Front alignment

[oliverpsmile]

Before buying steering stabilizers and larger diameter sway bars make sure first that you E350 or E450 chassis has a proper front end alignment. Two alignment adjustments that if set wrong can cause mild to severe steering wander. Those two items are toe in and caster. If toe in is actually set to toe out rather than in, your coach will wander. Toe in should be set to approximately 1/8". The other is caster. The Ford Spec for front end CASTER is:

LH +1.3 to +6.8 Degrees
RH +1.8 to +7.3 Degrees

It is best to have caster set to near the high end of this spec. Having the caster set to around 5 degrees will make a dramatic improvement in steering stability, sensitivity to cross winds and when meeting or passing large trucks.

The Ford E350 and E450 chassis are delivered from the factory with only the toe in adjustable. Camber and caster are fixed and the only way to adjust those two are either to bend the twin I-beam suspension arms or best to have your alignment shop install what are generally called adjustable camber/caster bushings to replace the factory fixed ones. Any light truck alignment shop worth its salt knows about and stocks these adjustable bushings. From my research on other RV forums one source of these bushings is the Ingalls Engineering P/N 59400 a photo of which is provided below.

Have the alignment tech set the toe-in to 1/8" and the caster set to around +5 degrees - about 0.5 degree higher on the right side vs the left side to compensate for the crown of the road.

Then see how your coach handles. The improvement may be rather startling and you may not need to buy a steering stabilizer or heavier duty sway bars.

Any alignment experts on this forum that have better information please post it.

Ingalls PN 59400 Bushing.jpg
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The topic inspired me to learn more on the subject - Internet and several alignment shops. I found several postings from "Harvard" in one of the forums regarding the caster settings. His recommendations about the caster settings are similar to the above. The gentleman published his own formula how to calculate them by applying some measurements.

I visited several alignment shops (I am due to replace all tires) to evaluate their capabilities and learn more. All of them categorically claimed that adjustable bushings must be there for proper alignment. OK how many long time members of this forum know if they have adjustable bushing installed? And if somebody will be kind enough to publish a picture of an adjustable bushing so I can determine if I have them installed (I am not the original owner).

All shops claim that they comply with the Ford Specifications. I assume that the specification calls for:

- Toe Setting : TOE IN 1/8"

- Caster Settings:
LH +1.3 to +6.8 Degrees (I will specify +5.0 Degrees)
RH +1.8 to +7.3 Degrees (I will specify +5.5 Degrees)

- Camber Settings (Camber is the angle formed by the inward or outward tilt referenced to a vertical line)
Question: Is the PROPER ANGLE = 0 ?

[bigdipper]

I have the adjustable bushings, sort of cams, and so far as I know, they are always required to have the caster pushed that far forward. Sorry no pics, but the shop could tell. Buying them is no big deal. have unit loaded and fuel, water tanks full.
Ralph

[Dude]

I have done lots of work to vehicles over the years, but I have always brought them to a shop to do the alignment. I always buy the "lifetime" alignment at firestone on my vehicles and take them in every 6 months or so. I don't think I can do that with the RV, but I do know that the alignment was done 2 months before I bought it from the guy....he replaced 2 Ball joints and the shop aligned it after....I should be good for awhile.

As far as going into an alignment shop and telling them how to set your alignment.....I don't know about that. It seems like going to a baker for a cake and telling them how to bake it....doesn't make sense.

I understand an RV or Box truck would have different alignment specs than say a pickup or car or normal van. I would feel comfortable going to an RV shop and having them align the RV and if it doesn't feel right, take it back. I can see how a place that doesn't work on big box trucks or RV's often may look at it and set it to the Van specs and that would cause problems.

[whemme]

Oliver P Smile,

Actually there was a photo of the adjustable camber/caster bushing in the post of mine that you quoted. That post is located in the Technical Library topic titled Alignment Issues Causing Unstable Steering and Road.

I have re-copied that photo below. I am not sure if you will be able to tell by looking under the vehicle if your coach still has the standard Ford bushings or the adjustable bushings.

[oliverpsmile]

I would feel comfortable going to an RV shop and having them align the RV and if it doesn't feel right, take it back.

Absolutely good advise. I am going this way. I contacted Camping World in Salt Lake City and they told me that they are doing all their alignments with Alignment Specialists in downtown SLC.

I tried to get some more info from the forums, and educate myself but it appears that it was only chat.

Thanks again.

[JanetG]

I took my 95 in for a checkup for play in the steering wheel and my mechanic said one of the ball joints was missing it's rubber covering (he called it by another name) and was dry. So,, I am taking it in for ball joint replacement and then front end alignment. Hoping that will fix the problem. He is a former Ford Service mgr. now owning his own shop. I trust him implicibly. He is also a family friend. He isn't cheap but he's trust worthy. Will report in about my results. Am sure anxious to get on the road to Montana asap but sure was glad I didn't take off w/ that bald ball joint..

just sayin...

