Offroad-Express

So my truck is still pulling (drifting) left. Wheel alignment tells me that the castor on the left is at 0.58', while the castor on the right is at 1.15' . So does this mean it is the drag link (as I have been told by a couple of people). I'm getting a whole heap of different opinions, such as: sloppy steering box, king pin bearing, steering damper, castor bushes out of alignment, brakes sticking, bent chassis etc. I just had wheel bearing adjusted as well. I just want to be sure before I pay someone to fix something or buy a new part for it. its only a 2 inch lift ffs. Any suggestions?

thanks.

will definitely pull left if the caster is 58 degrees on that side

derk wrote:will definitely pull left if the caster is 58 degrees on that side

But does that mean the bushes need re-aligning? Or Would something else cause that?

the LH caster cant be 58 degrees its usually around 1-5 degrees depending on lift and tyre size its running

derk wrote:the LH caster cant be 58 degrees its usually around 1-5 degrees depending on lift and tyre size its running

My bad, 0.58 degrees

yeh but .58 degrees isnt much less as its normally done to 60 minutes, so .58 derees is almost 1 degree, where as your other side is only 1.15 degrees.

hachi_roku wrote:yeh but .58 degrees isnt much less as its normally done to 60 minutes, so .58 derees is almost 1 degree, where as your other side is only 1.15 degrees.

Oh okay. so castor cant be causing the pulling then? What would be the next thing to look at?

is it drifting or pulling?

it should have a drift to the left i normally believe that between 1 and 2 lamp posts are acceptable before having to correct it although that also depends on the speed you are doing.

if it is a acceptable drift left then its set up how it should be, and also remember our roads are cambered to the left so a natural drift to the left is normal.

if it is pulling then it could be radial pull, one way to find out is to rotate the front tyres from left to right. if the vehicle then starts to pull right then you will need to flip the tyre on the rim that was put on the right side, that will solve the issue.

what is the camber sitting at? camber can also influence how a vehicle pulls one way.

In a perfect wheel alignment the castor needs to be half a degree or slightly more on the left side and also the camber needs to be more positve on the right side than the left to compensate for the left cambered road. some roads are cambered more than others so you will find that certain roads cause more drift than others.

but due to not being able to do anything with the camber, castor correction bushes would be a option to increase the castor on the left to try and counteract the road camber.

mud_slinger wrote:is it drifting or pulling?

it should have a drift to the left i normally believe that between 1 and 2 lamp posts are acceptable before having to correct it although that also depends on the speed you are doing.

if it is a acceptable drift left then its set up how it should be, and also remember our roads are cambered to the left so a natural drift to the left is normal.

if it is pulling then it could be radial pull, one way to find out is to rotate the front tyres from left to right. if the vehicle then starts to pull right then you will need to flip the tyre on the rim that was put on the right side, that will solve the issue.

what is the camber sitting at? camber can also influence how a vehicle pulls one way.

In a perfect wheel alignment the castor needs to be half a degree or slightly more on the left side and also the camber needs to be more positve on the right side than the left to compensate for the left cambered road. some roads are cambered more than others so you will find that certain roads cause more drift than others.

but due to not being able to do anything with the camber, castor correction bushes would be a option to increase the castor on the left to try and counteract the road camber.

Its more of a drift, I let go of the wheel then it drifts left quite relatively quickly (have to correct within a couple of seconds) but its not a harsh pull. It still pulls/drifts left when road is flat, so I don't think its all the camber of the road.

Camber on front is 0.07 on the left and -0.07 on the right.

I already have castor bushes, but they are adjustable, can be adjusted to a 2" or 3" lift I believe. Would this be an option?

luxsurf wrote:

mud_slinger wrote:is it drifting or pulling?

it should have a drift to the left i normally believe that between 1 and 2 lamp posts are acceptable before having to correct it although that also depends on the speed you are doing.

if it is a acceptable drift left then its set up how it should be, and also remember our roads are cambered to the left so a natural drift to the left is normal.

if it is pulling then it could be radial pull, one way to find out is to rotate the front tyres from left to right. if the vehicle then starts to pull right then you will need to flip the tyre on the rim that was put on the right side, that will solve the issue.

what is the camber sitting at? camber can also influence how a vehicle pulls one way.

