Alignment Issues

[boulky12]

Hey guys. So ever since I installed my 2 inch lowering springs, my trucks been pulling to the right.

Before I changed the springs it drove straight as an arrow.

The way I did it was I removed the u-bolts from the lower control arm and lowered the control arm.

When I put I put the new springs in, I made sure everything was lined up and even.

When I first drove it after the new springs installed, with No alignment, It pulled to the right but it wasnt all that bad.

Then I did an alignment myself on the Hunter alignment machine @ my school. I just did the toe because caster and camber looked fine.

After driving it, it was okay, but it gradually got worse, still pulling to the right.

So today I took it to an alignment shop. They threw it on their hunter and did the same thing I did before. They did the toe and left the camber and caster alone cause it looked fine.

After driving it, it pulled even worse! It's never pulled this bad and now my steering wheel is off. The shop said I can bring it back in tomorrow morning and they'll take another look at it.

If you guys have any ideas I'd really appreciate the help. Thanks

[winky]

not sure on your problem but the steering wheel is probably because they didnt lock it when doing the alignment

[boulky12]

not sure on your problem but the steering wheel is probably because they didnt lock it when doing the alignment

Well that's messed up cause I actually saw the guy put the steering wheel holder on the steering wheel.

[1967KaiserM715]

brake line isn't pinching? hanging caliper that just happened to show up at this time? that's my initial thought, a infrared thermometer would help to determine if one side is hotter then the other.

Forget what I said about Drag link(trying to order them for my truck..I fail at multi tasking)

[boulky12]

brake line isn't pinching? hanging caliper that just happened to show up at this time? that's my initial thought, a infrared thermometer would help to determine if one side is hotter then the other.

Forget what I said about Drag link(trying to order them for my truck..I fail at multi tasking)

I never thought it could be the brakes but I'll check it out sometime.

[FlatBlack77]

brake line isn't pinching? hanging caliper that just happened to show up at this time? that's my initial thought, a infrared thermometer would help to determine if one side is hotter then the other.

I had this exact problem a few weeks ago on my K10. it would come and go slightly so i figured it was the road. then one morning it got really bad and was trying to send me into the ditch when i hit the brakes. when i stopped the one side was hot and the other wasnt. replaced the caliper and needless to say, it was fine after that

[Irish_Alley]

one way to test for a sticking breaks is to jack the front end up and press the brakes hard. then get out and try turning the wheels. or do the same thing with a helper

[boulky12]

one way to test for a sticking breaks is to jack the front end up and press the brakes hard. then get out and try turning the wheels. or do the same thing with a helper

Alright cool. Ill try that out once I get time to mess with the truck.

I went back to the alignment shop this morning and they said my front left tire pressure was @ 50 which I found kinda hard to believe cuz I'm sure I've checked the pressure before, since I got them. So because of that they said the tire is now bulging and I'm gonna have to get a new one.

I'm gonna try switching the tires and see what happens. If what they told me was true, at least something should happen when I switch them.

[VileZambonie]

If you have access to a Hunter, why are you taking it anywhere? You have exactly what you need right there. Did you perform the pre-alignment inspections? The very first thing you should have done was inspected the tires and set the pressures, check ride height, check over the steering, suspension (wheel bearings and brakes) and verify nothing moved or is loose from the installation of the springs. After you mount the heads and perform runout compensation, perform the caster sweep and take a screenshot of the results. If Cater/Camber truly are in spec, set the toe using win-toe. This will ensure the wheel is straight.

[boulky12]

If you have access to a Hunter, why are you taking it anywhere? You have exactly what you need right there.

Trust me if I could I would but I'm out of school @ the moment.

Today I decided to try switching the 2 front wheels. After I got the wheels in the air I tried pressing the brakes then turning the wheels like Irish said. They both turned evenly so all good there. While taking the wheels off I did noticed my drivers side tire had a bulge on the outside of it, in one spot, like the guy @ the alignment shop had said.

After I switched the 2 tires the truck now pulls veery slightly to the left. It's Completely more tolerable than before.

I'm glad this was just because of a tire and nothing else, but how the heck did my tire get the bulge out of nowhere while I was changing my coil springs? Because she drove completely straight before that.

My brother said something about the wires on the inside of the tire broke in that one spot? Is that possible. The tires in the front do seem to be one of the cheaper brands the you don't hear of. They are Aurora Radial H715's

And is it okay to drive with the tire bulge. Will it wear out suspension components quicker or will the tire have a greater chance of blowing out? I really wouldn't want that. I drive on the highway a lot.

Thank you everybody for your help!

[zieg85]

If you have access to a Hunter, why are you taking it anywhere? You have exactly what you need right there.

And is it okay to drive with the tire bulge.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!
And chance a blow out, cause an accident, or worse...  Park it until you replace that tire PLEASE!!!!

[boulky12]

If you have access to a Hunter, why are you taking it anywhere? You have exactly what you need right there.

And is it okay to drive with the tire bulge.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!
And chance a blow out, cause an accident, or worse...  Park it until you replace that tire PLEASE!!!!

Yeah now that I've done some research on tire bulges, I think thats what I'm gonna have to do, which sucks.

But oh well better safe than sorry.

[zieg85]

[/quote]
Yeah now that I've done some research on tire bulges, I think thats what I'm gonna have to do, which sucks.

But oh well better safe than sorry.
[/quote]

I would let the air out as well, they can blow just sitting there... I've had it happen on 2 occasions on LT tires, sounded like a M-80 going off

[LTZ C20]

I was in the back parking lot of work one day, middle of the afternoon, when all of a sudden BOOOOOM! Techs came out of the shop wondering what it was. I searched the whole parking lot for blown tires, found nothing, watched the security camera recordings, nothing. Then I found what it was. One of the tech's has a early 90's 2wd gmc standard cab, swb, the spare tire just exploded. The SPARE, never even been used and it just popped one sunny day. Sounded like a hand grenade going off.

[zieg85]

I was in the back parking lot of work one day, middle of the afternoon, when all of a sudden BOOOOOM! Techs came out of the shop wondering what it was. I searched the whole parking lot for blown tires, found nothing, watched the security camera recordings, nothing. Then I found what it was. One of the tech's has a early 90's 2wd gmc standard cab, swb, the spare tire just exploded. The SPARE, never even been used and it just popped one sunny day. Sounded like a hand grenade going off.

Yep I bought a 91 C2500 Suburban and uncovered the brand new looking LT235 85/16.  It was very low on air.  I pumped it up to 80 and rolled it around and left it by my chains in the garage.  I only carried a spare on trips, not around town.  Months go by and it sounded like a bomb went off.  I posted a picture on here just after it happened...