I took my truck to 4 Wheel Parts for a front end shakedown. Good news is my gear box is good, but I need all new tie-rod ends, track bar, damper, and lower ball joints. My upper ball joints are still good, but figured I'd replace them while I've got it apart. My last alignment was done by NTB, and they had to use adjustable ball joints to get it aligned correctly. I'd rather go with non-adjustable ball joints. Are there any other parts I could use to help with camber if I go with non-adjustable? I will be buying all Moog parts from O'Reillys and taking the truck to 4 Wheel Parts for the alignment after I install the parts. The adjustable ball joints are twice the price of non-adjustable.

 

At one point, the adjustable BJ were recommended for mine. I told BrakeCheck (lifetime alignment) to go back and align it again. Afterwards and even w/the lift mine drives great w/the factory BJ.

 

They were also recommended to me but I just adjusted my cambolts and it drives good again. When I do replace them I will probably get adjustible ones though.

 

Buy a life time alignment from Firestone. Get adjustable ball joints if camber isn't in specs. The adjustables require a competent front end person to get them right. Competence is frequently lacking so anything you can do to idiot proof the process helps. Before you go, add all of the caster possible at the eccentrics. The $8/hr monkeys with the front end machine want to argue (& not do anything to repair) if it's "in specs" regardless of how much it wanders. I had mine on the machine 5 times before it drove straight without wandering. I was ahead price wise after the 2nd time. Now, I put it back on the machine every 2nd tire balance. Ask them to print an extra copy of the final specs for your records. The machine dumps them perhaps at the next alignment.

 

This may be a stupid question, but can you adjust the adjustable ball joints once they are pressed in? Or do they have to set at a certain mark while you press them in?

Where are the eccentrics? The only eccentrics that I'm aware of are on the lower control arms.

 

i had the adjustables on for about 80k didnt do much difference in replacement time so i went back to nons wasnt worth the money IMO

 

But what if the alignment shop tells you that can't align it without adjustables?

 

I never received a response to this question. Does anyone have input?

 

then try another alignment shop, stock is non-adjustable so it can be done. My last alignment was the new lazer alignment & they did a good job no uneven wear on my toyos so far

 

Could this be the reason for using offset balljoints?



This is a picture of the eccentric cam bolt on the lower control arm. Half of the washer is not in the channel. Why would an alignment shop do this?

 

After I had a chat with the rep. over the phone at Frisbee in Ottawa, Canada who told me that they would adjust the caster to 4.5, I brought my truck in to get the alignment check and get the caster adjusted to 4.5. After they checked they told me that the truck was within specs and there's no need to adj the caster. They simply didn't want to do the caster adjustment. I was mad and 100$ off. The truck still wander. Any suggestion anyone in the Ottawa region where I can bring in my truck where they have descent experience?

 

I have a friend with a lift so had him adjust to max caster. You will need a long breaker bar & the lift made the process easier. It quit wandering. Caster is a non-wear spec so you can max it out w/o tearing up your tires. I set 1 side slightly more (forgot which way caster pulls - look it up before you set) to compensate for road crown. I haven't had it back on a machine but it doesn't wander or wear tires. Rear axel is cocked & I want to try adjusting before taking it to the shop.

 

The adjustables set camber and can not be changed unless you loosen the nuts. An allen wrench fits into the ball joint opposite where the nut cranks down & is used to rotate the joint in it's socket. If camber is within specs, you don't need offset ball joints. Reason shops don't like them is it took a friend of mine (60 yr old outstanding mechanic) 2 hrs to get 1 set right because the joint had to be taken apart so many times. Take a look at them when you're in the parts store & you'll understand the process.

 

I've got one just like this. Would a shop set it this way, or did it come out for another reason?

Probably going in for alignment on Thursday and I'm getting nasty wear on the outer edge of my passenger front.

 

I'd go back to the shop and have a few choice words for the manager. There is no reason for that except stupidity. I adjusted mine in my driveway and only took 10 min.