questions about my recent drop

[tybardy]

I just dropped my tahoe 2/3 with only keys and coils. The truck is in the shop for an alignment and they called with the following information.

1. they wont be able to fix the alignment perfectly and it will still be a little toed out...

is that normal?

2. they wont drive my truck because they said the rear springs arent seated right and there is a chance they will fall out if i hit a large bump. My friend who finished the job for me didnt put two of the four boots back on the springs... could this be the problem?

i dont want to drive around an unsafe vehicle

[tybardy]

nobody huh.... was this a stupid question?

I just want to make sure Im not getting jerked around by the shop i took it to. I picked up some 1" shock extensions thursday...

[chistoso]

where is it at? Are you talking about the isolators on the springs? I took all of mine off and there was no problem.. The alignment issue? I didn't have that problem. Is your truck a 2wd. I could see it be a problem with a 4wd..

[denalianyone]

When u say boots, are you referring to the isolators? If so they aren't required and the springs wouldn't fall out.

[tybardy]

yes the isolators... and yes its 4x4, is that going to pose some issues?

[Modded]

Yeah dude theyw on't fall out, but w/o isolators its harder to seat the springs when lowerin the weight back on so may be your friend jst dropped it back on w/o looking. Its not very hard to tell if he did, just look.
I hope you have shock extenders/shorter shocks too, realized that w/o them your suspension can free travel and cause them to fall out, not good!!!!

[chistoso]

yes the isolators... and yes its 4x4, is that going to pose some issues?

for the front? Possibly because of the axleshafts but Max seems to be running really low with no issues.. Maybe turning the keys a turn or so will fix the toe issue. I took mine to Network Alignment on Main st Mesa and they did the necesary adjustment to the keys for it to align correctly and the drop changed by maybe 1/2".. As long as you have either shock extenders or lowering shocks, you shouldn't have a problem with the rear springs poping out..

[tybardy]

Yeah dude theyw on't fall out, but w/o isolators its harder to seat the springs when lowerin the weight back on so may be your friend jst dropped it back on w/o looking. Its not very hard to tell if he did, just look.
I hope you have shock extenders/shorter shocks too, realized that w/o them your suspension can free travel and cause them to fall out, not good!!!!

yes i have extenders yet, just picked em up

[JKmotorsports]

You should have plenty of adjustment left to get the toe back in spec, then some. Now the camber may be a different story depending on how far you have the keys cranked. When I had those keys on my truck, I had it cranked as low as I could and had PLENTY of adjustment left to take the toe in or out. The camber was off about -.5, but that's it. Lowering it will affect the camber more than it will the toe.

[syndicatesteve]

You need to get those bolts back in....you should never have spare bolts!!! AS FOR THE FRONT, YES SOME TOE OUT IS GOING TO BE EXPECTED UNLESS YOU USE SPINDLES. I just dropped my tahoe 2/3 with only keys and coils. The truck is in the shop for an alignment and they called with the following information.

1. they wont be able to fix the alignment perfectly and it will still be a little toed out...

is that normal?

2. they wont drive my truck because they said the rear springs arent seated right and there is a chance they will fall out if i hit a large bump. My friend who finished the job for me didnt put two of the four boots back on the springs... could this be the problem?

i dont want to drive around an unsafe vehicle

[tybardy]

You need to get those bolts back in....you should never have spare bolts!!! AS FOR THE FRONT, YES SOME TOE OUT IS GOING TO BE EXPECTED UNLESS YOU USE SPINDLES.

i have no spare bolts mang, the rear sprints have rubber isolators on the top and bottom, my friend only put the isolators back on the bottom

---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:34 PM ----------

forgive me here guys, i am super new to the suspension world. What is the difference between camber and toe? i think i understand camber as being the angle at which the wheels sit

[Grocery Getter]

for the front? Possibly because of the axleshafts but Max seems to be running really low with no issues.. Maybe turning the keys a turn or so will fix the toe issue. I took mine to Network Alignment on Main st Mesa and they did the necesary adjustment to the keys for it to align correctly and the drop changed by maybe 1/2".. As long as you have either shock extenders or lowering shocks, you shouldn't have a problem with the rear springs poping out..


