RWD- Rear Wheel Drive

I was told and shown that when the installer removed the strut from the lower control arm (because he didn't want to muscle it and risk damaging the threads or having a misalignment) that when he put it back together the lower control arm (A Arm) angle had changed, and had thrown off the camber. Is this true? I don't know, I didn't drive it while he was having problems with it. He said everything line up to factory specs but it was still pulling to the right. That's why he hooked it back up and adjusted the camber. Now it drives straight.

I'm not arguing with you over 99% of trucks only needing a toe-in. I agree with you. Just stating my experience with it since the OP seems averse to doing any alignment. My post was to serve as a reason to do the alignment after a lift.

 

Oh I understand, anything is possible. Of course the lower and upper control arm angles change because its lifted, that is the case for everybody's truck. If they remove the lower control arm and maybe the holes have some play in them then yes it would throw the bottom in or out minutely. I'm not sure why a handful of people have said they needed a camber kit, unless the dealer is scamming them or it actually needs it.

 

The lower control arms are slotted for adjustment, so if they loosen/move them to install the strut it will change the camber. The camber changes if the top or bottom of the strut moves in or out. In this case the top is fixed, so the slots on the bottom provide the adjustment. I didn't loosen my control arm bolts when I installed my spacer for that reason.

 

If I had gone to a dealership I would be a little skeptical but happy with the results. The place I took it to are good people. They really have no reason for trying to scam someone. That and he had me come back to the bay and he showed me everything he was doing and why. It all made sense to me at the time. I just couldn't remember it all to regurgitate here. My knowledge regarding suspension components prior to joining this forum was nil.

^ This is what I was trying to say. Some of the installers don't need to adjust it because they aren't moving or loosening the lower control arm. After seeing mine I don't know how the hell they are doing a 2.5" without loosening it. 10lb sledge? More skill/experience? I don't know. After he explained that the bolt threads or the bolt itself could have been damaged had he not removed it I was fine with the cost of the camber kit. Small price to pay.


He did say had I gone with a 1.5" or 2" the whole camber thing would have been avoided because he wouldn't have had to loosen the lower control arm.

 

What I did, was loosen the bolts on the strut bottom where they go through the lower control arm, the just used a pointed bit on the air chisel and was able to push the bolts out of the strut so I could gain an additional 2" to pry them out of the control arms.

 

You sure they are slotted? How would they get them set at the factory?

 

I'm sure mine were slotted.

 

IDK how it is done at the factory, but I'm positive they are slotted.

 

Here is a pic of a lower control arm drop bracket being installed on a '06 F150. The slotted holes are clearly visible in both. Hope this helps.

 

The shop that did the work said not to measure at the fenders, but mine is 39 3/8" front and 40" rear. I checked both sides and they were exactly the same.