Lowered front wheel alignment problems - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

84Stepper · 12-09-2003, 12:07 AM

Here's the problem, my front wheels keep going out of alignment bad! The wheels are toed out at the bottom real bad. They look broken and the truck pulls hard to the right. Took it to the alignment shop for the 2nd time and he said he shimed it all he could but told me it would not stay. Said I needed a custom control arm or something to correct the problem I created and said it would be big bucks to fix.
Here's what I did: lowered the front with Western C 3" lowering springs and Doetch shocks. Threw the original springs out. Probably should of used spindles and 1" drop springs. What can I do to correct the problem before it goes out again. Thanks!

87 STEPPER · 12-09-2003, 12:53 AM

What you need to do is unbolt the upper A-arm and knock the tie bolts out of the frame and install 2" longer one's and install a 1/2" spacer between the frame and cross shaft put it back togeather leave all the shims out and take it to the alignment shop and now he should be able to have enough adjustment now.

Or go buy some drop spindles and be done with it.

gldevall · 12-09-2003, 10:25 AM

I'd say 1st thing take it another alignment shop. Was the place you took it to any good? There are several around here that do alignments and they suck big time. Then there is this one place that is all they do is front end work and they stay busy....probably fixing the sh!t form these other shops. LOL

87 STEPPER · 12-09-2003, 04:21 PM

You can try what gldevall sugested but another shop will probably tell you the same thing.

In '85 i lowered my '85 stepper this way only because droped spindles wern't out yet and the kit i got gave you longer bolts for the upper control arms and a 1/2" thick spacer and i had to cut a few coils off my factory spring's that was considered a front drop kit back then. cuz droped springs wern't around then either anyway's you have to move the upper control arm back outward's to compensate for the shorter spring and bring the suspsnsion geometry as close to the factory spec's as possible that's why the aligment dude told you he cant install any more shim's.

This is a very crude way of lowering and i wouldn't reccomend it at all. Most people use a droped spring with a droped spindle. And not by it's self and never encounter this problem.

I know you may not be able to afford spindles but that's what you really need to do to fix the truck.

Another thing when i had my '85 lowered that way i was going thru lower A-frames like crazy due to the suspension not being able to clear manhole cover's.

Izzy · 12-09-2003, 05:51 PM

I'm with 87stepper or if you can't do that get some DJM UCA's they give a couple extra degrees for the caster/camber.

**swervin ervin** · 12-09-2003, 06:04 PM

They also make offset upper control arm shafts. On mine, with 2.5 spindles and 1.5 springs, my alignment guy told me I needed the offset shafts. My alignment is perfect, but I couldn't go lower without doing something else. I don't have enough bolt left.

84Stepper · 12-09-2003, 10:21 PM

Ok, sounds like the answer is to put in the spindles. Question...I really don't want the front to go much lower than 3" or 4", but that's about it. I've got the 3" lowered springs in now SO WHAT SIZE SPINDLES do I get that can fix the problem? Is there something I can do to raise the springs to help? I definately can't do the 2.5" like Swervin. Hey Swervin, what about those offset upper control arm shafts, where do I price them and would that fix my problem any easier?

**swervin ervin** · 12-09-2003, 10:38 PM

Advance Auto Parts sells them.

http://www.partsamerica.com/SelectPa...+Chassis+Parts

Yes, they are supposed to fix your problem. I've never used them, just going by what my front end man told me. And this guy knows his stuff. They're not cheap though.

12-09-2003, 12:07 AM	#1
84Stepper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Edmond, Oklahoma Posts: 425	Lowered front wheel alignment problems Here's the problem, my front wheels keep going out of alignment bad! The wheels are toed out at the bottom real bad. They look broken and the truck pulls hard to the right. Took it to the alignment shop for the 2nd time and he said he shimed it all he could but told me it would not stay. Said I needed a custom control arm or something to correct the problem I created and said it would be big bucks to fix. Here's what I did: lowered the front with Western C 3" lowering springs and Doetch shocks. Threw the original springs out. Probably should of used spindles and 1" drop springs. What can I do to correct the problem before it goes out again. Thanks! __________________ 84 Chevy Stepside, 350, TH350, 268h Comp cam, Hooker headers, MSD Pro Billet, Edelbrock Performer manifold and 1604 carb, 40 Series Flowmasters dumped, and Western Chassis 3/5 drop w/ c notch. New 3:73 Eaton Posi

