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Caster Camber Adjustors

3K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Dallas2 
#1 ·
Howdy, Howdy,

I've got a '99 F-350 Crew Cab Dually, rear wheel drive and have had a plaguing problem with tire wear on the front drivers side. The outer edge suffers significant wear and it's been a problem for years. I've been told there are caster/ camber adjustors and I've looked online but find it a bit confusing with the different adjustors, in size and degree of adjustment. I'd like to get a set of adjustors so when I replace the front tires and have it on the alignment machine the tech will have the sizes he needs to try to correct this problem. Any advice will be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Moog makes a multi -adjustable set for your truck. I have them on my F550 and they work great.
Keep in mind that you need to rotate those tires...... dually truck have a tendency to be hard on the front tires.
 
#4 ·
Mongus,

Thanks for the quick response. I'll check into that Moog multi adjustable set. I run the Michelin XPS Tractions all around and am pretty good with rotation and monitoring tire pressure and wear but as I stated I've been dealing with the excessive wear on the left front for too long and I'm convinced the problem is with the adjusters that have been installed for some time now. I'll add that I've owned this truck for 15 years and I do my best to keep it in good shape. J.
 
#3 ·
Have you even checked the ball joints?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
#5 ·
79Jasper,

I had the ball joints, shocks, front coil springs and drag link replaced just under two years ago primarily on the recommendation on the front end shop to eliminate any other issues. I didn't think to mention it on my last post but I don't do any off-roading and our roads are good here. We drive on the left and the "crowning" of the roads vary but they're good roads. J.
 
#7 ·
Yes. I have them in all my trucks. SRW and DRW and they do make a difference. I am like you in that I really keep up on all my trucks ( personally ) . Just make SURE that your alignment shop adjusts them properly !!!!!

When I originally installed them, I always have set them at 0' degrees and the check before I have left the shop .
 
#8 ·
Can you help me talk to my alignment shop so I sound like I have a better idea
of what's going on with the front end (design) of my E-350?
When I was trying to talk to an alignment guy the other day I was using the
term or sentence that...
"lots of people think or refer to Fords as not being able to
be adjusted for Caster but that's just not true. It's that the FORD way of adjusting
uses (INDIVIDUAL SHIMS) vs. what I have been reading about as a better way is to install
aftermarket adjusters such as INGALLS #59400 upper bushings..."

I feel like my use of the term "SHIMS" as the FORD way of doing things
lead the guy to think I had NO IDEA of front end alignment work. He seemed
to get stuck on this whole "SHIMS" word I mentioned and instead of explaining it
to me just seemed stuck (mentally) that I was clueless.

Having read this thread AND looking at the OTHER alternative aftermarket device...
This MOOG #K80109, and the photos on the link for the item, It is my impression that
these (DEVICES) are pressed into place in the UPPER ball joint receiving area of the
steering knuckle INSTEAD of pressing in one of the 15 or so INDIVIDUAL (CHOICES) of a FORD
adjustment receiver housing for the upper ball joint?
SO.....I should NOT use the TERM "SHIM" when talking to my alignment shop, right?
I might also ask......Is one considered better than the other? Ingall vs. Moog?
I believe they both offer about the same amount of adjustment of between 0 to 4 degrees.
I assume they mean up to 4 degrees Caster?
I also wonder if the alignment tech. needs to be HIGHLY familiar with installing these
vs. using the (standard) FORD Bushings? IIRC , I had read some instructions for the
Ingalls adjustment process and it seemed to be fairly complicated. Needing to know from at
what position you were starting from....And making some calculated adjustment from there
using their chart (supplied with the device)....

Can anyone spell out in fairly straight forward writing how this all works OR if
it sounds like I have a pretty good idea of what's going on with OEM vs. aftermarket bushings?
No need to explain to me what Caster, Camber or Toe In is. Just a bit more of how installing
these aftermarket devices works vs. The OEM (bushings?) If that's the correct term to use.
It's to bad that most of the guys that work in alignment shops think (we) are all to stupid
to understand this stuff and act like they are brain surgeons and just don't have the time
to correct or explain if we happen to say one little thing wrong as I believe I did when I said
"SHIMS" as the Ford way of adjusting instead of calling them (assorted bushings with differing
degrees of offset). Is that a better (TERM) to use next time I try to talk to one of these guys?
 
#9 ·
Dieseldogtom,

The term I've tossed around is "Caster / Camber Adjustors" and the alignment people know what I'm talking about with regard to light duty Ford trucks.

I'll have to defer your other questions to Mongus who has far more experience with these adjustors than I do.

J.
 
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