I did the wrenching on the parts: upper/lower ball joints, tie rod ends, center link and idler arm and centered the gear box before setting a rough alignment at home (caster maxed, camber zeroed with a bubble level, 1/16" toe-in) which let me drive it until I could get in for an appointment a week later.

I gave specific instructions to center the steering box, align the steering wheel before alignment ... after that I can only assume it was done to OEM specs (for bias-ply tires) which doesn't have enough caster for the radials I have on now.

As I stated previously, I've had this same problem on two other Dodges, both D-150's.

Budd

 

I would lift the front end up off the ground and see if it's still there. I think you may need somebody to listen/feel and see if they can pinpoint where the noise is coming from when the wheel is turned. When the front end components where replaced did you get greasable parts? Was it greased since they where put in? Where the control arm bushings replaced? You may want to take the truck back to who did the alignment on it and see if they will look at it with out charging you and see what they say.

 

Lifting the front end by the factory recommended lift points, or the crossmember, results in a severe angle change between the strut rod and the angled steering stop on the spindle and then you have an entirely different contact point, if at all.

Running the front end up on ramps, which would approximate the ride height, isn't an option because I've seen in my 69 years the results of that: cars and trucks falling off the ramps!!!!

Yes, I got greasable parts ... stop insulting my experience as a mechanic since I have made a living as one ... and I wasn't trained at one of the tech mills but, over the years, by several old school true mechanics that repair things and not just throw parts at the problem.

Do you know how to pour babbit bearings for a 47 Chevy inline 6??? I do.

The repairs have less than 1000 miles on the parts ... PLUS I greased them as I installed them because the manufacturers crank them out at thousands per hour and for that reason they occasionally fail to get grease at the factory.

The next greasing is scheduled for April or at 2000 miles, which ever comes first.

Control arm bushings are in good shape with very little surface cracking on the rubber and no slop or deformations (not to mention the alignment shop would have refused to do the alignment if the bushings were questionable) ... the truck was a service truck for a company and the front bushings, along with the rear leaf spring bushings, appear to have been replaced less than 50,000 miles ago (the truck has only 110,000 miles on it).

Again, I repeat, I took the truck to a reputable shop, not some discount, fly-by-night box store shop with employees that were the only ones still sober enough to sit up straight in the gutter, but I won't tell the 25 years experience alignment technician at the reputable shop what you said.

The only difficulty I've had with the alignment has been that bias-ply tires need less caster to return to center than radials and that is not the shop's mistake as I didn't have the radials on it when the alignment was done.

Budd

 

You wont be getting much more help with your attitude. Everyone is here to help you and no one knows your experience level or years of wrenching capabilities, frankly, no one really cares. You are asking questions, people are responding with their past experiences and ideas. No one is intentionally trying to insult you. Lighten up.

 

How about this, sir, my attitude is because others are insulting me after I've mentioned my experience as being an old school mechanic for 55 years.

Or better yet, unsubscribe me as I've had my fill of idiotic replies to a serious question.

 

Good luck to you good sir. You sound like a very angry man. Hope you find peace in your life.

 

ah, typical of "moderated" forums, the newbie is always wrong.

 

Now, how about telling me how to unregister from this socially inept forum that cannot tell when someone is being insulted.

And, yes, since I can't find an easy way to unregister, I am angry now.