Alignment issues

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Sat Apr 18, 15 9:07 pm

Took the Charger to get the wheel alignment done, found some worn threads in the tie rod adjustment sleeve and tie rod end preventing the alignment from being able to be set.
replaced the tie rods and sleeves on both sides, the drivers side wheel keeps jumping out of alignment though. When it's set, if you just turn the wheels and check it again, it's out of alignment.
Checked from underneath and the inner tie rod ends have different amounts of thread showing which I assume is correct.
The bushes on the pitman arm and idler arm or both split / destroyed but I only fitted them last summer when I converted from power to manual steering and have done less than 200 miles
Took the upper ball joint out, figuring it could be the cause, but it's ok, I'll replace as a matter of course now it's out, I'm kind of stuck for ideas now though, any ideas what might cause these issues?

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sat Apr 18, 15 9:15 pm

http://www.moparuk.com/forums/viewtopic ... t=monkfish

Hi Rebel...give Roger at Monkfish a shout...bet he will know the answer. Hes still on here but doesnt post much these days

drewcrane · Post by **drewcrane** » Sat Apr 18, 15 9:53 pm

Are your upper control arms secure at the eccentric? both sides 2 bolts up top, each side.

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Sat Apr 18, 15 10:37 pm

Logic suggests something has excess play in it. Need to find that before going any further.

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Sun Apr 19, 15 3:22 am

As far as the passenger side is concerned, the UCA bushes are in great shape, no lateral movement at all, it moves up and down without feeling notchy, so I'm thinking that can be ruled out as a cause. I'll get the new balljoint in tomorrow and investigate further.
Checking further has revealed some damage to a balance weight on the inside rim of the wheel but nowhere else on the rim itself, suggesting that the bottom balljoint or bearing might be at fault. I'll check everything as I go component by component.

drewcrane · Post by **drewcrane** » Sun Apr 19, 15 5:48 am

Rebel wrote:As far as the passenger side is concerned, the UCA bushes are in great shape, no lateral movement at all, it moves up and down without feeling notchy, so I'm thinking that can be ruled out as a cause. I'll get the new balljoint in tomorrow and investigate further.
Checking further has revealed some damage to a balance weight on the inside rim of the wheel but nowhere else on the rim itself, suggesting that the bottom balljoint or bearing might be at fault. I'll check everything as I go component by component.

Ok this happened to me too the clearance might be an issue, in my case the ball joint knocked off the wheel weight, but that shouldn't affect the alignment.

It looks like you are going at it one part at a time, you will find the culprit, it just takes time .

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Sun Apr 19, 15 12:26 pm

Lower control arm inner bush Bananarama!

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sun Apr 19, 15 1:35 pm

Although is isn't the cause of your problems,you do need to centralise the centre steering link before you do the tracking. The master spline on the steering box should be at the top and central with the steering straight ahead, whip the column coupler off and check it.Then take the steering wheel off and check the master spline on the column is at the top as well, reconnect the coupler and fit the wheel back on in the correct position. Your steering is now centralised, but the wheels will no doubt be pointing a bit to the left or right. With someone holding the wheel tight in the correct position, you can now adjust to track rods to get the wheels straight and adjust the tracking. And why do you need to do this? because unequal length track rods will introduce bump steer into the equation.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Sun Apr 19, 15 3:17 pm

Cannonball wrote:Lower control arm inner bush Bananarama!

I had a similar problem on my car and this turned out to be the cause. Do you know when they were last done ?

Charger · Post by **Charger** » Sun Apr 19, 15 4:09 pm

Gareth wrote:
Cannonball wrote:Lower control arm inner bush Bananarama!

I had a similar problem on my car and this turned out to be the cause. Do you know when they were last done ?

yup i had this too

was impossible to set the tracking correctly until the bushes were changed

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Sun Apr 19, 15 10:04 pm

Managed to get a look at everything on the passenger side today, all the bushes look to be ok, I had them all renewed in 2005 when I bought it, appreciate that was ten years ago now, I'll put the wheel back on tomorrow and check for play in all areas.

Thanks Blue, I must admit that the steering box went in with the master spline at the top and the steering wheel was the same, but I have no idea whether the steering box and column are both at the top at the same time. I'll start with checking that and go from there

TW71 · Post by **TW71** » Mon Apr 20, 15 11:26 am

Charger wrote:
Gareth wrote:
Cannonball wrote:Lower control arm inner bush Bananarama!

I had a similar problem on my car and this turned out to be the cause. Do you know when they were last done ?

yup i had this too

was impossible to set the tracking correctly until the bushes were changed

Yes, mine went on the drivers side just after I had the car set up!

The front end height was lower on the driver's side as the bush rubber was spewing out of its shell.

I should of replaced them before the alignment

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Mon Apr 20, 15 5:50 pm

Thanks for all the replies,

This might sound like a stupid question but is there a trick to getting the rubber boot to fit over the new upper ball joint?
It's all in and torqued up correctly, just can't get the rubber boot to fit over the ball joint and sit against the underside of the UCA

TIA

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Tue Apr 21, 15 9:52 am

if its a rubbery balloon....no. they just don't stay on cos the joint has no lip

if its a seal made of plastic and rubber with a hard rim

they press over the balljoint body about 1/2 an inch and are quite hard to get on or off with the joint on the car.

Dave

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Tue Apr 21, 15 8:10 pm

All sorted with the balljoint, slid a 46mm socket over the rubber boot and wound it on with the castle nut.
All greased up and ready to go. However, the alignment problem does indeed appear to be the LCA inner bush, so I'll be ordering them in rubber as well as bottom balljoints, is there anything else I'll need while I'm ordering stuff?

Thanks for all the replies regarding the inner LCA bush, you were all correct.