12-09-2003, 12:53 AM	#2
87 STEPPER STILL PLAYS WITH TRUX Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Melbourne, Fla. Posts: 2,764	What you need to do is unbolt the upper A-arm and knock the tie bolts out of the frame and install 2" longer one's and install a 1/2" spacer between the frame and cross shaft put it back togeather leave all the shims out and take it to the alignment shop and now he should be able to have enough adjustment now. Or go buy some drop spindles and be done with it. __________________ ~~Bruce~~ MY 87 STEPPER MY 99 2D/WD TAHOE

12-09-2003, 10:25 AM	#3
gldevall Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Walker, LA Posts: 2,925	I'd say 1st thing take it another alignment shop. Was the place you took it to any good? There are several around here that do alignments and they suck big time. Then there is this one place that is all they do is front end work and they stay busy....probably fixing the sh!t form these other shops. LOL __________________ Gary -1986 SWB: lowered 4/6, SOLD!!! -Best 1/4 mile: 14.51 @ 91.01 MPH -2001 Pewter Tahoe, billet grill, Corsa Sport Cat-back, K&N FIPK SOLD!!! -2004 Z-71 Extended cab with a flowmaster, BDS 6.5", 3" BL, 35x12.5x18 Trail Grapplers on Pro-Comp 18x9 wheels

12-09-2003, 04:21 PM	#4
87 STEPPER STILL PLAYS WITH TRUX Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Melbourne, Fla. Posts: 2,764	You can try what gldevall sugested but another shop will probably tell you the same thing. In '85 i lowered my '85 stepper this way only because droped spindles wern't out yet and the kit i got gave you longer bolts for the upper control arms and a 1/2" thick spacer and i had to cut a few coils off my factory spring's that was considered a front drop kit back then. cuz droped springs wern't around then either anyway's you have to move the upper control arm back outward's to compensate for the shorter spring and bring the suspsnsion geometry as close to the factory spec's as possible that's why the aligment dude told you he cant install any more shim's. This is a very crude way of lowering and i wouldn't reccomend it at all. Most people use a droped spring with a droped spindle. And not by it's self and never encounter this problem. I know you may not be able to afford spindles but that's what you really need to do to fix the truck. Another thing when i had my '85 lowered that way i was going thru lower A-frames like crazy due to the suspension not being able to clear manhole cover's. __________________ ~~Bruce~~ MY 87 STEPPER MY 99 2D/WD TAHOE

12-09-2003, 06:04 PM	#6
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	They also make offset upper control arm shafts. On mine, with 2.5 spindles and 1.5 springs, my alignment guy told me I needed the offset shafts. My alignment is perfect, but I couldn't go lower without doing something else. I don't have enough bolt left. __________________ Mike 1985 Chevy C-10

12-09-2003, 05:51 PM	#5
Izzy Trucker. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,364	I'm with 87stepper or if you can't do that get some DJM UCA's they give a couple extra degrees for the caster/camber.

12-09-2003, 10:21 PM	#7
84Stepper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Edmond, Oklahoma Posts: 425	Ok, sounds like the answer is to put in the spindles. Question...I really don't want the front to go much lower than 3" or 4", but that's about it. I've got the 3" lowered springs in now SO WHAT SIZE SPINDLES do I get that can fix the problem? Is there something I can do to raise the springs to help? I definately can't do the 2.5" like Swervin. Hey Swervin, what about those offset upper control arm shafts, where do I price them and would that fix my problem any easier? __________________ 84 Chevy Stepside, 350, TH350, 268h Comp cam, Hooker headers, MSD Pro Billet, Edelbrock Performer manifold and 1604 carb, 40 Series Flowmasters dumped, and Western Chassis 3/5 drop w/ c notch. New 3:73 Eaton Posi

12-09-2003, 10:38 PM	#8
swervin ervin You get what you pay for Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Cherryville, NC Posts: 4,798	Advance Auto Parts sells them. http://www.partsamerica.com/SelectPa...+Chassis+Parts Yes, they are supposed to fix your problem. I've never used them, just going by what my front end man told me. And this guy knows his stuff. They're not cheap though.



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