[Virgil and Anne Dutton]

It should be pointed out that the adjustable caster/camber bushings mentioned above are not unique to the aftermarket industry. Using adjustable bushings is Ford’s standard procedure for setting the caster/camber. It is true that the initial bushings installed at the factory are nonadjustable. This is because there is such a wide range of body configurations, weights and weight distributions in the finished product; they cannot project the alignment status of that finished product. However, when the first alignment is done, after the body build is completed, the standard procedure for an alignment is to remove the nonadjustable bushings and replace them with 0 degree bushings. They then asses the angle adjustments needed, using their alignment equipment, and replace the 0 degree bushings with adjustable bushings of the setting range that will satisfy the alignment requirement. So…, don’t think this is an area where Ford didn’t do their design duty to provide for caster/camber adjustments. They did.
I believe the bodybuilders, whether it is motor homes, ambulances, shuttle busses or whatever the end product, should have the front wheels aligned, because most likely they are not within specification.
Virgil

[bigdipper]

It should be pointed out that the adjustable caster/camber bushings mentioned above are not unique to the aftermarket industry. Using adjustable bushings is Ford’s standard procedure for setting the caster/camber. It is true that the initial bushings installed at the factory are nonadjustable. This is because there is such a wide range of body configurations, weights and weight distributions in the finished product; they cannot project the alignment status of that finished product. However, when the first alignment is done, after the body build is completed, the standard procedure for an alignment is to remove the nonadjustable bushings and replace them with 0 degree bushings. They then asses the angle adjustments needed, using their alignment equipment, and replace the 0 degree bushings with adjustable bushings of the setting range that will satisfy the alignment requirement. So…, don’t think this is an area where Ford didn’t do their design duty to provide for caster/camber adjustments. They did.
I believe the bodybuilders, whether it is motor homes, ambulances, shuttle busses or whatever the end product, should have the front wheels aligned, because most likely they are not within specification.
Virgil

Virgil,
Not to disagree with you, because you may well be correct about the Ford dealer putting in new bushings. That completely contradicts my experience with local Ford dealer who said that that they were prohibited by FOMOCO from putting in the "oval" bushings that would permit pushing caster forward, but still within spec. Interestingly the service manager who claimed to have done years of alignments supported this position. I simply took unit to a truck alignment shop. My experience also seems consistent with several comments on RV.NET.
Ralph

[whemme]

The very first thing my local medium truck and car tire and alignment shop did before even starting with the 1st alignment on my 2002 BF 26' RSB coach was to install the adjustable bushings. Without them, you can't adjust camber or caster on a Ford E340 or E450 chassis.

[shilohdad]

Our truck alignment shop did the same thing that Bill Hemme's shop did.

[JanetG]

upon pulling the wheels to do the ball joints,, my mech found cracked rotors.... so,,, now we get new brake rotors onboth front wheels. Hope that will be IT!

[JanetG]

im ahead of you on this one, Sam. In fact,, the price wasn't THAT cheap,,, for a coach that old,, do you think? ($20,000) Reasonable,, yes,, but CHEAP? I dare say not. I did expect to have a few issues and the ones that have shown up are really not a surprise, given all the facts. I may end up paying a grand to my mechanic for these repairs,, but if that's all that he finds wrong,, I feel fortunate. All the things on the coach were gone over ,, that is, the house workings, and after our shake-down trip, were found to work. Soooooooo,,,I'll let ya know.

stay tuned, and thanks for the sincere advice. I welcome all comments from those of you who are experienced in all the things that I need to learn.

We didn't want to spend a bunch of money at first on a first rig to this one seemed to be just what we needed. I did do my homework and I think bought the best B+/C unit made,, am I wrong?

stay tuned!
I trust my mechanic implissedly (sp) so here begins yet another adventure!

[Virgil and Anne Dutton]

Hello Ralph,
I stand by what I wrote, however, we are talking about different parts for adjusting the front wheel caster and camber. Also, the reason I wrote it was because a lot of these blogs seem to give the impression that Ford has no means of adjusting the caster and camber of their Twin “Iâ€

[bigdipper]

Virgil,
No disagreement from me in terms of what you are reporting. You make good points. In my case local dealer made no reference to availability of FOMOCO parts. The RV.NET blogs on the subject seem unaware that the dealer does have capability to expand range of adjustment of caster and camber. There is no point of getting into a discussion of dealer competence, knowledge but I'll file your comments away for potential future.
Thanks for the come back,
Ralph