new one on me didnt see anything listed under the search. its a 07 xl long bed 4.6. i did some custom lowering on it lets not get into that, never had a problem like this for at least three years, till now. over the last week here is the things i thought it might have been, so far i have found out my rear belltech shocks went out on me, i have switched those to ground force and since then has improved handling some, then i had bigger as in wider tires on the rear with a limited slip diff. thought that might have had something to do with it which oddly it did some, but still has not sloved the problem. to sum it up i only feel it when i switch lines of 60+MPH it feels like the truck dips in the back, if i go left the right checking it out it feels like the rear end just floats the either side, almost like a rear sway bar would fix the problem.

however... this happened a few months ago, i got the urge to put 20" rim with 275/45 tires, had to get spacers and adapters to get them to fit and work correct. before all this, the truck has been lowered setting on factory 17" rim with 235/70 tires after it was lowered everything was profesionly alined and worked fine and never had a problem, didnt know when you go bigger tires and rim you need to have it relined so i took it to have it relined after the 20" again everything fine. now i switched back the the 17" rims and 235/70 tires, only to find this handling problem, but this is what really gets the best of me, i expected to find after a while i would see where the tires was eating up form switching them out, and i cant see anything, if anything a light slight wear on the outside of the tire. me being the smart person i am have marked on the camber bolts where everything is fine, meaning i can put it back where it was just in case i hit something to knock it out, i didnt see paying $80+ everytime it gets bumper out when i can almost put it back where they would.

this is what im wondering is since i watched the guy pull more neg camber out all of it in fact when i had it alined with the 20's which with the factory was less neg camber. so i was guessing it now has a pos camber, but like i mentioned before hardly any if none wear on the tires, what im left with to thank about is my toe which i know would make alot of sense since im having the problem only show up during me turning.

what does everyone else think? also what is the best way to check if your toe is off or fix it. again i dont see paying someone $40 to check it and another $80 to turn 4 bolts. when i can get it pretty close to what they would do, i have had bad outcomes with tires shops doing alignments they "claim" everything is good, and everytime i go back everything is still "fine". and i have went to a few shops. and i discovered i can do better in my driveway with an in-wrench and a few test drives. i just would like to know which way i need to go, do i need to put the toe back to where is was, or just ajust the toe, if i knew of a good way to check the toe i would start there. i seen a few people taking string and other mesuring form tire to tire, my biggest question, does the front tires need to be able to move and/or off the ground? thanks everyone

 

What exactly did you do on the suspension? Did you check anything yourself? Ubolts tight?

 

well it pretty much a home made flip kit, cut the spring perch off of the top of the axle and welded under the axle, flip to leaf spring hardware so it would line up correct, everything was mesruing alot of times before it was done, the front springs only one loop was cut out droping it about 2" the rear ended up being almost 6". but like i said everything has worked fine till now.

when i was installing my new shocks i notice a hanger bolt had almost backed itself off so much im really supprise the nut was there. i checked the ubolts about a week ago. i had a bad pop noise(later to find out the shocks blew out and was bottoming out) but it the process i was tightening everything i could find that was lose i also was sparying oil and rubbing gresse everywhere, only thing i have check in the front to is see if anything moved i took spary paint and marked where everything should set and if it moved ill know.

you know what i just thought of. althrough i tightened pretty much everything i think i back off the shackles bolts think they was to tight and cause that noise im not sure if i tightened them back up. ill go check that. if that doesnt work you have anything else in mind?

 

so double checked everything. so far everything and by that i mean everything and seems to be normal. i marked where everything was when it all ran fine and nothing has moved or shifted, everything in the rear is tight and working fine. which leaves one thing left. the toe is off, now i have seen some ways of checking it yourshelf and getting is pretty close, i have heard about taking something of the same length and check both front and rear of the front tires and see if there the same, i also have seen someone take string and measure the front to back of the front tire, which seems to be a bad refence point to me, yes the tire will been even but not with the other one. i have done measuring form tire to tire before and been fine within 1/4" but i never let the front tire be free, so the can spin which could be my problem is still pulls a hair to the right/pass side, but if you hold the steering wheel it stays stright let go and it slowly go right.

 

are you still getting the swaying feeling, or are you chasing the tire wear issue at this point? I just want to make sure we're on the same page.

Alignment camber bolts shouldnt be moving around on you. There are a few ways to get a somewhat decent alignment at home, but you will never get it as dialed in as a lazer computerized alignment will.

 

yes im still getting the swaying feeling. im leaning more towards it being the toe, i have checked and tired everything else. and since it is kinda steering related i figured it would be a good place to start. im not worried with the light tire wear, as these are used tires and was not new when i put them on so im not 100% sure if any wear has been put on them, and like i said above if it was any the most i can see would be the drivers side outer. also as said before the steering wheel when held straight is dead on, let it go free steering wheel stays straight but wonders to the right. to the best of what i know its aligned perfect,

i do not think the toe was every moved if it was it was not done correctly. the guy who aligned it the very first time after being lowered had to notch the lower front half of the cam bolt slot to give it enough room to be pulled in. and the whole truck was perfect. the second time i know he used the rest of the camber and not sure if he played or messed with the toe at that time, i will admit that i for one have played with it in the past trying to get the steering wheel straight.

so my main to two problems remain which i think are related....pulls to the right, and swaying effect when wiggling the wheel back and forth.

oh yeah not sure if i mentioned it... i can fly around a corner at who knows what speeds and handles like a dream...but when im in the parking lot turning the wheel sharp doesnt matter which way, or any turn at lower take off speed, i can hear one or both front tires squealing like there being pushed sideways... i would think its safe to say something is off, but then again what do i know lol...

thanks for your help so far. i really appericate it

 

well for anyone else who has the some problems.... i have fixed mine. and whats real funny is i answered it in the first post. since it was fine before i added the 20 rims and had it religned it was actually setting at a pos camber as said above, i found this by very carefully looking at the front tires it has a very slight wear on the outside of the tires, then i looked under the truck remembering what the last alignment was, i moved the rear lower camber bolts back a few drives and measuring tapes later everything is fine, whats better is, its the best its ever been it flys around corners and wants to throw me out of the truck, cause now it actually sticks to the road instead of the rear end flying up. still needs a little fine tuning but nothing i cant fix. i hate to see what a rear sway bar would improve on top of getting the old handling back wow. thats now on my wish list. later on i will take it to a alignment shop just to father set a piece of mind. but for now with 20hrs or less a week working i dont have extra money. and i might end up not getting it done at all. well get this i took a guess after knocking the camber back where it was, and guessed at the toe took it for a drive knew it was off did a little more seemed fine so i got tape out to see how i did. front was 70 1/2" rear was 70 5/8" oh yeah very close, like i said need a little bit more fine tuning but ill get it there. thanks everyone for there replies. hope this might help anyone else.

everyone remember this i marked everything after getting it aligned, so i knew very close where to put it back, i did not guess on my alignment only the toe which is very close as well, i do not recommend this for anyone who knows nothing about this as this can result in damage to your truck or you, if you dont have a clue of what your doing or how this work, put the tools back up and leave it alone.

 

I got the same kinda feeling with my ex-1987-ranger.

When I switch from 205/75/14 to 225/50/16.

The problem was the road...not the truck.

track groove in the road made the truck feel losely.
try again on a newly paved road...shouldn't feel a thing.