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Thread: 2017 2500 CTD - I Increased Caster After Alignment

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    kgharrin's Avatar

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    2017 2500 CTD - I Increased Caster After Alignment

    Evening Friends.

    I took my truck to my local shop to get a laser alignment today and I gave them the Thuren specs for my model year (2017 2500). The big thing I wanted was to zero out the total toe, which they said they did but they didn't/would not provide a printout of the before/after secs (red flag). They claimed that my front end was towed OUT when I brought it in which is opposite of what I thought given the wear on the outside of my front tires.

    Anyway, for now I'll take their word for it. But they also adhered to the lower threshold for caster and when I got the truck back the steering felt too light and road feedback was vague. So I crawled under the truck and adjusted the caster bolts back (towards the rear) to increase caster. I did it a few times in small increments (equal change on both sides)until it felt right to me. It started off dead nuts center of the cam range, and I ended up turning it 1.5 "ticks" on both sides.

    The question is: assuming the toe was in fact zero'd out and they didn't just make my problem worse...would adjusting total caster a few degrees in the positive direction affect my total toe? I don't think it would, but I'm not positive with this geometry. At this point I have so little trust in shops that I will adjust the toe myself if I start to see outer tread wear. They also didn't get my steering wheel back to center afterwards. Overall a little bummed, but I guess I should have done it myself from the start anyway.

    After my adjustment, the truck drives nicely and doesn't pull. And the steering feedback feels about right (except the off-center thing) only variable is tread wear pattern which will take time to see.

    2017 RAM 2500 CTD Blue Streak CCSB | 2.5" Leveling Springs, Toyo AT/III 295/70/R18, DRD MM3

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    CrazyTrain's Avatar

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    Re: 2017 2500 CTD - I Increased Caster After Alignment

    Quote Originally Posted by kgharrin View Post
    Evening Friends.

    I took my truck to my local shop to get a laser alignment today and I gave them the Thuren specs for my model year (2017 2500). The big thing I wanted was to zero out the total toe, which they said they did but they didn't/would not provide a printout of the before/after secs (red flag). They claimed that my front end was towed OUT when I brought it in which is opposite of what I thought given the wear on the outside of my front tires.

    Anyway, for now I'll take their word for it. But they also adhered to the lower threshold for caster and when I got the truck back the steering felt too light and road feedback was vague. So I crawled under the truck and adjusted the caster bolts back (towards the rear) to increase caster. I did it a few times in small increments (equal change on both sides)until it felt right to me. It started off dead nuts center of the cam range, and I ended up turning it 1.5 "ticks" on both sides.

    The question is: assuming the toe was in fact zero'd out and they didn't just make my problem worse...would adjusting total caster a few degrees in the positive direction affect my total toe? I don't think it would, but I'm not positive with this geometry. At this point I have so little trust in shops that I will adjust the toe myself if I start to see outer tread wear. They also didn't get my steering wheel back to center afterwards. Overall a little bummed, but I guess I should have done it myself from the start anyway.

    After my adjustment, the truck drives nicely and doesn't pull. And the steering feedback feels about right (except the off-center thing) only variable is tread wear pattern which will take time to see.
    First off, shop wouldn’t get paid if they didn’t give me the print out, second, just drive it and keep eye on tires. Can string check toe to see if any drastic change, but I don’t think it’ll be affected. Did they have a teenager doing the alignment? The steering wheel alignment is the first clue to incompetence. Check that your lock to lock is the same. I never let a shop dictate, I ask them if they can do it this way and if can, I ask for before and after always. I always wait as well. Big O was the last shop I had do an alignment and they were spot on.

    2021 Ram 3500 DRW, H.O., bypass oil filtration, bypass coolant filtration, S&B CAI, 4:10’s
    2wd low loc kit.
    Reacquired 2001 3500, 5.9 nv4500, dually cab and chassis, 5” straight pipe, edge juice w/attitude. Otherwise all stock…..for now.

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    kgharrin's Avatar

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    Re: 2017 2500 CTD - I Increased Caster After Alignment

    Yeah, in retrospect, I should have made sure they could get me a printout before I dropped the truck off. It was too late when I asked for one; they had already done the "work" and had my keys, so I didn't exactly have the upper hand.

    My mistake was assuming that they would give me a printout.

    I can tell they adjusted the drag link, but they are off by a few degrees.

    I'll just take care of that myself, I guess.

    I'll look into a string check. Never done that before.

    But if the truck drives well, doesn't pull, doesn't have too much bump steer, and seems to track down the road, it can't be too far off at this point (right?).

    I wish I had peace of mind about the tow angle; I might try and measure myself so I can let it go and move on with my life.


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    Jeeptony's Avatar

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    Re: 2017 2500 CTD - I Increased Caster After Alignment

    If the shop did, in fact, "zero out" the toe alignment and the tie rod hasn't been adjusted since then, it will still be at zero tow.

    Simple drag link adjustment will also straighten the steering wheel without affecting the alignment.

    If you are interested in doing your alignments in the future or at least toe alignment, there are some excellent simple tools several offroad DIY shops make that bolt on with two lugnuts after removing front tires.

    I think TMR, Barnes, and RuffStuff all make them.

    They are nice and handy, but you can also use a couple of angle steel/aluminum bolted or clamped pieces to the WMS and do the same thing.

    2011 3500 SRW Laramie 4×4, 68RFE with billet valvebody. 6.7HO with S&B intake, 5" exhaust, ARP headstuds, Industrial Injection R1 injectors, Fass 165, RaceMe Ultra tuned by DRD, Bilstein shocks, reverse leveled on 285/65/18 Nitto G2s and Raceline wheels, traction bars, B&W gooseneck hitch, Kicker audio, Morimoto and GTR lighting, Uniden R7.

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