front end alignment problems
 

OK ok I did a search and still couldn't find the exact answers I need.

2 months ago I cranked the t-bars only 1.5", that right 1.5". Ok so now it needs an alignment. Great I'll just take it to the local Jack Williams. Oops! What a mistake. I get the truck back and it pulls to the left. So back I go. No dice. Still pulling to left. Get pissed, get money back and off to the dealer I go.
Dealer alignment #1 - pulls to the right.
Dealer alignment #2 - still pulling right
Dealer alignment #3 - not defined to pulling to one side, but requiring "sawing" the steering wheel to stay in lane. Dealer says, "Can feel the problem, but truck in Chrysler specs."

Ok so that's 5 alignments between 2 shops and truck will not go in straight line.

WTF is going on?????? I can't believe that lifting those bars that little bit (1.5") messes up the steering this badly. I clearly told both shops that I moved those bars.

Tires are like new. Only about 15k on them. Truck went like it was on rails before cranking t-bars.

I hope someone here has some insight or advice.

Has anyone else had these symptoms after cranking the bars? Should I just suck it up and lower it back to stock height?

No I think your problem is that you are going to a dealer and they are saying that you are within "Chrysler Specs". That seems to be a resounding copout anymore when they either have to exert a little effort on something or it's a warranty issue.

Alignment is "within Chrysler spec", ball joints wobble like hell but are "within Chrysler spec", MegaCab A/C can't cool the cab to under 85* on a 90* day but is "within Chrysler spec".

You get my point, take it to a real alignment shop!!! I only let 4 Wheel Parts align my truck (and Jeep now that I lifted it), not that I'm a huge fan of 4 Wheel Parts, but I trusted them to do my gears/LSD, and I know they have the expertise and equipment to do lifted trucks.

Stay away from the dealer, go to an axle shop or some place that does lifts. Not the corner tire store that pumps out 13" tires on Hyundai's all day long too. I bet if you go to a real shop, you'll get a decent alignment and can keep your level kit...

Find a place that specializes in alignments for lifted trucks. They will measure everything to set it correctly. Factory specs will not work on a lifted truck

Hey guys,

Could a bad tire be causing all this grief?

It just occurred to me that I rotated the tires the day before the lift. I remember after the 1st alignment that the truck pulled left. I came home and swapped the front tires side to side and the truck has pulled to the right since then. I forgot all about this little detail.

What could be wrong with a tire to cause pulling?

Uh yeah... of course a bad tire would produce these symptoms despite an alignment. My only issue is after the first trip to the dealer, you'd think they'd check for a tire issue, no?

I think after seeing me in there week after week, they just wanted me out of their face. However, I did tell them that I lifted the bars and rotated the tires. DAMNIT... I was so sure it could be an alignment I forgot all about the tires.

I guess I'll be out in the garage tonight, switching the tires around again and see if that helps.

I had a belt separation on a Goodyear Wrangler about fifteen years ago on my Dodge Raider, drove me nuts, almost impossible to tell by looking at it. 8k miles on the tire, my LAST Goodyear tire EVER! Tire dealer did NOTHING about it for warranty, stating it "was not a manufacturing defect". That was the second tire company I "fired" after having cupping and out of round issues with BFGs. Twas the start of my continued purchases of Mickey Thompson/Dick Cepek tires until recently when I put a set of Nittos on my Jeep (price was too hard to turn down).
It still could be a useless dealership, but now that you've given the insight of a tire rotation at the same time, you need to rule it out, anyway...

I went out and rotated the tires after my last post. Then drove to school. ahhhh.....much better. There's definately a bad tire on my truck. I get vibra-ass at 70mph now. But it tracks straight as an arrow. Damn I have Bridgestone Revos, I thought they were a good tire. Came with the truck. New tires really aren't in the budget at the moment.


On a side note: I had a set of Dick Cepek Fun Country II's on a previous Ram. You want to talk traction? I felt like I could climb walls with those things. Expensive? Yes. Awesome tire, worth every penny? You bet.