Spindle sitting at a angle. Porterbuilt

[StrokinRat]

Why are my spindles sitting at this angle? Do I have the uppers on backwards? Or am I missing something else? New porterbuilt upper and lower control arms. And new spindles. Thanks

[gringoloco]

What’s the angle? Hard to tell from pics

[StrokinRat]

Sorry I just noticed the first picture was sideways.

[PGSigns]

Looks like the lowers are the 1" forward and the uppers are standard.
Jimmy

[StrokinRat]

That’s what I thought too. I contacted PBFAB tech support through e-mail and they claimed it’s suppose to sit like that. Now the front end is jacked up in the picture so it is a little deceiving but still didn’t think it would sit at a angle at all.

[gringoloco]

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. More caster (to a point) will help driveability.

[StrokinRat]

True. I figure I’m over thinking things to much. It’s put together and plan on getting it to the alignment shop in the next couple of days so we’ll see.

[gringoloco]

It will also help visually center the wheel in the arch, which the stock geometry usually pushes back as you go lower. I think you’ll be happy once it’s aligned

[PGSigns]

You can see from the lower ball joint angle some thing is amiss. 5 degrees of caster put the upper ball joint about 3/4" behind the lower. You can take a quick measurement and see about what you have. The picture is not shot to show the angle well if you look at the frame. I would set the truck level on stands and take another look at what you have.
Jimmy

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

It will also help visually center the wheel in the arch, which the stock geometry usually pushes back as you go lower. I think you’ll be happy once it’s aligned

X2.
Take it to the alignment shop and see where you’re at.
Shoot for 5 degrees positive caster and you will be amazed how good it drives.

[knomadd]

This isn't exactly a level picture either, but it's a lot closer to level than your photo. I have Porterbuilt 1" forward lower control arms and stock uppers with CPP modular spindles. There's definitely an angle to the spindle. You'll want to verify that it's not as drastic as the photo looks, but there will definitely be some angle.


Oh, and a piece of advice. Ditch the lock washer and standard nut on the shock mount (shock side) and get a locking nut. I've had both come off after several miles of driving (different times), even with a dab of blue lock tight. Either that, or put a lot of the blue lock tight on that bolt.

[StrokinRat]

[QUOTE=knomadd;8200520]This isn't exactly a level picture either, but it's a lot closer to level than your photo. I have Porterbuilt 1" forward lower control arms and stock uppers with CPP modular spindles. There's definitely an angle to the spindle. You'll want to verify that it's not as drastic as the photo looks, but there will definitely be some angle.


Oh, and a piece of advice. Ditch the lock washer and standard nut on the shock mount (shock side) and get a locking nut. I've had both come off after several miles of driving (different times), even with a dab of blue lock tight. Either that, or put a lot of the blue lock tight on that bolt

Thanks for the advice. I’ve got it all put back together and out of the alignment shop today. It drives good, but now I’m trying to figure out how to keep the inside of my rims from grinding on the lower control arms when I make sharp turns. Did you have any issues with this?

I know the control arms are filthy but it rained here all day.

[PGSigns]

You can do some grinding on the lower control arm at the place it is rubbing on the wheel. Has to be done on stock control arms with drop spindles and 15 inch wheels with 4" of back spacing. I have had to do it on my last two trucks. A bigger diameter wheel or less backspacing clears just fine.
Jimmy

[StrokinRat]

Thanks. I’m going to mock up some spacers to see if that’ll help. I plan on getting new rims with in the year just don’t really want to send the money right now.

[knomadd]

I didn't have that problem because I had 22x9.5's when I did the swap, now I have 19x8s and both cleared just fine. It looks like your wheels are a bit too small for that amount of low. Are you running 15's?

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT grind the ball joint cup on the Porterbuilt control arms. They are part of the structure of the arm and you'll weaken it, or at the least start to mess with the ball joint to control arm cup spacing, allowing dirt and moisture in from the bottom. It's fine on a stock arm because that lip isn't part of the ball joint structure. There's a limit to how much you can do to a stock arm before it becomes weak, which most guys who grind them don't go that far, so it works.

[StrokinRat]

17” eagle alloys. Thanks for the advice.

[68is4me]

I just went through the same thing. Caster looked way off so I took it to get aligned, and cast was 14 degrees. Called up PB and they made me take measurements of the upper control arms. They sent me the stock uppers and 1" forward lowers. They did replace the uppers free of charge, but man what a kick in the pants. Had to take them all back apart, and repaint the new ones. I have not been really happy with PB stuff.

The thing I didn't get was that I thought the 1" forward lowers were supposed to work with factory uppers. We could not get caster any lower then 13.0.

Have not had it realigned yet but it does look a lot better.

[StrokinRat]

That’s exactly what’s happened to me. Same degrees on the cast and all. I talked to Nate on Monday and he is going to send me the right ones. I agree it has been a huge pain but at least PB is trying to make it right I guess.

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by 68is4me

The thing I didn't get was that I thought the 1" forward lowers were supposed to work with factory uppers.

They do work with stock uppers. That's exactly how mine is. I don't know what degree my caster is, but I do know it's single digit. I'm running factory 71 Uppers and PB 1" forward lowers.

The narrowed arms won't work with factory uppers.

[68is4me]

Originally Posted by StrokinRat

That’s exactly what’s happened to me. Same degrees on the cast and all. I talked to Nate on Monday and he is going to send me the right ones. I agree it has been a huge pain but at least PB is trying to make it right I guess.

Maybe we got a bad batch. When did you get yours? I think mine came in midsummer of 17. I never really did ask if they sent stock uppers, maybe they were complexly wrong in the 1st place.

[StrokinRat]

Originally Posted by 68is4me

Maybe we got a bad batch. When did you get yours? I think mine came in midsummer of 17. I never really did ask if they sent stock uppers, maybe they were complexly wrong in the 1st place.

I got mine about April 2017. I’m waiting on the measurements to see if I have stock uppers. Suppose to email that today. I’m just ready to get this behind me.

[68is4me]

How did you turn out? I think mine came from the same batch. I see my alignment was done in June 2017 and I know I had them installed a few months before that.

[StrokinRat]

I am still waiting on the replacements. Suppose to be here by Tuesday but I’ll believe that when I have them in my hands.

[68is4me]

How did you ever turn out on the control arms? I had mine realigned a couple of months a go and caster came out at 8 degrees I thought that was really good and left it that way.

[StrokinRat]

Well I got them installed and they look alot better. I had to go with a spacer to keep my rims from hittting the lower arm until I can get new rims. After I got that resolved then I realized the truck sits to low and the tires rub the fenders. So now I have the front end torn down again getting ready to start putting bags on it this weekend. 🙄 it’s always something.