Rear-End Alignment????

Is there any way to "align" the rear-end? I have never heard of it if there is!

I had new tires put on and wanted a front end alignment, but they said I needed an inner tie-rod end (wanted to charge me $150 for the part which was $30 on RockAuto), and they also said that my REAR-END was out of alignment! WTF? Never will go to Belle Tire (Michigan) again!
Figured there wasn't any way to change alignment in the rear. Mount the springs in their perches, put the axle on the shackles, and tighten?

 

It’s a static rear axle, I don’t think it can be adjusted.

 

You got about 1° of thrust in the rear axle and that's due to necessary assembly tolerances, so effectively; no.

Just rotate your tires, if your rears are getting abnormal wear then you've probably got a bent axle or you're too heavy on the skinny there one tire fire.

 

Yes they can be adjusted and aligned it is a very expensive process and time consuming .

In simple terms shims and moving things around

So much easier on link suspensions

Maybe pushing 4 wheel alignment was the up sell for the week just who told you might have been clueless .

I was asked all ready if I wanted my transmission flushed and filter changed I said no it was just checked when the new clutch was installed

 

its entirely possible that a rear end gets knocked out off alignment with the frame or front end

that the axles are not true in either plane

thru modifications or accident ( getting air )

the shop U were in might NOT be Ur best bet

2 real good men with a tape measure can check.....................

there are cheap lasers at lowes/Home Depot set up correct in a dark garage

can tell U all U need to know

they wont fix it.......... U may not know how to fix it

they will show where U are out !!

 

they are probably talking about thrust angle. The rear axle is suspended by leaf springs that pivot at the front and as the spring compress's the effective length of the spring gets longer, thats why the rear of the spring is suspended from a movable shackle, it moves in a large arc. If there is a weak spring or there is bind and the axle doesnt sit level then the thrust angle is off. The shop is just trying to do the best job they can. If your truck doesnt wander and it holds its lane position going down the road I wouldnt worry about it. I am sure you have seen a truck going down the road where the rear axle "looks funny" where it isnt aligned with the front of the truck... for some reason I see this on older Dodge trucks more than anything else.

 

Yea, I have seen a lot of older (Dodge) trucks that "dog-track" down the road. When the manager came out to give me the prognosis of the alignment machine reading, he told me that I needed the inner tie-rod end, and said, "and I don't know WHAT'S going on with that rear-end of yours"! When I asked him what he meant, that was when he told me my rear was out of alignment, and they didn't know what to do with it. And I still haven't replaced the inner tie-rod ends (60,000 miles ago), and don't notice any unusual wear on the tires at all, or any handling problems.

 

I will mention it and now that I have mentioned it you will notice it... you will feel the inner rod ends when your front tires hit a small road imperfection at a slow, almost walking speed.

 

torque + HP overtime will result in the truck being tweaked

that by no means OK or alright

that rear axle could have been banged against most anything ' wheelin '

boulder

tree stump
etc

u cant align the front if the back is out

crabbin down the road aint good

it can be fixed !!!!!

 

When I swapped in an elocker axle and went to get an alignment (front end), they had to do it 3 times before they realized that the rear axle was not centered perfectly. This was due to the way that I had bolted everything together. If I had a lift it would have been simple, but when you're dragging things around underneath the truck, the rear axle won't be perfectly square. Yes it does align itself with the leaf spring pins and axle perch holes, but there is some play there. The shop techs loosened the u-bolts on the lift and were able to get it centered.