Front end alignment

[pontiacvince]

I've had my Suburban aligned at 2 different shops. The first had no clue how to align a '71 Chevy Suburban with 2" lowering springs and a quicker ratio steering box. They had attempts to get it right. It just plowed when turned all the way in either direction, and at highway speed wanted to wander all over the place. The second shop got it much closer (after 2 attempts). It still feels twitchy on the highway. All other suspension is new and stock replacement. I never had such a hard time getting a vehicle aligned properly in my life, and it's not like it's some exotic foreign POS. It's a FU%^ING Chevy!!!
Any suggestions appreciated.

[HO455]

Did you replace suspension parts or have it done? I would check to see if the center link is installed correctly. Do a search for pictures to confirm if yours is correct. This a common error that lots of us have encountered as the center link will fit both ways.

The quicker ratio box won't make a difference.

Can you post the alignment settings they finished with?

[pontiacvince]

I installed all the new parts after measuring my old parts to get it close. Here are pics of the pitman arm, center link, and idler arm and a pic of the final specs.

[HO455]

I can't tell for sure from your photos, does your centerlink look like the one in this thread, with the inner tie rod nuts pointed forward?

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=738284

[67C10Step]

Looks like the center link is backwards. The tie rod ends should enter from the back with the nut on the front. If it is on backward that is most likely the issue with your steering issues.

[pontiacvince]

Mine is with the nuts to the rear. So I need to remove it and flip it around?

[67C10Step]

Originally Posted by pontiacvince

Mine is with the nuts to the rear. So I need to remove it and flip it around?

I would say yes. The inner tie rods should enter from the rear with the studs towards the front and nuts on the front. Twitchy steering is a common issue then the center link is backwards. I think it’s actually easier to install backwards and actually did mine that way when I first but it back together but caught it before I ever drove the truck.

[pontiacvince]

Originally Posted by 67C10Step

I would say yes. The inner tie rods should enter from the rear with the studs towards the front and nuts on the front. Twitchy steering is a common issue then the center link is backwards. I think it’s actually easier to install backwards and actually did mine that way when I first but it back together but caught it before I ever drove the truck.

Thanks! This has been driving me crazy. I remember turning it around because I thought it fit better. I'll flip it first thing in the morning.

[Ironangel]

Originally Posted by pontiacvince

Mine is with the nuts to the rear. So I need to remove it and flip it around?

Yes, nuts go forward! And I'll add this...I have never taken my trucks to any alignment shop for the reason you just experienced. Swap that center link around and check your toe in. To do that you need two small floor jacks that will fit underneath the lower ball joint on each side, cut a hole in a 3/4" piece of plywood to miss the grease sert or remove the sert. Jack each tire up until they just clear the floor. Before I go any further I'm wondering where the steering wheel sits when your going straight down the road, is it centered like it's supposed to be or clocked left or right? You indicated that a faster ratio steering box was installed. Was it centered up with the wheel and evenly between stops? You need to do that first, then set the toe in. Center the steering gear between stops first regardless of where the steering wheel is.(do this while the wheels are just off the ground, once centered, lower the jacks and put the wheels down to hold the steering gear) Then remove the steering wheel (without moving the centered steering gear) and reattach it centered up. It dont matter how you do it but lock the steering wheel in place with a 2x4 and bungies, or use zip ties, whatever is handy to lock the wheel from turning left or right. Now jack the tires up where they just clear the floor. Are both tires square with the rear tires? They should be both inline with the rear wheels. Snap a line on the floor if you need to because they need to be within a fraction of an inch of being inline with the rear. If they are not, center them up using the adjusting collars between the inner and outer tie rod ends. Use this method on both sides until both tires are inline with the rear and pointing straight down the road. Using a nail or a paint marker, maybe a silver sharpie to scribe a line on the tires, right on the tread face of each tire while the tires are spinning on their bearings. The lines are for measuring the toe in, you take a measurement at the front of the tire, and one at the rear. The front should be 1/8" of an inch narrower than the rear. Once you've got that measurement, whatever it may be, it don't matter as long as the front of them tires are slightly toed in the truck will track straight without wandering. Dont go over an 1/8th or they'll begin to scrub. Take the truck out for a spin and see how she steers and feels, make sure the steering wheel is still centered. You may need to turn both adjusting collars 1 turn left or right to center the wheel. That's it! It's not rocket science...Get a set of drop spindles to lower the front because the steering and suspension geometry stays the same. Lowering springs change everything including the camber which causes the tire to wear unevenly.

[HO455]

♤ What he said.
I will add my tip for centering the steering wheel. Take two 1 inch pieces of masking tape and put one on the top of the steering steering column next to the wheel and place the other one next to it on the wheel. Then grab a pencil and go for a ride.

