Removing rear shims to get the tires to ride vertical? Good idea?

[shawnshumvee]

Truck looks killer!! Thanks for the thread!

Thanks.

 

[ken]

That does look pretty sweet. How long did it take you?

 

[shawnshumvee]

That does look pretty sweet. How long did it take you?

I got her in August 2016 and been working on it ever since. So just about a year.

 

[Sintorion]

You may want to take it to an alignment shop. I think you may have taken out too much. Alignments specs are not developed on your vehicle at rest, but at speed. Your camber should be slightly positive. Meaning that top should lean out a little.

 

[Action]

You may want to take it to an alignment shop. I think you may have taken out too much. Alignments specs are not developed on your vehicle at rest, but at speed. Your camber should be slightly positive. Meaning that top should lean out a little.

X2. Motorpool sarge told me that the tops come in some with speed.

 

[shawnshumvee]

Just got back from the alignment shop (My local NTB) and here's what i got...

 

[jeffy777]

Well the Camber is now great those toe numbers is where I need to work on too. GREAT JOB!

 

[Action]

Just got back from the alignment shop (My local NTB) and here's what i got...

View attachment 693197

Is that before or after the alignment? Ah, I just read this in the other post....I hope you didn't give them any money ! Don't replace parts because he says they are too short or too long. And, as for paying for an alignment on these...the shops are supposed to be paid by the hour for these, not the advertised price for a normal car. You need to clarify that these have the shims. If you gave him a hummer year to look up, it should be like a 1993 or 1994. The later ones use eccentric washers and not the shims. They should check alignment, take the suspension apart. Add or subtract shims. Put back together, check alignment. Repeat as necessary.
What was NTB excuse for not fixing the TOE?

 

[shawnshumvee]

Well the Camber is now great those toe numbers is where I need to work on too. GREAT JOB!

Yeah, but this is what the tech said and did. He attempted to adjust the Radius rod and was able to turn it just a bit and was not able to turn it any more. He even used a torch and got the piece nice and red and still couldn't turn it anymore. he said that radius arms and the tie rod end must be hitting each other within the sleeve? I never heard of that? I looked at a few images of those two components and they appear to be rather short and should have plenty of room within the sleeve? i don't think they can bottom out? I don't know its it just a rust issue as to why he was unable to keep turning the sleeve? I'm not an alignment expert but this guy said it can really chew up my tires t the current numbers? Are the Spec in the Print out bad?

Anyhow, here's a few pics of my radius rod.

 

[shawnshumvee]

Is that before or after the alignment? Ah, I just read this in the other post....I hope you didn't give them any money ! Don't replace parts because he says they are too short or too long. And, as for paying for an alignment on these...the shops are supposed to be paid by the hour for these, not the advertised price for a normal car. You need to clarify that these have the shims. If you gave him a hummer year to look up, it should be like a 1993 or 1994. The later ones use eccentric washers and not the shims. They should check alignment, take the suspension apart. Add or subtract shims. Put back together, check alignment. Repeat as necessary.
What was NTB excuse for not fixing the TOE?

this was before any alignment. actual they was unable to align it so No they didn't charge me anything. And their machine only goes from 1992-97 Hummer H1 Alpha. I told them to use those spec. I removed all the shims about a month ago in the rear and the tires look great and she drives good but before i removed the shims the camber was real BAD! It looked like this...\-/ Now she sits like this...|-|. The tech said the camber is ok he just needs a little more adjustment for the toe but was unable to get it and he doesn't know why.

 

[Action]

They should have given you an "after" printout too but since yoh didnt pay i dont know.

Each of your readings is the big number. It should be between the two small numbers in that black. The arrow shows where you fall. The "x" on the toe means you are out of range. Tires can easily be chewed up from being out of alignment. Always s good idea to check steering components before an alignment such as pitman and idler arms.

 

[shawnshumvee]

They should have given you an "after" printout too but since yoh didnt pay i dont know.

Each of your readings is the big number. It should be between the two small numbers in that black. The arrow shows where you fall. The "x" on the toe means you are out of range. Tires can easily be chewed up from being out of alignment. Always s good idea to check steering components before an alignment such as pitman and idler arms.

yes it is. every thing looks great, its just he could not get the radius rod to tun. do you know if the (sleeve) is sold in the middle and is only threaded so far in? or is the Sleeve threaded all the way?

 

[Action]

I dont know if the inside is threaded or solid or??? If he could not turn the center any more, he could have unbolted the inside of the radius rod and turned it that way (the ends turn independent of each other if one is bottomed out).
Try to look through the gap in one to see if there are more threads. Also look to see if the tech loosened the two nuts to be able to turn the rod centers.

