[RavenTBK]

Farked up alignment... fixed! Pics as promised..

Okay, over the last couple weeks I've noticed a slow but steady change in how my Bronco handles. Steering response and curve holding ability increased sharply over the course of the first week, then has steadily dropped off. Now I'm hearing tires chirp and moan when I round corners.

Now, over the last 9 days, I've watched as the camber of the front tires become more and more in the negative (tilted inwards for those unenlightened ones). Now the thing is, it only looks horrible after I back the truck in to the spot. When moving forward, I can stop and look, and the camber appears to be slightly positive, but will eventually settle into a slightly negative state. There is no free play in the steering or suspension at all. WTF is up with this? Am I just imagining this?

Today, it looked so horrible I made a trip to the only alignment place I know does good, reliable work, from past experiences, and the fact that the Florida Highway Patrol sends all the cars from the three surrounding troops there. They quoted me a price of around $115.00 to fix the issue. He referenced a bushing of some kind that adjusts the camber needed to be replaced. He described it as a different style bushing (different shape) than stock, and it would fix the camber issue, and make for easier alignments in the future.

Okay, I completely trust the shop, but I figured since you all are online wasting time reading posts instead of out making me money :imp I'd post my crap here and see what yall think. It does seem like a cure all solution..and I know that cure alls usually dont cure all for long.

Heres some pix of what I'm talking about. These were taken after moving about 10 feet through the parking lot in reverse.
Front
Right Front
Left Front

Heh..I'm glad I waited to have that alignment after that busted rod end in Mudtoberfest. Else this would be wallet upchuck #2.

Cheers.

 

[rbaney]

I would imagine they are referring to the adjustable camber/caster bushings. Looky here http://broncograveyard.com/products/cat/20/159/33520/50

 

[Traveler]

I know you said the Front end it tight, but it sounds like the ball joints are bad. To check them you need to jack up one side and put a pry bar under the tire, and try to move it straight up and down, but I bet you can feel yours by just wiggling the wheel.

And yes that is correct. The bushings they install on the top ball joint will correct the camber, and allow you to do it in the future as your springs weaken.

If you need ball joints the $115 won't be close to covering it.

 

[RavenTBK]

Naah.. ball joints are good. When I was replacing the other rod end to match the one that broke at Mudtoberfest, the BJs were checked and passed. I've been a victim of two that split and put the tire up into the wheel well. So now thats one thing I'm anal about.

But the movement like its doing does scream ball joints... but they're still right and tight.

EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, that was near three weeks ago that those were checked. And this has just started about two weeks ago. I'll go check em right now and re-edit again in about 20 minutes.

EDIT Part Deux: After re-checking my balls, they feel just like they did before. Right and tight. Oh yeah, and the ones on the truck are good too.

 

[muddy4x4]

EDIT Part Deux: After re-checking my balls, they feel just like they did before. ]

:lolup

 

[Crazed]

After re-checking my balls, they feel just like they did before.

:doh: :lolup :lolup :lolup :lolup :lolup :lolup :histerica :histerica :histerica

 

[RavenTBK]

Well, does the price sound right for whats going to be done? I kinda hope hes referring to a set of adjustables. He didnt specifically mention the word "adjustable"..and it ticks me off cause he talks to me like I'm an idiot (thats just how he talks to ppl tho, so I cant blame him for it..dealing with stupids all day would do that to me too).

But yeah. I drove it home. I've decided that this long weekend, I will not drive Horsesh!t unless I absolutely have to. With my luck, I'd end up putting undue stress on my balls and screwing them up to the point it will take a helluva lot more than $115.00 to get them fixed. Not to mention my manly pride in having them in such good condition will be scarred. No lady wants a guy with busted balls.











...on his truck.










Yall REALLY need to get your minds out of the gutter. :wacko

 

[BamaBronc]

I just paid $125 for a shop to install SkyJacker adjustable bushings and align. I provided the bushings though and the alignment isn't right on. One shop said they didn't like adjustable bushings and refused to do the work!

 

[145flyr]

Got to Firestone and get a "lifetime allignment" for approximately$110.00. Sometimes they have deals going on. You pay the first time, and it is FREE for all times after! Good deal. I use it for My Bronco, Ex and my wifes go kart.

 

[muddy4x4]

I have firestones "Lifetime allignment" and I've been in there for allignment at least 5 or 6 times and havent had a complaint yet. I think I paid about $120. Well worth it though considering I'm planning on keeping the bronco forever. :thumbup

 

[RavenTBK]

Well, all the Firestones in my area were converted to "Tires Plus" with the exception of one.. they quoted $119 for the lifetime alignment, but since I apparently need camber/caster bushings to fix my issue, that price jumped to $288, which is well above my budget for this month.

So, back to shop #1, quoted $115 for standard alignment with the bushings, and guess it will be back to Firestone when the alignment goes whacky, which shouldnt be that long since I live down a washboard road, and regularly vibrate down the road high rates of speed. Now that I know that a lifetime alignment special exists, I must take advantage of it in the near future.

Makes me wish I was able to catch the lifetime brake special that Midas was running a couple years ago.

What really sucks is that I lost two tires last night by running over the corner of an I-beam that was buried in the grass of one of my favourite hiding spots in the national forest...so the $288 is definately out, as I'm gonna have scrounge up the $115 from I dunno where.

Oh well, it all works it self out in the end.

Cheers.

 

[145flyr]

Damn, I beams and budgets suck. Was the hiding spot "profitable :goodfinge " Take care:thumbup

 

[RavenTBK]

I figured I should let everybody know that was following...

Three days, two tires, and $200 later....

Fav tire shop had two 33s, one A/T and one all season street tire (YUCK) there..both with really nice tread. Had em popped on, as finding anything remotely near 31s and above is like striking oil in my bathtub. - $100

Monday morning, dropped off horsesh!t at the alignment shop, four hours later, I call for status, they say alignment is good. I arrive, peek behind the wheel to see the nifty adjustable camber/caster busings referenced in an earlier post. I go into the office for the shop owner to take all my money, asks how much I was quoted...tell him $115, he says how about $110 no tax? So I say.."well hell, if its that way, I was quoted $80". He then sighs, and says $99.50, and get the fark out of my office, with a grin on his face. I happily paid him $100, got 0.50 back for a coke, and drove to work. - $99.50 + .50 coke

Being able to let go of the wheel and track straight with no funny play or farked up camber... Priceless

Some things money cant buy... but for some reason I always end up paying for them. :brownbag

 

[SuperDave]

Lets see some pics of how it came out and what you can see of the bushings.

 

[145flyr]

I love happy endings. Show some pics? I can remember when I used to let go of the wheel, and the truck would try to run pedestrians over all by itself. I found it had no preference between handicap, old or young.:thumbup

 

[RavenTBK]

Pics on the way... I've gotta crawl under it to go replace my lifetime warranty starter, so I might as well snap some pics while I'm down there. Will have em up by lunchtime.

 

[RavenTBK]

Front
Right Bushing
Left Bushing

Heres the pix I promised. Heh.. I totally forgot to take them after I chowed down at Taco Hell this afternoon.

The right and left are the same bushings, one looks old because it was the one that they kept out to show the other clients what the bushing looks like. I got the one with all the handprints, and a new one out of the plastic on the other side.

Now I just gotta actually do the starter thing.... sheesh.

 

[SuperDave]

Looks much better! At least the starter is on;y a 15 minute job:thumbup