Dana 60 wearing outside of tires

jhenegh · Nov 20, 2017

What should I be looking to adjust? Mechanically, new XRF ball joints top and bottom and new timken bearings in the hubs less than 10,000 miles ago. New steering box and shaft, but no replaced tie rods.

The driver side tire excessively wears every other lug on the outside, the passenger side does it too but barely, to the point a 5k rotation schedule would handle it, but the driver side is too severe to wear back flat after 5k. Truck still drives a bit loose and wanders despite the new parts, and the only thing not recently new are the tie rods and drag link.

Is this more alignment issue or hard parts...???

Thanks!

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79jasper · Nov 20, 2017

Usually called feathering, I think.
Supposedly bad shocks can cause it. I don't go for that.
Jack it up, see what moves. Also have someone turn the wheel back and forth while you look at everything.
If all is well, I would go for an alignment.
What tires are those?
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jhenegh · Nov 20, 2017

Oh ya, new Bilstein shocks at time of other parts.

Those are Mastercraft Courser AXT tires. Other than this they’re doing well, about 3years and 15k miles probably on them. Mostly towing a snow plowing so not easy miles. Still good traction for 235 skinnies and 7500lbs of truck on them.

Pork_Chop50 · Nov 21, 2017

When you replaced the ball joints did you happen to see what condition your caster bushing were in? My uneducated opinion is it appears your tires sit with the bottoms tucked in more than the top, and it could just be needing new caster bushings which are if I remember correct are cheap and easy to swap out.

As for tie rods if you don't buy XRF check out Carrick Customs.

laserjock · Nov 21, 2017

Check your toe in. Mine was doing that until I got the toe adjusted better.

jhenegh · Nov 21, 2017

Anybody got toe specs and a good way to measure it accurately at home?

I’ll google it too. Just not always easy to find the situation-specific answer.

Thanks

Thewespaul · Nov 21, 2017

Measure it accurately? Well your tape measure will measure it and you can get pretty close that way... you can find YouTube videos explaining how to do this

laserjock · Nov 21, 2017

Should not really have any toe. The fact that one tire is wearing more than the other suggests that maybe the one tire is pulled in more because the other links are out of adjustment. I’m no front end guy but I typically start with the toe and then center the wheel (steering box) and make the drag link fit the space between the two.

DaveBen · Nov 21, 2017

I set the toe in by measuring the tires at the front most point and noting that. I then measured between the rear of the tires at the rear most point and note this. The front measurement should be 1/8 of an inch less than the rear measurement. Any more will wear the tires put quicker and any less will cause steering wandering.

chris142 · Nov 21, 2017

I had those same Cooper tires and they did the same thing! I think its the tires.

franklin2 · Nov 22, 2017

DaveBen said:
I set the toe in by measuring the tires at the front most point and noting that. I then measured between the rear of the tires at the rear most point and note this. The front measurement should be 1/8 of an inch less than the rear measurement. Any more will wear the tires put quicker and any less will cause steering wandering.

People say this all the time, and it sounds so simple. But each time and on every vehicle I try it, the engine and trans are in the way. How do you get a straight measurement front and rear with the center of the truck hanging down in the way?

I have asked this question before, and found out they make plates you can buy to slide up against the tires and then measure the plates. But to me you are now relying on the sidewalls of the tires being true. The alignment guys use the steel rim.

mblaney · Nov 22, 2017

franklin2 said:
People say this all the time, and it sounds so simple. But each time and on every vehicle I try it, the engine and trans are in the way. How do you get a straight measurement front and rear with the center of the truck hanging down in the way?

I have asked this question before, and found out they make plates you can buy to slide up against the tires and then measure the plates. But to me you are now relying on the sidewalls of the tires being true. The alignment guys use the steel rim.

I did my own alignment and then had it checked by a shop; I was off very slightly and well within spec. This is what I did:

1. Buy a cheap-ass laser level (8 to 12 inches long) https://www.amazon.ca/Qooltek-Multi...1511356553&sr=1-2&keywords=bubble+level+laser

2. park your truck with steering wheel straight; D50 users, don't let it back up when you park it.
3. Put a target out in front of your truck, I used a 2x4 sitting on blocks across the lane way
4. Repeat with another 2x4 at the back.

*Note: the further away your target boards are the more sensitive your measurements and adjustments will be. I place mine as far away as possible, depending upon the strength (visibility) of the laser - usually about 10 - 20 feet away from the vehicle.