 

[shawnshumvee]

I dont know if the inside is threaded or solid or??? If he could not turn the center any more, he could have unbolted the inside of the radius rod and turned it that way (the ends turn independent of each other if one is bottomed out).
Try to look through the gap in one to see if there are more threads. Also look to see if the tech loosened the two nuts to be able to turn the rod centers.

I took off the radius rod and removed the outer tie rod and the inner radius bushing and in the middle there appears to be a steel sleeve/stopping device. So now i know what happened. The tech was unable to turn the sleeve due to it be seized up (AGE), as a matter of fact it was really stuck. It was harder than "HE (Double hockey sticks) to get the pieces loose but i kept working at it and finally got them. Now everything is freed up up and moving nicely. so i cleaned the threads on both pieces and lubed everything. So back to the alignment shop.

 

[jeffy777]

Yeah, but this is what the tech said and did. He attempted to adjust the Radius rod and was able to turn it just a bit and was not able to turn it any more. He even used a torch and got the piece nice and red and still couldn't turn it anymore. he said that radius arms and the tie rod end must be hitting each other within the sleeve? I never heard of that? I looked at a few images of those two components and they appear to be rather short and should have plenty of room within the sleeve? i don't think they can bottom out? I don't know its it just a rust issue as to why he was unable to keep turning the sleeve? I'm not an alignment expert but this guy said it can really chew up my tires t the current numbers? Are the Spec in the Print out bad?

I am at this piece in my maintenance routine. I am dealing with similar issues. When I get mine fixed I will try to remember to document and photograph what I did. I am finding that I need to replace more than I thought. This is because I cannot seem to efficiently get pieces that are breaking as I try to move and adjust things. Me and the guys (four of us have HMMWV's) get together and work on these issues and one of them is a former diesel mechanic so I am lucky to have them around. There is a spot in the TM's on this.

Good luck.

I believe I will be coming past you on my way to Gleason and Oshkosh in October. I won't be driving my HMMWV though. I don't think my wife would like the trip, though my dog would love it.

 

[shawnshumvee]

I am at this piece in my maintenance routine. I am dealing with similar issues. When I get mine fixed I will try to remember to document and photograph what I did. I am finding that I need to replace more than I thought. This is because I cannot seem to efficiently get pieces that are breaking as I try to move and adjust things. Me and the guys (four of us have HMMWV's) get together and work on these issues and one of them is a former diesel mechanic so I am lucky to have them around. There is a spot in the TM's on this.

Good luck.

I believe I will be coming past you on my way to Gleason and Oshkosh in October. I won't be driving my HMMWV though. I don't think my wife would like the trip, though my dog would love it.

Yeah good luck to you as well. If i wasn't a cheap A$$ i would have just bought new (complete)rear radius rods and be done with it. Nevertheless, i removed them and heated them up with a touch and got them to loosen up. I then cleaned everything and put it back together and now i'm going back to the alignment shop. So, at the end of the day, I guess you can say i have got a crash course on this subject so if you need any help just let me know.
Have a good one.

 

[kcobean]

This is a great thread Shawn, thanks. I'm definitely going to do this because the inner tread block on my tires doesn't even touch the ground, so I'm definitely going to get some uneven wear on these $250/each tires. Time to pull some shims!

 

[shawnshumvee]

This is a great thread Shawn, thanks. I'm definitely going to do this because the inner tread block on my tires doesn't even touch the ground, so I'm definitely going to get some uneven wear on these $250/each tires. Time to pull some shims!

Yes pull those shims!! The camber should be near perfect after you pull the shims and then all you will have to do is adjust your toe and your tires should be safe. My tires were really cambered in really bad they looked like this...\-/ Now they are like this... |-|. I had a total of 6 shims on each side.

 

[Bravojmc]

Yes pull those shims!! The camber should be near perfect after you pull the shims and then all you will have to do is adjust your toe and your tires should be safe. My tires were really cambered in really bad they looked like this...\-/ Now they are like this... |-|. I had a total of 6 shims on each side.

How many shims did you pull from each corner?

 

[kcobean]

Yes pull those shims!! The camber should be near perfect after you pull the shims and then all you will have to do is adjust your toe and your tires should be safe. My tires were really cambered in really bad they looked like this...\-/ Now they are like this... |-|. I had a total of 6 shims on each side.

Mine are like \-/ as well. Big time.