Camber issues

[Ridin'GMC]

So recently I purchased the XD tube style uca and now having camber issues (passenger side -1.7 and driver's side -.8) . New cams and hardware. Stock uca barely was within spec but had a slight negative camber with no torsion bar bolt in and stock keys. My intention is to eventually run air suspension all around. Am I better off getting a DJM 3" LCA and modify it to run the bags or get a 2" drop spindle and modify the stock LCA to get my camber back in spec?

What I'm doing is pretty much set the ride height slightly higher than it currently is to avoid tire rubbing issues while driving and laying the frame when parking it because I love how bagged trucks lay the frame. Making my truck into a dream truck and its 75% there. It'll still tow and cruise my family around.

 

[SoCalMike]

I have always used these specs and had no problems.

Caster, +2.0 to +4.5 degrees with both sides within ½ degree of one another.
Camber, 0 to + .25 degrees.
Toe, 1/16” to 1/8” toe in.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

I should have explained a bit more. Since I installed my uca, I'm stuck with a negative camber. The alignment cams are maxed out and cannot be adjusted any more. Ball joints are on top of the uca as it should be for lowered application. Spoke with dmax store and they're telling me that the uca are set to OE spec for both lifted and lowered applications depending on how the ball joint has a mounted. Their tech suggested a 2" drop spindle to correct my camber issue. Since I have to play around to get my camber in spec, I'm wondering which is a better route for the lowered setup running air suspension. Drop spindle or DJM 3" LCA?

 

[Chevy1925]

So both cams on one side have pushed the arms completely out? Whats your caster at?

 

[Ridin'GMC]

 

[SoCalMike]

Can you take a pic of both cams on driver or passenger side?

 

[Chevy1925]

Welp, they never ran a caster sweep sooooo thats a guessing game. Cant really do a proper alignment without doing that

 

[Ridin'GMC]

Welp, they never ran a caster sweep sooooo thats a guessing game. Cant really do a proper alignment without doing that

They did. He notified me that the cams were maxed out. So after 2 weeks of driving, I noticed my tires were feathering and thought the toe was out of spec so I had them double check and he printed that out.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

First 2 are the passengers side, last 2 are the driver's side.

 

[Chevy1925]

They did. He notified me that the cams were maxed out. So after 2 weeks of driving, I noticed my tires were feathering and thought the toe was out of spec so I had them double check and he printed that out.

Need to know what that is

 

[SoCalMike]

I am no suspension expert, but from the pictures you look like you are pretty low with your ride height. Your UCA are pointed upward unless its the angle of the pictures. Im going to say that the Dmax UCA's are the problem and you are too low for them. You did not have issues until you made the switch from stock UCA's to the Dmaxstore ones.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

I am no suspension expert, but from the pictures you look like you are pretty low with your ride height. Your UCA are pointed upward unless its the angle of the pictures. Im going to say that the Dmax UCA's are the problem and you are too low for them. You did not have issues until you made the switch from stock UCA's to the Dmaxstore ones.

They are pretty low to the point it rides within an inch close to the bump stop frame that the bump stops are gone from being smashed all the time lol. The UCA are pointed upward, probably worse than the stock UCA. I do know by switching the stock spindle to a 2" drop spindle, I'll have to crank up the torsion bars and it may correct the angle of the UCA that they're not pointing so far up. However I'm trying to find out if the DJM 3" LCA would do the same as using stock spindles instead of a drop spindle to get the alignment back in spec.

I'm trying to see which is more feasible for the lowered application that I can raise it back up or lower with air suspension while keeping the alignment in spec. My only gripe with the drop spindle is it raises the cv angle to an upward angle rather than flat angle with the stock spindle at the ride height I'm at right now.

 

[SoCalMike]

In my opinion, keep the UCA's when you get the bags. Get the alignment at your driving ride height/stockish height and be done. If you can get your alignment in spec at close to stock ride height, call it good. At any height lower or higher, your going to be out of spec. There is no way to keep your alignment in spec through that range of motion.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

Oh believe me I know I won't get it in spec at the entire range but I do want it to be in spec at lower than stock height. Which is why I'm trying to find out if the DJM 3" lowering LCA would keep in spec at the ride height I want it at. When it gets slammed on the frame, it'll obviously have a negative camber which will work well as it'll tuck the tire inside the inner fender rather than hitting the outer fender with the tire/wheel setup I have. I just don't want to find out that it's not in spec with the DJM LCA and my new UCA that I'm already keeping anyways at the ride height I want it set at. I'll probably have to put the torsion bar bolt back in with the LCA to bring it up some and hopefully get the camber in spec at the height I want it at.

Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and see if it'll work or not. My LCA bushings are shot anyway so it's time to dig in there.

 

[SoCalMike]

Back in the day, I had Cognito UCA's and lowered my truck lower than stock. IIRC I had issues with caster or camber too. Well something like that. There was a guy that swapped the UCA's from side to side and flipped them upside down to get them in spec.

Upper control arms

What are your opinions on the best upper controls arms to get? It's for an 05 2500hd 4x4. Thanks in advance.

www.duramaxdiesels.com

 

[clrussell]

You probably have the arms on the wrong side of the truck.. I see this almost weekly

 

[Chevy1925]

You probably have the arms on the wrong side of the truck.. I see this almost weekly

Thats why i was hoping we’d see caster numbers.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

You probably have the arms on the wrong side of the truck.. I see this almost weekly

Nope. They're in the right spot. I'm not that dumb enough to put them in the wrong spot. They're labeled anyways and if they were in the wrong side, the brand stamping would be upside down and backwards. But it is possible they were built wrong to begin with which I have seen in other parts before.

 

[Ridin'GMC]

Back in the day, I had Cognito UCA's and lowered my truck lower than stock. IIRC I had issues with caster or camber too. Well something like that. There was a guy that swapped the UCA's from side to side and flipped them upside down to get them in spec.

Upper control arms

What are your opinions on the best upper controls arms to get? It's for an 05 2500hd 4x4. Thanks in advance.

www.duramaxdiesels.com

Thanks for the link. Reading on the 2nd page that he has it corrected with the DJM LCA as they're shorter than factory which is exactly what I wanted to know. That'll pull the lower part of the spindle in to correct the negative camber issue. Guess I'll be getting the DJM 3" LCA soon if I have time before my 750 mile round trip for Labor day.

 

[clrussell]

Nope. They're in the right spot. I'm not that dumb enough to put them in the wrong spot. They're labeled anyways and if they were in the wrong side, the brand stamping would be upside down and backwards. But it is possible they were built wrong to begin with which I have seen in other parts before.

It happens.

Also I didn’t fully read as this thing has been lowered.

Glad you found the fix with the lower control arms