P

Peter

Guest
Due to collision damage right front lower ball joint has been pushed back
about 3cm (1 inch), torsion bar is also warped a little bit. As a result my
RF caster is now negative (LF is ok). It looks like LBJ is mounted solid to
the frame and cannot be pushed back without some heavy machinery - please
correct me if I'm wrong - but I could move UBJ backwards to correct the
caster problem. Will this have any unwanted side-effects? Any other ideas?

TIA,
Peter


 

"Peter" <peter@greatnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:dl1o2q$e8c$1@reader.greatnowhere.com...
> Due to collision damage right front lower ball joint has been pushed back
> about 3cm (1 inch), torsion bar is also warped a little bit. As a result
my
> RF caster is now negative (LF is ok). It looks like LBJ is mounted solid
to
> the frame and cannot be pushed back without some heavy machinery - please
> correct me if I'm wrong - but I could move UBJ backwards to correct the
> caster problem. Will this have any unwanted side-effects? Any other ideas?
>
> TIA,
> Peter
>
>

CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could move
the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the vehicle
would then be tracking

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech


 

"Peter" <peter@greatnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:dl1o2q$e8c$1@reader.greatnowhere.com...
> Due to collision damage right front lower ball joint has been pushed back
> about 3cm (1 inch), torsion bar is also warped a little bit. As a result
my
> RF caster is now negative (LF is ok). It looks like LBJ is mounted solid
to
> the frame and cannot be pushed back without some heavy machinery - please
> correct me if I'm wrong - but I could move UBJ backwards to correct the
> caster problem. Will this have any unwanted side-effects? Any other ideas?
>

Around here you could get a laser alignment frame shop to pull it back for
about
$700. Have you called around? It's not as expensive as you might think.

Ted


 
>> Due to collision damage right front lower ball joint has been pushed back
>> about 3cm (1 inch), torsion bar is also warped a little bit. As a result
> my
>> RF caster is now negative (LF is ok). It looks like LBJ is mounted solid
> to
>> the frame and cannot be pushed back without some heavy machinery - please
>> correct me if I'm wrong - but I could move UBJ backwards to correct the
>> caster problem. Will this have any unwanted side-effects? Any other
>> ideas?

> CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could
> move
> the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
> One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
> would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the
> vehicle
> would then be tracking

By moving UBJ backwards I'm tilting the wheel backwards... am I not?

Anyway, 'one wheel in front of other' has crossed my mind. For some reason
right wheelbase (distance between front and rear wheels) is 1cm longer than
left. So, if I effectively move RF wheel 3cm backwards (by adjusting UBJ
position) my base difference will be 2cm. Not ideal, but may be acceptable

I will definitely call around for some frame alignment - thanks to the other
poster for suggestion! I thought it is close to impossible to pull such a
heavy frame into alignment.

Peter


 
ok, I might be tasting my foot here but on my 95 Dakota the RF is 1" closer
to rear than the left front. I remember back in 98 a tire shop tried to get
me to let them "repair" this "dangerous" situation. after a little research
I found that this was factory. I went to dealer and got a copy of the
dimension sheet. clearly shows RF 1" off set from LF.

--
-----------------------------------------
Billy K
95 Ram 2500 C 4x4
95 Dakota Sport
05 Jeep X
85 Dodge Van
70 Merc Montego
>
> CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could
> move
> the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
> One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
> would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the
> vehicle
> would then be tracking
>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech
>
>


 
You need to fix what is bent. The lower ball joint is pressed into the
lower control arm. If the arm is bent you need to replace it. If not
you will wear your tires out. If the torsion bar is bent, replace it.

 

> You need to fix what is bent. The lower ball joint is pressed into the
> lower control arm. If the arm is bent you need to replace it. If not
> you will wear your tires out. If the torsion bar is bent, replace it.

I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control
arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.

Peter


 
Peter wrote:
>>You need to fix what is bent. The lower ball joint is pressed into the
>>lower control arm. If the arm is bent you need to replace it. If not
>>you will wear your tires out. If the torsion bar is bent, replace it.
>
>
> I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control
> arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.
>
> Peter
>
>
Sure it is.

After I got my dirt track race car I realized you can rebuild anything
if you can weld or know someone who can weld.
There's nothing I can't bend up on the track or cut up with my sawzall
that my welder buddy can't rebuild better.

