Positive Camber from ball joint replacement?

[irongun324]

So a month or so ago, had an alignment done, before I realized my ball joints were shot. Last weekend I replaced the ball joints with Moog parts, and after reassembly, i have some obvious positive camber on both wheels.

Is this normal? Did the alignment shop compensate for bad ball joints and now it's over done?

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by irongun324

Is this normal? Did the alignment shop compensate for bad ball joints and now it's over done?

It is possible, but usually they inspect for worn parts before making any adjustments. They make their money from those parts.

Wait, I just realized that this is the 4x4 forum...Duh.

Something is funny here... assuming that you are refering to the 88 burb in your signature. That would be a straight axle truck, so there really isn't much that most alignment shops can do to it anyway.
Other than "toe", there is nothing that is actually an "adjustment". Caster and camber are essentially "built-in", they can be adjusted, but it is generally to compensate for damage....not part of routine maintenence.

[Zoomad75]

Longhair is on the money. First why would an alignment shop proceed with an alignment if worn parts are on the truck? Settings would change as soon as you rolled it off the rack. I don't understand why shops do that. That being said camber is not an adjustable setting on a solid axle truck. You can tweak caster with a wedge between the housing and the spring, but camber itself is dictated by positioning of the inner "C" of the axle upper and lower ball joints. Seeing as how it's hard to put a ball joint in wrong to effect camber, the housing itself might be tweaked. Now that you've got ball joints in it, I'd see if the shop would put it back on the rack and recheck it to know for sure.

[turp mcspray]

When you replaced the upper ball joints, were the threaded sleeves still there? There is an off-set sleeve that they can replace it with that will allow for some camber adjustment.

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

When you replaced the upper ball joints, were the threaded sleeves still there? There is an off-set sleeve that they can replace it with that will allow for some camber adjustment.

I've seen those for the twin-traction beam Fords, but not for straight axle front ends?
The sleeve is actually part of the torque (installation sequence), so you couldn't just rotate it to where you wanted....The sleeve is not much bigger than the taper of the ball joint, so it couldn't be off-set by much anyway...

[turp mcspray]

I had a 72 4x4 chevy once that had one in one side. That's the only reason I know they exist. My alignment guy pointed it out to me. When I replaced the ball joints, I replaced it with the regular threaded sleeve.

[TheWhiteElephant]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

I had a 72 4x4 chevy once that had one in one side. That's the only reason I know they exist. My alignment guy pointed it out to me. When I replaced the ball joints, I replaced it with the regular threaded sleeve.

Yep, Turp is right. BUT, they are generally only used to compensate for damage elsewhere, likely to the housing. A truck shouldn't "need" them. They come in different degrees. Otherwise known as camber/caster bushings...

[irongun324]

Yes, both uppers from Moog has these sleeves, and that crossed my mind as being a potential culprit too.

Either way, I took it back to the shop, they fixed the toe alignment, and the camber doesn't seem as bad now (both sides were inches out on toe supposedly, dont see how that's possible unless they did a horrible job last time).

It still seems noticeable to me, but according to the shop they are within spec, or not far enough out to cause a problem. But as you've all said, it cant e adjusted readily anyway.

I tried to place those sleeves approximately where the old ones were, as there aren't placement instructions with the package.

[TheWhiteElephant]

Originally Posted by irongun324

Yes, both uppers from Moog has these sleeves, and that crossed my mind as being a potential culprit too.

Either way, I took it back to the shop, they fixed the toe alignment, and the camber doesn't seem as bad now (both sides were inches out on toe supposedly, dont see how that's possible unless they did a horrible job last time).

It still seems noticeable to me, but according to the shop they are within spec, or not far enough out to cause a problem. But as you've all said, it cant e adjusted readily anyway.

I tried to place those sleeves approximately where the old ones were, as there aren't placement instructions with the package.

The Moogs I got had about 4 small sheets of instructions on them. Someone probably took the ones in your box. I followed the instructions on the '73 assembly manual I have, but the Chilton's and Haynes manuals have them also.