4x4 Front end situation

[reamer]

Somehow I developed a 7" rake in the front end, From the top of the front-fender side marker to the top of the body bend at the rear of the bed, it's over 7.5 inches difference. Front end has sagged? Looking under it, the coils are not broken, and the shocks are not leaking. I did see it needs new radius arm bushings, one of the plastic shims has cracked.....
So now the whole ugliness of the front end, being a 4x4 with TTB, if just installing 5" lift coils, shocks and extended brake lines,  How do I avoid a disastrous Camber value? Does someone make a pre-bent axle tubes for lifts? or do I rely on my Ron-co camber shims to get the tires perpendicular to the road? Thoughts?

[Pete Whitstone]

If the truck didn't have a camber problem before it "sagged" then it should not after you lift it back up, I would think. That is, provided only the springs have sagged. If something else is going on, well who knows.

When I swapped my SWB truck to 4x4 using parts using LWB stuff, I ended up with a camber problem, which was not surprising since the whole truck was lifter several inches by the much stiffer springs. But the problem was within the range that could be addressed by aftermarket camber "cones".

As far as lift kits go, I have no firsthand knowledge, but I thought that they worked off higher springs but also dropped the pivot point at which the TTB attaches to the chassis, thus getting around the positive camber situation that higher springs alone would introduce. But I really have no idea.

[reamer]

Nice truck, fellow Flareside owner.

[salans7]

Pete Whitstone wrote

As far as lift kits go, I have no firsthand knowledge, but I thought that they worked off higher springs but also dropped the pivot point at which the TTB attaches to the chassis, thus getting around the positive camber situation that higher springs alone would introduce. But I really have no idea.

The problem with TTB lift kits is mainly a quality control/external factors issue, wherein the lift springs don't often match the drop brackets. The drop brackets may drop the arms 4", but the springs provide 5" (or only 3") of "lift". It's always strongly suggested to drive the truck on older tires before you get an alignment so that you can settle the new springs, hopefully into an acceptable alignment range.

[Pete Whitstone]

reamer wrote

Nice truck, fellow Flareside owner.

Thanks, nowhere near as nice as yours, but if I ever decide I don't like the scruffy look anymore, it might end up looking something like yours, which is a very nice truck!