Worse road manners after TRE replacement and alignment.

[Vaskel]

Hi Mud,

I'd love your guidance...

Context is: 2.5" OME lift, 35s, front sway bar drop brackets, rear sway bar extended end links, and caster correction plates.

I've been happy w/ how my rig drives, but I had original OEM tie rod ends, and I felt it was time to preventatively replace them. I used the 555 TREs and replaced both the tie rod ends and drag link ends. Yes, I measured TRE threads etc. before and during install, properly torqued, etc.

After getting an alignment done, the truck drives "darty" and has slight pull to the right. My alignment numbers are solid as far as I can tell. Below is the alignment print out (it's actually a reputable shop, their printer was just out of ink lol). I tried to label this for clarity.

I'm assuming it was something I did during TRE install? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Rusty Marlin]

It's the 0.1 degrees of caster. 3+/-1 degree is standard.

 

[Vaskel]

Sorry I put “caster” in a bad spot on the scan. Caster is at 4.3 and 4.5 degrees.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Wheel bearings tight?

 

[Vaskel]

Yeah, recently had the whole front axle rebuilt by an LC specialty shop here locally.

I'm stumped because the driving manners were great before I touched the TREs.

 

[bj70bc]

did you tighten the ball inside the tie rod ends, not sure about 80 series but 70 series TRE have a cotter pin and a slotted adjuster on the ends to tighten up the ball and socket part inside, they dont really come tight for some ungodly reason.... knuckle steering arm nuts tight?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

80's don't have that. You just thunk them in to seat the taper and tighten the castle nut.
Did you pull the pitman arm off for some reason and forget to torque it back on?
Grasping for straws at this point, pard. I'm as stumped as you.

 

[Vaskel]

Nope… didn’t touch pitman arm. Thanks for thinking this through with me guys.

 

[Irish Reiver]

Yeah, recently had the whole front axle rebuilt by an LC specialty shop here locally.

I'm stumped because the driving manners were great before I touched the TREs.

Might be worth rechecking the bearings on the front axle. After the rebuild the bearing can settle a little. I typically check mine about 500 miles after a rebuild and they almost always need to be nipped up a little.

 

[Vaskel]

Thanks.

Sound like we'd all agree that I'm wasting my time perfecting the alignment though, right? For example, making toe even from side to side (0.9) and then steer-ahead (steering wheel) 0.00 instead of 0.02? It's currently in spec, and another adjustment seems very marginal.

 

[LandCruiser105]

If the TREs are the only thing that changed - then either 1) it was previously toed in differently to how it is now, or 2) the new measurement has some kind of error. If everything else is nipped up tight etc., then not much else I can think of ... Do you know what it was previously? Might have been a little more toed in then than it is now, perhaps.

 

[Vaskel]

If the TREs are the only thing that changed - then either 1) it was previously toed in differently to how it is now, or 2) the new measurement has some kind of error. If everything else is nipped up tight etc., then not much else I can think of ... Do you know what it was previously? Might have been a little more toed in then than it is now, perhaps.

Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have the pre-TRE replacement measurement. Thanks -- I was thinking of trying a bit more toe-in to see if that could help.

 

[LandCruiser105]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have the pre-TRE replacement measurement. Thanks -- I was thinking of trying a bit more toe-in to see if that could help.

That might well be worth trying... Probably what I would do next. Also, have you measured the toe in using the two parallel bars and tape measure method? That can be surprisingly accurate. Plenty of how-to posts on mud on this.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have the pre-TRE replacement measurement. Thanks -- I was thinking of trying a bit more toe-in to see if that could help.

Stock-ish toe-in values are probably not great in the context of lift and larger tires. I suggest to try a bit more toe-in, as in loosen the TREs, turn the tie rod half a turn, snug it up, drive a bit, and see how it feels. Mark the tie rod so you can set it back to where it was in case you don’t like it, either. Go in small increments until you find the sweet spot.

 

[Vaskel]

That might well be worth trying... Probably what I would do next. Also, have you measured the toe in using the two parallel bars and tape measure method? That can be surprisingly accurate. Plenty of how-to posts on mud on this.

Yup, helpful write-ups and that will be how I do it. Sounds like some experimenting is needed to figure out the right balance as it changes from rig to rig for various reasons.

 

[bj70bc]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have the pre-TRE replacement measurement. Thanks -- I was thinking of trying a bit more toe-in to see if that could help.

our rule of thumb here
1/8" toe IN (at the front of vehicle) for non lifted reg tires
1/4" toe IN for lifted/ large tires
we just measure of the inside lip of the rim
and yes, some healthy caster (shimmed if you have to)
caster shims fixed my truck right up, it went from wandering and dangerous folowing every road contour, to being able to drive without touching the steering wheel

 

[Vaskel]

our rule of thumb here
1/8" toe IN (at the front of vehicle) for non lifted reg tires
1/4" toe IN for lifted/ large tires
we just measure of the inside lip of the rim
and yes, some healthy caster (shimmed if you have to)
caster shims fixed my truck right up, it went from wandering and dangerous folowing every road contour, to being able to drive without touching the steering wheel

Yeah, caster is likely not my problem. Will shoot for 1/4" on toe in, thanks.