outside tirewear

[BowtieBlazer]

alignment checks out inspec, what's giving me this tire lean? It doesn't always look this bad I've repacked wheel bearings, I've thought about ball joints but not confident thats the issue. The truck has a 4" lift with ORD greaseable shackles

 

[George_Pimpdaddy]

Best bet is going to be to jack up that tire and get yourself a long bar to try to lift up the tire from the bottom and listen and look for the clunk from ball joints. Or your axle tube could be bent

 

[nvrenuf]

alignment checks out inspec... It doesn't always look this bad I've repacked wheel bearings...

I'm amazed that passed alignment specs. Have you rechecked the spindle lock nut torque?

 

[tRustyK5]

They make a camber shim for behind the spindle to correct that. Send Colbysteven's a pm...he just had the same issue after doing balljoints and it turned out he forgot to re-install the shim his diff had.

Rene

 

[gotblazers]

if your steering is pulling in one direction check your drag link. I use mine as a battering more often than i intend to (never) and now my right tire is getting raped since the bend in the drag link is pulling it right .note to self, dont hit concrete fire pits and wooden pillars. Unlikely the reason your having the tire wear but a funny story to tell.

 

[tRustyK5]

What you're hitting is your tie rod, and that may toe in your tires, but it sure won't make them lean outwards like that. FWIW there is no camber adjustment on these front ends. The camber shim behind the spindle is about the only option.

The drag link goes from the box to the steering arm, the tie rod is the one that goes from one knuckle to the other in front of the diff.

Rene

 

[gotblazers]

What you're hitting is your tie rod, and that may toe in your tires, but it sure won't make them lean outwards like that. FWIW there is no camber adjustment on these front ends. The camber shim behind the spindle is about the only option.

The drag link goes from the box to the steering arm, the tie rod is the one that goes from one knuckle to the other in front of the diff.

Rene

ah you are correct. A bend in the tie rod then im pretty sure thats why the steering wheel always pulls right so hard. If not well the 76 wont be on the road for much longer than a month so it doesnt much matter since im swapping in heavier duty steering/suspension/axles when i fire it from the job daily driver.

 

[BowtieBlazer]

They make a camber shim for behind the spindle to correct that. Send Colbysteven's a pm...he just had the same issue after doing balljoints and it turned out he forgot to re-install the shim his diff had.

Rene

From what I've read that camber shim behind the spindle is not the way to go...Adding a shear point to the spindle...

I'll corect myself by saying it passed my driveway alignment specs according to chiltons, I got a friend measured a point on the front of the tire, an identicle point on the rear and my toein was 1/8-1/4" I know the camber is non adjustable, a digital angle finder on the front axle tubes shows no bend. I hate to "shim" something that was never intended to be shimmed. I repacked wheel bearings just to check the spindle nut. I guess the knuckle could be bent, I've put a 6' pry bar under the tire and lifted, no slack in the ball joints, no in and out on the bearings....

 

[BowtieBlazer]

because that last picture is side bias I just walked outside and took another and put a grid on the picture in my photo editor, like I said nothing is super prevalent as being wrong. Both front tires are wearing on the outside, I do drive curvy roads, but I'm getting around 2/32's difference in tread wear outside to inside...

 

[nvrenuf]

**I think** I remember way back seeing an insert that goes in the knucle hole for the upper ball joint. It looked sort of like a castle nut except it had a slightly offset hole to change the camber/caster by moving the position of the upper ball joint stud. It's been a loooong time ago so it may be history or I could have had too much to drink.

You might try a NAPA or the like that has a catalog for alignment bolt & shims, should be in there somewhere.

 

[nvrenuf]

BINGO!!

http://www.ingallseng.com/23000-series-gm-4x4-camber-caster-alignment-sleeve.html

 

[BowtieBlazer]

BINGO!!

http://www.ingallseng.com/23000-series-gm-4x4-camber-caster-alignment-sleeve.html

Thanks, I assume the factory one is non-adjustable? I need to goto an alignment shop and get them to find the caster angle with their "lazzzers"

 

[nvrenuf]

Thanks, I assume the factory one is non-adjustable? I need to goto an alignment shop and get them to find the caster angle with their "lazzzers"

Iirc, the OE inserts are centered whereas the ones I linked have an offset hole. By turning the insert in the knuckle the offset hole can be moved to adjust either camber or caster.

 

[BowtieBlazer]

Iirc, the OE inserts are centered whereas the ones I linked have an offset hole. By turning the insert in the knuckle the offset hole can be moved to adjust either camber or caster.

must be camber, but thats apparently what i need, I like that idea much better than a spindle shim