a 4" lift. Otherwise, your truck will crabwalk down the road. Front axle will be hanging out to one side and the rear axle will be hanging out the other side when comparing the tires to the fenders.

 

[digitalmarker]

@BILT4ME I have the whole kit and kaboodle from Slee. Adjustible panhards, DC shaft, front trailing arms, etc. Axles are straight and centered, and the truck handles well and feels civilized on road and at high speeds.

But, continues to have a pull to the right. Steering wheel has been centered, but in order to get it to drive straight, I have to keep the steering wheel off to the left by 5-10deg. When I let go of the steering wheel, it centers itself, and the truck starts moving into the next lane to the right.

So, symptoms are very similar to what the OP was describing.

 

[BILT4ME]

I would check wheel bearings for correct adjustment first.

Tire pressures
Trunnion bearings
Front control arm bushings? OEM or poly? Original or replaced?
Bleed your brakes and lock the LSPV arm in its uppermost position when bleeding and activate the ABS in between bleedings.
Even though your steering wheel is "centered", is it centered when the steering GEAR is in the middle of ITS left-right range?

 

[digitalmarker]

Tires and brakes are fine. The front control arms are brand new that came with the Slee kit (not sure if you're referring to any other bushings?).

The front bearings are the next thing on my list. A fellow mud member is going to help me get these done in the next couple of weeks once I get all of the service parts and lubes delivered. Will report back on that.

In the meantime would still like to hear from @bwiygul to see if he found a fix to his issue, and what it was.

 

[trials935]

How would you activate the abs in between bleeding?