alignment help after RC leveling kit install?

j13smiley · February 9, 2012

i've been fighting this for like 6 months now.

brand new 2010. installed RC level kit around 7000 miles maybe... tire wear was perfect until then. installed the kit, got it aligned the next day (june). started getting feathering on outside edges of both front tires. took it back and had it redone (august) - they bumped out the toe a little more. my concern was the beginning #'s of the second alignment did not match the ending #'s from the first alignment... maybe the suspension needed to settle after the leveling kit install?

tire wear seemed to settle down after the second alignment. went to a different alignment shop (january) and had them double-check it. they made a slight adjustment but as of today i'm still getting some feathering.

i think my second alignment was the best of the 3. i don't understand why i'm having so much trouble with this. the first shop i've trusted for years - family run, the dad retired and the son took over... i haven't been super happy with the way the son is running things hence my change to the second shop. i replaced the rack and pinion on one of my trans ams so i needed and aligned one that... so i tried the new shop and while there had them double-check my truck.

i don't drive my truck everyday so it takes some time to see how the tires react to the alignment - hence why there are a couple months between all these. truck is not offroaded, never had an accident, no bumping over curbs... nothing. i'm half tempted now to remove the level kit and go back to stock compared to burning through tires. any ideas, recommendations, or comments on the alignment specs?

iceman1998 · February 10, 2012

I woudnt think the suspension needs to settle it already has...... Look like the caster cambers the problem not the toe in or out.... I put the same RC kit in my Sierra and tire wear is perfect. Are all the adjustments within GM's tolorences?

j13smiley · February 11, 2012

i believe so - at least by the spec sheets they are. i will say shop 1 and shop 2 the spec ranges are listed slightly different. the second shop said it's probably just a different alignment machine... but i would think the programs should have the same gm spec listed for the truck regardless of brand. the camber range for example :

shop 1 : -.7 .5

shop 2 : -.5 .7

my internet research seems to claim feathering is usually caused by bad toe alignment...

brainpause · February 11, 2012

Different vehicles, similar problem:

My father-in-law's 2008 Toyota LandCruiser had some odd tire wear. Multiple shops checked alignment as "within Toyota's specs.". However, there were several things close to extremes, but within specs. He and I both believe that all those things within spec (but barely) add up to the whole picture not being right.

He took it to a trusted shop and told them to adjust everything to the middle of specs, as close as possible. For now, he thinks his tire and steering issues are resolved.

I can't see your spec sheets, so I also cannot comment about those.

Just a thought, and wanted others to hear this.

Larry