How much should an alignamet on TTB cost?

[ragajungle]

I am going to put a lift lit on my B2 soon and I have done a lot of reading about the "proper" way to lift a truck -

1)no stacking blocks (avoid blocks all together if possible)

2)use a SKYJACKER 4" drop pitman (If you are doing a 4" lift)

2.1)(pitman drops that come with 4" lift kits are only 2" drop unless you buy the above said)

3)don't do anything like this http://128.83.80.200/taco/scarysteering.html

4)use f150 coil spring spacers or large washers under the front coils if needed - not spring extenders

5)and get a set of camber adjustment sleeves

With all that said the camber sleeves are inserted into the upper ball joints on the top of each knuckle - this entails removing the upper balljoints (if your truck needs the camber sleeves)...sounds expensive - I could insert the camber bushings myself, but I don't have an alignment machine and don't have the ambition to do it on my dirt/gravel/rust strewn-pothole laden driveway. So basically the only way then is to pay someone to do it?

What is reasonable $$ for an alignmant on a TTB 4x4?

If anyone has any stories about who not to got to enlighten me. I personally have had miserable experiences with (not to name names here) but the chain muffler and brake shops in yellow - made a hack job outta my mom's AWD Aerostar.

If anyone in SE WI knows a good 4x4 alignment place share here please

Thanks All

 

[r1hatman]

Mine was 150.00 out the door with 3 degree shims.

 

[dirttrackracer]

that site is funy and scary i see one like that once and a while

 

[dusto2]

i had already put the adjusting bushing in to save that cost and they mounted 2 tires and align for 65 bucks

 

[ragajungle]

I thought about doing that (putting sleeves in myself when I replace ball joints), but I wouldn't have any idea what degree camber sleeves to install... How would you even know which ones to get - or do they just adjust them by turning them once they are installed?

 

[Tony Raine]

i had an alignment shop quote me $250 for an alignment and adjustable caster/camber bushings for both sides. then they said "we only have 1 guy that knows that suspension, and he's not here." so i decided to not be there too.

found another place, and asked if they had experience with TTB suspensions. He said yes, and we BS'ed about cars for awhile. Good vibe so far. he said he would go ahead and get the adjustable bushings for both sides, but if he didn't need/use one, he wouldn't charge me for it.

oh yeah, and he understood the differences between the stock dana 28, and the dana 35 i had swapped in.

ended up with 1 new bushing, a rig that would still drive straight after i let go of the wheel, and didn't eat tires funky, for $80.

 

[ChrisR1S]

Here it cost me 75 with the alignment cams. I only take my truck to one place, the guy that does the alignment is a buddy and owns multiple trucks with the TTB setup and he knows his stuff.

 

[Shran]

Damn, alignments must be expensive everywhere else! I put a 6" Skyjacker lift on mine with extended radius arms and everything, and the alignment was only $45 with one camber bushing on the passenger side.

 

[ragajungle]

So when if I installed the camber bushings/sleeves myself how are they adjusted? do they turn them right in the steering knuckle to the right degree? or do they have to be removed and re-pressed in?

 

[Shran]

OK when I say camber bushing this is what I mean: (there is another style that basically sleeves the ball joint stud too.)

 

[disciplerocks]

When I called around it was about 200 for the purchase of the bushings, installation, and alignment.

 

[The_Dealer]

holy crap, its 65 bux here for a lifetime allignment, u get unlimited allignments for as long as u own your rig, now matter what changes u make to the suspension or steering

 

[Bennybooster]

I got aligned for 44 $

 

[r1hatman]

holy crap, its 65 bux here for a lifetime allignment, u get unlimited allignments for as long as u own your rig, now matter what changes u make to the suspension or steering

What company is that?

 

[r1hatman]

OK when I say camber bushing this is what I mean: (there is another style that basically sleeves the ball joint stud too.)

Yeah, that's a camber bushing.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Caster-Camber-Bushing-Moog_20516916-P_617_R|GRP60015_1182035009___ :icon_thumby:

 

[michowski]

So when if I installed the camber bushings/sleeves myself how are they adjusted? do they turn them right in the steering knuckle to the right degree? or do they have to be removed and re-pressed in?

After I did my lift, I also installed new bushings in my truck before I took it in. All you gotta do to make it driveable to an alignment shop is to get the caster even on both sides. Thats the distance from the rear wheel to the front. Once you get that then simply get the camber as close to 0 as possible. 0 degree's is when the tire is sitting completly flat on the ground. Take a few minutes on each side to get that and more then likely you can get your truck in and out of the alignment shop in very little time because all they gotta do is just fine tune it at this point.