Find a nice flat straight road to drive down. Once your confident the truck is driving straight draw a line across both pieces of tape. (Like in my crude photo representation with the green line.)

Once back at the shop you can park the truck and carefully align the 2 marks. Now you are sure the front wheels are pointing straight ahead and you can pull the wheel and reinstall it level.

[Rods]

Flip

[kwmech]

Yup.......backwards. We see this on the website a few times a year. Happens to the best of us. Flip it around and take it back to the alignment shop and everything should be good after that. A good alignment guy should have caught that the geometry was way off. With the center link flipped, it throws all the links out of parallel.

[pontiacvince]

Thanks again for all the help! It's pouring rain right now, or I would have already flipped the center link this morning.

[Accelo]

The alignment will be off after flipping the center link. Well the toe in will be off the rest is unchanged. I know as I did the same thing.
Three alignments and the alignment shop never found it till I told them (thanks to the board). One would think it was obvious, when driven, as they plow terribly with the center link backwards. I could hardly push the empty frame, expect straight forward and back, with the link backwards. Remember nuts forward.

[LNP]

Any alignment shop worth its salt can remove the steering wheel and install it straight for you while its on the alignment rack. That way you know its straight. If they wont I would worry about the rest of the alignment as the steering wheel is the easy part. We did it in the shop I worked in for years. We even chisel marked it for the customer so if they have to pull it for any reason they could get it right back where it was.

[pontiacvince]

Originally Posted by Accelo

The alignment will be off after flipping the center link. Well the toe in will be off the rest is unchanged. I know as I did the same thing.
Three alignments and the alignment shop never found it till I told them (thanks to the board). One would think it was obvious, when driven, as they plow terribly with the center link backwards. I could hardly push the empty frame, expect straight forward and back, with the link backwards. Remember nuts forward.

I just took the Suburban to the alignment shop and explained the situation to them. They say as long as it's just a toe adjustment, there will be no charge.
In the rain, the "plowing is WAY worse. Should get it done tomorrow.

[pontiacvince]

Originally Posted by LNP

Any alignment shop worth its salt can remove the steering wheel and install it straight for you while its on the alignment rack. That way you know its straight. If they wont I would worry about the rest of the alignment as the steering wheel is the easy part. We did it in the shop I worked in for years. We even chisel marked it for the customer so if they have to pull it for any reason they could get it right back where it was.

The steering wheel isn't the problem. It's straight. I made sure of that when I installed the new pitman arm.

[LS short box]

Back many years ago I was a chev line tech and some how became the alignment guy. GM trucks and cars of that era are a piece cake to align. Just moving shims around.
One thing I would suggest is try having the shop dial in more caster. Maybe 3-4 degrees? Back in the day your truck came with bias ply tires. Todays tires like more caster.

[LNP]

Originally Posted by pontiacvince

The steering wheel isn't the problem. It's straight. I made sure of that when I installed the new pitman arm.

I knew that wasnt the issue. I seen where it was pointed out to you the center link was on backwards and you verified it. And had planned to correct it. I also had read where they were giving tips to straighten the steering wheel once the alignment is done. I was just offering my tips/point on that as well. As a guy that aligned older vehicles I know they could have had the steering wheel removed for turn signal replacement or whatever and not put back where it came from. So then once the alignment is done, which makes the pitman and idler arm straight with the frame the steering wheel be way off. If yours is good to go great. Anyway I was just trying to help

[Bigdav160]

Originally Posted by LS short box

Back many years ago I was a chev line tech and some how became the alignment guy. GM trucks and cars of that era are a piece cake to align. Just moving shims around.
One thing I would suggest is try having the shop dial in more caster. Maybe 3-4 degrees? Back in the day your truck came with bias ply tires. Todays tires like more caster.

QFT. The Hunter printout above is showing 2 degrees caster. That isn't enough for radial ply tires.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

QFT. The Hunter printout above is showing 2 degrees caster. That isn't enough for radial ply tires.

^^Agreed.^^

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=501241
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ght=caster+mod

I would also target NEG. .5 Camber to help keep the tires planted around corners. There is no additional tire wear vs. the OE spec of zero to POS. .5 Camber.
Big difference going around a sweeping corner though.....

[pontiacvince]

BIG thanks to everyone for all the help! Got the center link flipped around and it drives COMPLETELY different. Like it is supposed to.
Lesson learned: Pay more attention to the way things come apart. Thanks again, guys!!!

[HO455]

Good to hear it was a simple fix.

[1969SurvivorC20CST]

I've completed over 10,000 alignments on 2 different Hunter machines since March 99 and I have seen this exact issue with full size and S10 pickups where the owners did the exact same thing. I agree with inputting a bit more caster. Power steering cares less. Dave