Alignment Changes in Reverse?!?

[blown240]

I am planing on removing some of the upper control arm shims to fix my front tires from leaning out on top. However today, after backing up a bit, I noticed that the tires lean in.


Is it normal for alignment to change between driving forward and reverse? If not, what could cause this? Only thing I can think of is loose wheel bearings....

[scum1]

mine used to do that as well..I just recently repaired a cracked frame from a poor power steering conversion and after everything was said and done it no longer "cambers in" in reverse. I have no idea why. i didn't touch the upper shims or anything.

[blown240]

That's wierd. My steering is totally stock. Just lowered the suspension about 4-5 inches.

[joedoh]

stop driving.

jack the truck up and yank around on the top and bottom of the wheel. to me it sounds like you have bad balljoints, either upper or lower, and if so yanking outward on the wheel will allow it to move at the top OR bottom of the wheel and not the front or back of the wheel.

if there is a bad balljoint, when you are moving forward, the suspension will allow the wheel to be pushed in at the bottom and it will look like positive camber. when moving in reverse the wheel is pushed OUT at the bottom and the wheel will have negative camber. it also wildly changes your toe in and out, wearing the tire like crazy.

if you jack it up and the wheel can be pulled in and out equally at the top, bottom, front, and back of the wheel, you either have a bad wheel bearing or all the balljoints and tie rods are done for.

[jtrichard]

I might add put the jack as close to the wheel (under the A arm) as you can, NOT the cross member so you take the spring load off of the ball joints. you can also take a bar and lift the tire/wheel and see how the lower joint is

[blown240]

Thank you guys so much for the replies!!!

I went out and lifted one wheel at a time.

The passenger side has play in the upper joint that I can feel when I wrap my hand around the upper arm and onto the spindle. Its not a lot, but enough that I'll put an upper joint in.

The drivers side ball joints feel ok, but there is some play I can feel between the brake drum and the backing plate. Hopfully this is just a wheel bearing that needs adjusted.

Tie rods feel ok.

Is the upper ball joint easy enough to change by myself? I will only do the one side, since money is REALLY tight right now.

Also, coincidentally or not, the side with the bad ball joint is the same side that has a 1" spacer on it. The spacer was removed from the drivers side over a year ago... Should have removed the passenger side spacer at the same time, but the lugs were too short on that side for my allow wheels.

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by blown240

Thank you guys so much for the replies!!!

I went out and lifted one wheel at a time.

The passenger side has play in the upper joint that I can feel when I wrap my hand around the upper arm and onto the spindle. Its not a lot, but enough that I'll put an upper joint in.

The drivers side ball joints feel ok, but there is some play I can feel between the brake drum and the backing plate. Hopfully this is just a wheel bearing that needs adjusted.

Tie rods feel ok.

Is the upper ball joint easy enough to change by myself? I will only do the one side, since money is REALLY tight right now.

Also, coincidentally or not, the side with the bad ball joint is the same side that has a 1" spacer on it. The spacer was removed from the drivers side over a year ago... Should have removed the passenger side spacer at the same time, but the lugs were too short on that side for my allow wheels.

Wait, you have a wheel spacer on one side in front and not the other? And you have a balljoint that's hosed? You could have a few more issues that are not too readily seen. Id get the other spacer out of there (Ive never been a big fan of them especially the aluminum ones) and I'd get the ball joints figured out without a doubt. At that point, then see what your alignment is like. If you are noticing camber changes just going from drive to reverse, thats pretty sketchy and Id be more than worried driving it around until I knew that everything was solid. Like Joe said.. Stop Driving. At least until its safe.

[PGSigns]

Jack it up and pull the wheel and look at the A arms where the bushing goes in it. Look for any that look like they are moving in the arm. There have been several threads showing issues where the arm is bad. What type of lug nut are you using on your wheels? You may just need ones with a longer shank.
Jimmy

[jjzepplin]

Story-and lesson learned.
I got an alignment one day on my 66 SS Malibu. I was 17 and didn't have much money so when the fella said my lower ball joint on one side was sketchy and moved in the A-arm just a bit but was tight I should have fixed it. He should have grounded me and made me fix it!
I backed out of the driveway next morning about 3" when that ball joint busted through the A-arm. Had I been driving like a 17 year old it would have been catastrophic to others as well as myself.
Get that thing fixed. It's old and you cannot be replaced.

[blown240]

Thanks for the replies!

I'll order a ball joint today. I checked the lowers last night and they seem good. They are the old bolt on ones, not the press in kind. This weekend I'll swap the joint, remove the spacer, and give everything else another check.

I work from home, so not driving it for a few days is no big deal. Thanks again for the help!


Quick upper ball joint question. Some websites say 60-70 is the same, others say 60-91. What is it?

[62gmcsbc]

Hello I was wondering if you ever figured this out?
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[blown240]

Yup! Bad upper ball joint fixed the issue!

[62gmcsbc]

That's great, thx for the reply
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