It all comes down to $ - how much are you willing to spend?

And this sounds like a job for a frame shop or a fab shop to make sure
it's done right and square.

Ray
 

> Peter wrote:
> I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control
> arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.

The part can most likely be ordered. A body shop would cut out the old
bracket and weld in the new after straightening the frame rail (if
necessary) -- IF they couldn't bend the old one straight on-vehicle.

Toyota MDT in MO

 
> I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control
> arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.

Everything is replaceable. Sometimes the whole _car_ is replaceable.
Worse comes to worst this is a job for a torch.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
 

"Billy" <hinton75572@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:11n97egj41k1467@corp.supernews.com...
> ok, I might be tasting my foot here but on my 95 Dakota the RF is 1"
closer
> to rear than the left front. I remember back in 98 a tire shop tried to
get
> me to let them "repair" this "dangerous" situation. after a little
research
> I found that this was factory. I went to dealer and got a copy of the
> dimension sheet. clearly shows RF 1" off set from LF.
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> Billy K
> 95 Ram 2500 C 4x4
> 95 Dakota Sport
> 05 Jeep X
> 85 Dodge Van
> 70 Merc Montego
> >
> > CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could
> > move
> > the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
> > One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
> > would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the
> > vehicle
> > would then be tracking
> >
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >
>
>

Not so Billy. Now some alignment shops will change the caster out of specs
on one side more then the other to compensate for a pull due to the crown in
the road, but technically theres only .50 degree plus or minus for
tolerances, which could be 1.0 degree difference
Caster specs for the 98 Dakato are on a 4X4 wheel base 111.9 2.99

123.9 3.09

130.9 3.13

with a 0.50

degree + -
Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech


 
On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 20:25:24 +0200, "Peter" <peter@greatnowhere.com>
wrote:

>
>> You need to fix what is bent. The lower ball joint is pressed into the
>> lower control arm. If the arm is bent you need to replace it. If not
>> you will wear your tires out. If the torsion bar is bent, replace it.
>
>I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control
>arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.
>
>Peter
>


I think the only way you are going to get your truck back to a
reasonable front end alignment is to carry it to a body shop and
have them check it out on a frame machine.. IF brackets are bent
then they have to be either replaced / repaired. Your front end
alignment is just not going to work until the base line items have the
correct geometry...and alignment.
---
Elbert Clarke
elbert.clarke@**adelphia.net
remove ** to email

 

"Billy" <hinton75572@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:11n97egj41k1467@corp.supernews.com...
> ok, I might be tasting my foot here but on my 95 Dakota the RF is 1"
closer
> to rear than the left front. I remember back in 98 a tire shop tried to
get
> me to let them "repair" this "dangerous" situation. after a little
research
> I found that this was factory. I went to dealer and got a copy of the
> dimension sheet. clearly shows RF 1" off set from LF.
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> Billy K
> 95 Ram 2500 C 4x4
> 95 Dakota Sport
> 05 Jeep X
> 85 Dodge Van
> 70 Merc Montego
> >
> > CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could
> > move
> > the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
> > One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
> > would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the
> > vehicle
> > would then be tracking
> >
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >
>
> Not so Billy. Now some alignment shops will change the caster out of specs
on one side more then the other to compensate for a pull due to the crown in
the road, but technically theres only .50 degree plus or minus for
tolerances, which could be 1.0 degree difference
Caster specs for the 98 Dakato are on a 4X4 wheel base 111.9 2.99

123.9 3.09

130.9 3.13

with a 0.50

degree + -
Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech


 

"Billy" <hinton75572@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:11n97egj41k1467@corp.supernews.com...
> ok, I might be tasting my foot here but on my 95 Dakota the RF is 1"
closer
> to rear than the left front. I remember back in 98 a tire shop tried to
get
> me to let them "repair" this "dangerous" situation. after a little
research
> I found that this was factory. I went to dealer and got a copy of the
> dimension sheet. clearly shows RF 1" off set from LF.
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> Billy K
> 95 Ram 2500 C 4x4
> 95 Dakota Sport
> 05 Jeep X
> 85 Dodge Van
> 70 Merc Montego
> >
> > CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could
> > move
> > the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem.
> > One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you
> > would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the
> > vehicle
> > would then be tracking
> >
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >
>
>

My bad, thats a 4X2 specs with the 5.2 litre


 
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