5. The alignment process starts with using the level across your REAR rims; you might have to cut a straight piece of wood or steel to get a nice fit from one edge of the rim to the other. Use the same straight edge for each wheel. Don't use the rubber as your reference. Hold the laser on each rear wheel and mark where the laser hits the front target and back target on each side.
6. You can confirm your setup by measuring the distance between the front marks and the back. With a solid rear axle it should be the same (very close anyway).
7. Move the the front.
8. Mark the front and rear laser marks for each side; you will immediately know if your front has toe issues (back measurement is different from the front) or if the front is not "pointing" the same direction as the rear (both front marks are to the left or right of the rear reference marks.
9. adjust and repeat.
10. P.S. don't let someone move your target boards during this process!

Total cost < $20 for the level. Recycle the 2x4.

Here is a really craptastic picture for you. Green lines are the rear wheels (shown perfect); red lines are the fronts. Obviously both are pointing to the right, and it appears to be toed in (front left has more displacement to the right).

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79jasper · Nov 22, 2017

chris142 said:
I had those same Cooper tires and they did the same thing! I think its the tires.

That a why I asked. I have the coopers and they do it. But my steering is nowhere near being correct. Lol
I've seen others have no problem.

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u2slow · Nov 23, 2017

jhenegh said:
... the only thing not recently new are the tie rods and drag link.

^ I'd take a good long hard look for slop in those.

If you're not running a steering stabilizer, I suggest one. Even when all is tight, the tires can still shimmy a trace amount because of the 'dead' spot in the factory steering. A stabilizer can take that up somewhat.

I was about to switch to this
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/R1768.html
... and possibly DOM tube steering, but I sold my F350 before that happened.

franklin2 · Nov 24, 2017

mblaney said:
I did my own alignment and then had it checked by a shop; I was off very slightly and well within spec. This is what I did:

1. Buy a cheap-ass laser level (8 to 12 inches long) https://www.amazon.ca/Qooltek-Multi...1511356553&sr=1-2&keywords=bubble+level+laser

2. park your truck with steering wheel straight; D50 users, don't let it back up when you park it.
3. Put a target out in front of your truck, I used a 2x4 sitting on blocks across the lane way
4. Repeat with another 2x4 at the back.

*Note: the further away your target boards are the more sensitive your measurements and adjustments will be. I place mine as far away as possible, depending upon the strength (visibility) of the laser - usually about 10 - 20 feet away from the vehicle.

5. The alignment process starts with using the level across your REAR rims; you might have to cut a straight piece of wood or steel to get a nice fit from one edge of the rim to the other. Use the same straight edge for each wheel. Don't use the rubber as your reference. Hold the laser on each rear wheel and mark where the laser hits the front target and back target on each side.
6. You can confirm your setup by measuring the distance between the front marks and the back. With a solid rear axle it should be the same (very close anyway).
7. Move the the front.
8. Mark the front and rear laser marks for each side; you will immediately know if your front has toe issues (back measurement is different from the front) or if the front is not "pointing" the same direction as the rear (both front marks are to the left or right of the rear reference marks.
9. adjust and repeat.
10. P.S. don't let someone move your target boards during this process!

Total cost < $20 for the level. Recycle the 2x4.

Here is a really craptastic picture for you. Green lines are the rear wheels (shown perfect); red lines are the fronts. Obviously both are pointing to the right, and it appears to be toed in (front left has more displacement to the right).

You must be registered for see images attach

That looks like a great idea. So you are setting your vehicles for zero toe? Most specs call for a little bit of toe correct? I believe they compensate for the suspension pieces moving back as you are driving down the road. Of course every vehicle is different, and they have different specs.

I am assuming if the spec was 1 degree toed in, you would set each front tire 1/2 degree angled in compared to your green straight lines from the rear tires correct? And you would get this 1/2 degree by using the Pythagorean theorem, and drawing new lines inboard of the straight green lines correct?

Dana 60 wearing outside of tires

jhenegh

Truck Still Earns its Keep

79jasper

Chickenhawk

jhenegh

Truck Still Earns its Keep

Pork_Chop50

He looks kinda hairy and slobbery to me....

laserjock

Almost there...

jhenegh

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Thewespaul

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laserjock

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DaveBen

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chris142

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franklin2

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mblaney

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79jasper

Chickenhawk

u2slow

bilge rat

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