I go to Network up in PV, they really do a good job. They know about lowered stuff because they actually do installs there a lot. Great shops, highly recommended.

Get rid of the isolators all together, it will give you an additional 1/4-1/2 in the back....

[JKmotorsports]

You need to get those bolts back in....you should never have spare bolts!!! AS FOR THE FRONT, YES SOME TOE OUT IS GOING TO BE EXPECTED UNLESS YOU USE SPINDLES.
The toe and camber will change, but there should still be enough adjustment left to get the toe back within spec with a 1-3" keyed drop. The toe doesn't change nearly as much as the camber in these trucks.

What is the difference between camber and toe? i think i understand camber as being the angle at which the wheels sit

If you look at the top of the wheels, toe is the angle of the wheels in relation to each other. If the front of the tires are angled in towards each other, it is considered toe-in. Toe-out is the opposite.
Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the wheels if you're looking from the front. If the top of the wheels are angled in, that's called negative camber. Positive camber is the opposite.

[tybardy]

good to know, i hope these guys do a good job on my truck..

what does network usually charge guys?

---------- Post added at 09:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 PM ----------

how is toe adjusted?

[JKmotorsports]

how is toe adjusted?
You have to loosen the nuts on the ends of the tie rod sleeves then you can turn the sleeves to adjust the outer tie rods which wil turn the front of the wheels in or out.

[tybardy]

sorry to keep buggin on this, but when i pick my truck up on monday, whats the best way to make sure the toe is perfect, or is it something i will see with the naked eye

[BOSS]

It's easy to see the misalignment when you go from stock to a 3/5, not sure how low you have the front but if they haven't done anything to the truck you'll know. I'm not sure you'll be able to see the small irregularity in the alignment with the nekkid eye.


B

[tybardy]

alright, im almost done with this.... thanks for everyones help... one last question.

My driver side front wheel seems to be good but my passenger side front tire's camber is pretty whacked... not sure how the allignment shop fucked this one up, but is this something i can fix without fucking up my alignment? and if so... how?

[Grocery Getter]

Damn dude...you really got a bum deal on this drop..... I installed the kit myself drove to the alignment shop and that was it, spent a total of like 10hrs in total dealing with it. Tough break(no pun intended)

[tybardy]

yea needless to say im less then happy... and this is what happens when you pay people under the table for work..... FUCK

[OKLAGMCRUISER]

i hate to say it, but you get what you pay for. i go to a certain tech everytime. if dave isn't working i wait til he's back. y? because he is accurate and takes his time to do it right the first time. not to mention the shop i go to has a lifetime on their alignment....even if i go lower or lift the same truck/vehicle their warranty covers it!

I'd say go to another shop, unfortunately, and have them look at it, if the current shop continues to claim this is the best they can do.

Pat

[Fyrcaptain]

Ty.....needs to be on an alignment machine.......

[OKLAGMCRUISER]

Ty.....needs to be on an alignment machine.......

thought he has his surgery last friday...lol.

[JKmotorsports]

alright, im almost done with this.... thanks for everyones help... one last question.

My driver side front wheel seems to be good but my passenger side front tire's camber is pretty whacked... not sure how the allignment shop fucked this one up, but is this something i can fix without fucking up my alignment? and if so... how?

Damn bro. What's the deal with the shop aligning your truck? I'd be extremely PO'ed if I had to keep going back because they aren't competent enough to get it right the first time, or at least the second time around.
You can't change the camber w/o affecting the toe. I think it'd be best to take it back to them and raise hell demanding them to fix it right so you don't have to take it back anymore.

[OKLAGMCRUISER]

Damn bro. What's the deal with the shop aligning your truck? I'd be extremely PO'ed if I had to keep going back because they aren't competent enough to get it right the first time, or at least the second time around.
You can't change the camber w/o affecting the toe. I think it'd be best to take it back to them and raise hell demanding them to fix it right so you don't have to take it back anymore.

it almost sounds like they are only trying to make adjustments at the wheel instead of cranking the torsion bars, if needed.

This is, of course, assuming that you don't have any issue with bad t.r.e., pitman arm or something else of this nature.