sitting side ways

[3r!c84]

ok i have access to a alignment rack. ive had the problem with it dogleging (rearend not straight) got that all fixed its back at 0% and the fronts all good.it drives nice and straight down the road.but driving behind me it still looks like the ass end is over to the right?

how can i fix this...
all the body lines are good.it never has been in a crash.the cab and body look straight sitting on the frame(same bumper gaps on each side)

so im stumped you guys......

[glock35ipsc]

Whoever did the alignment, did they just do a front end alignment, or did they do a thrust angle alignment? On a pickup, most shops will just align the front wheels for camber, caster and toe in and not touch the rear axle. A thrust angle alignment squares up all four tires, to ensure that the fronts track directly in front of the rears.

When I wrenched for a living I mostly did suspension and alignments. On trucks that dog legged, I use to remove the u-bolts, open up the hole in the spring pads slightly, then snug everything back up. Then set up the machine for a thrust angle alignment and use a come-along to adjust the rearend to make everything square, then tighten everything back up.

Also, check to be sure the rear end is centered side to side. Try hanging a weighted string off the side of the frame rail and measure to the backing plate, on each side, then compare the measurements.

[James McClure]

Glock, I'm glad there is someone here who knows alignments. I worked for Chevy for 33 years on our trucks a to z. I ran into this problem more times than I can count. Most of the time this problem was from something bent or centering bolts on the rear axel. Where I live\work it's mostly farming and farmers aren't known for making 2 trips when they can overload it into 1 trip if you get my drift. I used to do 3 different measurements before alignment. First was a frame check using a plumb off of 2 points up front and 2 points out back and then measure the diagional. Second was a wheelbase check and third a tire to frame check. More often than not the frame was tweeked and I fixed that just like you did by enlarging center bolt holes.
I see your a shooter too. I'm a Colt man myself. I am also a dealer and am into reloading. If you would like to talk about that my e-mail is jmcclur2@nycap.rr.com. Jim

[3r!c84]

we did do a 4 wheel alignment.thats how i know the rear end is pointing straight ahead.i dont know what a thrust angle alignment is. we did the one where u put the mirrors on all 4 wheels and roll the truck back in forword afew times then lift the wheels up and put the on roller pad and turn the front wheels for caster and camber swing. and it tells you all the angles of how its set up.front and back

[glock35ipsc]

For the thrust angle, imagine a 90° square placed on the axle tube and centered. The line running forward represents the thrust angle. If that is 0°, that means that the rear axle is parallel to the front and that the rear tires will follow in the same track as the fronts. Also, if you were to measure from the centerline of the front spindle to the centerline of the rear axle, both sides should be exact, and cross measuring would be the same too (cross measuring is what James alluded to).

If all that is truly good and on the money, my guess is that the body/bed are not centered correctly on the frame. Bumpers can be adjusted to an uneven body to make it appear correct. There is a good amount of room available on these things move things around. I would do some comparative measuring on each side at different spots of body to frame to see if everything is truly centered on the frame.

[datguysaL]

well wat could of happend was that whoever had the truck before, did some damage to where one of your front wheels was pushed back, and they could of just corrected it pushing the rear axle back or foward from one side, and the aligment machine is not catching it since its measuring the wheel angles only.

check your chassis for squareness.

get up under your truck and check to the lower control arm and that the rear axle are sitting in the slots, also check that the center bolt on your rear leaf spring has not broken and shifted the springs.

[glock35ipsc]

He said the thrust angle was 0°, so that's not possible. It would have a + or - (right or left) thrust angle if that was the case as the front and rear wheels would not track the same path.

For example, if the right front wheel was push back, and the rear axle was shifted back on the right to compensate, the right front tire would track on the inside of the rear wheel, and an alignment machine would show a positive thrust angle.

[3r!c84]

yes its not showing any of that.it shows everything is dead on.front and back... im starting to think the body is on the frame a little crocked

[glock35ipsc]

Me too.

[3r!c84]

where can i take some messurements to check this..

and if it is crocked what can i do to put it back in place

[glock35ipsc]

Use some places that are common on both sides.... wheel well lip, rocker (if it's not dented or crooked), inside corner of the bed behind the bumper, etc. and measure from those spots to the frame on each side. Also, if you can, from the end of the frame to the rear bed cross sill. Just try to find some common points that you can get some measurements with a straight tape, nothing that would force you to bend a tape measure around. Compare each side and you should be able to tell what's going on.

You'll probably end up loosening the rad support, cab mounts, and the bed and giving them a nudge with your butt to move them around.

[3r!c84]

thanks i did a quick messure of the front bumper to the fender and one side is 1 3/8 and the other is 1 1/2

[3r!c84]

ok i talked with my dad.and he still thinks my alignment is outa wack and i need to pay and take it to a alignment shop (so they can tell me the same thing?)