Truck Knuckle Swap - Tire Wear

[NikP]

I swapped some truck knuckles on to my '76 front axles over a year ago. The knuckles came with high steer arms which I was after. Since then, I have severe tire wear on the inside of the tread and I also experience chirping tires when I corner (which is the sound of tread being ground off...). I've gone back into the hub to make sure hub bearings are tight. It appears my tires set at a slight angle which can't be adjusted based on what I've read. The camber angle is kinda like this // \\ with the top of the tire leaning inward toward the frame. I have my caster set at +1 (which angles down based on angle measurement on the axle flange).

Since camber isn't an adjustment on the straight axle, does anyone have any ideas on what to look for?

 

[JackA]

Could be a bent housing?

 

[clrussell]

What is your toe in?

 

[franklin40]

get some photos of it if you can. that can help determine a lot of things

 

[pb4ugo]

1st I would check your tow also. Sounds like it might be towed out a bit. Camber can be adjusted but you would have to go to a big truck alignment
shop. They're usually identified something like Spring and Alignment or Spring
shops. They deal with straight axles and 4x4's all the time. The will tweak the axle to get the camber angle into spec. I went to one decades ago for a 40 I had. The guy that did the work was amazing. I know on Dana frt ends you can get camber shims that go in between knuckle and spindle, but I don't think they are available for Toyota frt ends.

 

[SteveH]

With a lot of camber and caster, you can dial the toe back. If your inner tire edges are wearing, you may be toed out a lot.

 

[NikP]

Hmmmm.... I'm usually a lot better about checking things out before I post for help on the InterWeb.

I was toe'd out. All I can think is I mis-read the tape measure when I was setting the toe and was essentially off by an inch. Rather than being toed in by 1/8 inch I was toed out by 7/8. That's a big miss!

 

[clrussell]

Hmmmm.... I'm usually a lot better about checking things out before I post for help on the InterWeb.

I was toe'd out. All I can think is I mis-read the tape measure when I was setting the toe and was essentially off by an inch. Rather than being toed in by 1/8 inch I was toed out by 7/8. That's a big miss!

Yea big miss, and will kill the inside of the tires

I’m glad It was an easy fix