In a perfect wheel alignment the castor needs to be half a degree or slightly more on the left side and also the camber needs to be more positve on the right side than the left to compensate for the left cambered road. some roads are cambered more than others so you will find that certain roads cause more drift than others.

but due to not being able to do anything with the camber, castor correction bushes would be a option to increase the castor on the left to try and counteract the road camber.

Its more of a drift, I let go of the wheel then it drifts left quite relatively quickly (have to correct within a couple of seconds) but its not a harsh pull. It still pulls/drifts left when road is flat, so I don't think its all the camber of the road.

Camber on front is 0.07 on the left and -0.07 on the right.

I already have castor bushes, but they are adjustable, can be adjusted to a 2" or 3" lift I believe. Would this be an option?

Your castor bushes arent adjustable, they either come setup for 2" or 3" when your buy them.. but with the camber and castor figures you have will cause the drift to the left. You can get offset kingpin bearings that can be set to compensate for the difference, but they take a lot of stuffing around to set them up. or just run 10psi less in the right front haha

hachi_roku wrote:

luxsurf wrote:

mud_slinger wrote:is it drifting or pulling?

it should have a drift to the left i normally believe that between 1 and 2 lamp posts are acceptable before having to correct it although that also depends on the speed you are doing.

if it is a acceptable drift left then its set up how it should be, and also remember our roads are cambered to the left so a natural drift to the left is normal.

if it is pulling then it could be radial pull, one way to find out is to rotate the front tyres from left to right. if the vehicle then starts to pull right then you will need to flip the tyre on the rim that was put on the right side, that will solve the issue.

what is the camber sitting at? camber can also influence how a vehicle pulls one way.

In a perfect wheel alignment the castor needs to be half a degree or slightly more on the left side and also the camber needs to be more positve on the right side than the left to compensate for the left cambered road. some roads are cambered more than others so you will find that certain roads cause more drift than others.

but due to not being able to do anything with the camber, castor correction bushes would be a option to increase the castor on the left to try and counteract the road camber.

Its more of a drift, I let go of the wheel then it drifts left quite relatively quickly (have to correct within a couple of seconds) but its not a harsh pull. It still pulls/drifts left when road is flat, so I don't think its all the camber of the road.

Camber on front is 0.07 on the left and -0.07 on the right.

I already have castor bushes, but they are adjustable, can be adjusted to a 2" or 3" lift I believe. Would this be an option?

Your castor bushes arent adjustable, they either come setup for 2" or 3" when your buy them.. but with the camber and castor figures you have will cause the drift to the left. You can get offset kingpin bearings that can be set to compensate for the difference, but they take a lot of stuffing around to set them up. or just run 10psi less in the right front haha

Yeah mate they are adjustable, they are the new ironman ones : http://www.rangemotors.es/store/images/ ... eader1.jpg

Might have to get someone to look at it, might be that the king pin bearings are shot anyway? (sees alot of water). Could it be the draglink being to short now?

those bushes are a good idea... but your drag link shouldnt be the problem... im factory everything in my 80, and i have a 4" lift, 3 degreee bushes, new bushes throughout the whole truck and not issues apart from my panhards are a little out of line.
Ive also rebuilt my whole front end when i threw the locker and part time in.

the drag link wont be the issue at all nor will a sloppy steering box, its the geometry that is causing it, increase the castor on the left and see wat the outcome is. if you want i can have a look at it and do the alignment if need be

Wonder if it worth trying to mive the castor up 3 degrees on both sides. This will put one side to 4.15 and the other side 3.65 and the relative difference between then will reduce. Currently one side almost has twice as much castor as the other side. Should make it want to drive straighter with more castor as well.

this is way out there.. But being a solid axle and the caster should be the same..? then possibly a bent axle ? unless kingpins are buggered and sloppy, steering arm not set right.. but having a wheel aligned should have picked that up.. Tire pressure all good, caster should only affect how sensitive it drives.. there would be no camber..? how can there be any..? only thing left.. is it bent..? or a knuckle bent ? not even sure how to check it too..lol.. Just putting it out there..

the castor would never be the same even from factory there is always going to be camber, plus its a old truck things wear bushes get shagged shit gets a hammering