northslope

Anyone have "tapemeasure" toe specs for our 2nd gen 3500 4x4's?
I've had it to the aligment shop a couple of times even with the "correct" specs, but they still can't get it right puttin on a new outer t/rod end tomorrow optimum time to set toe. Any specs tips or suggestions for the ol' "driveway alignment"?

Thanks in advance.

wv smoker

1/8 to 1/4 toe in always worked for me........

AMT

1/8 should be want your looking to set the toe at.

northslope

1/8" toe in? Like this \ / right? Down being the front of the truck up being the rear.

amartinson

Yes. Think of it as a person standing, facing forward. Toe in is your toes angled in and toe out is your feet turned so your toes angle out.

amartinson

What problem are you having? If a tech with an alignment rack can't get it right, it is unlikely that the tape measure method will.

northslope

The typical right front tire shred, outer edge of the tire worn to the tread bars, heavily feathered and cupped my alignment guy says I have a weak leaf spring on the driver's side rear thus kicking the axle slightly rearward on the driver's side making the truck dog track hence killing the right front tire. I just want to put it at the semi correct spec when I replace the tie rod end and see what happens. By eyeball the camber looks great right where it should be. I believe my alignment guy and I know how to do front end work just never spent much time on an alignment rack. Gonna build some new leaf packs in a couple of weeks (stackem) cause I believe a 1 ton truck should have 10 leafs (I like a rough ride) not the piddly four plus one I already have.


As usual this forum is very helpful and I greatly appreciate all of your comments and help, thanks again

Hemi Cat

1/8" toe in with the tape measure is good. The RF tire wear is typical of the rear axle out of alignment or set back on the front. You could use a tape to measure the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels, but if you have set back on the front, that will throw off that method. I have a 4 wheel laser alignment set up that works pretty good. It is now an antique compared to the new set ups, but it is still very accurate when calibrated correctly.
If you have bad rear springs or a broken center bolt, that will throw off your rear axle alignment and cause your tire wear on the front. You could also have bad cords on the RF tire too.

mikelr

I'm having a similar problem but on the left front tire (outside of tire is wearing fast and the rest of the tread is feathered badly), could the rear axle alignment be my problemas well?

northslope

That's what my alignment guy told me, he couldn't nail down for sure because he didn't have the dually adapters for his alignment heads. Gotta put the big bore w/cyls in about an hour gonna replace the r/outer t/rod and take some measurements as Hemi Cat said that'll tell the story, sounds like you might have possibly a similar problem, let me know what you find.

linetrash75

I set mine at a short 1/16 and it is wearing perfectly but, I believe we have different steering setup-ups mine is tierod wheel to wheel and a drag link connecting midway between passenger wheel and center of tierod, yours is drag link to passenger spindle, then tierod off drag link to drivers wheel ? if so I've heard they require almost 0 toe-in as they toe-in when the front end comes up when towing or heavy load in box. Hope I helped.

Jed