Axle Alignment
Anyone know of a good place to get an axle alignment near Lapeer Michigan?
Forum Discussion
There really is not a way to align TT axles... At least not in a normal configuration.
There are no shims and adjusting bolts, tie rods etc.
The alignment is set when the axle hangers are welded onto the frame. IF, and that is a BIG IF this was done right, then the axles will be in alignment. The only way this will change is if something gets bent. Unfortunatly TT builders like to save a few dollars and often install axles that are BARELY strong enough for the job. This can mean that a common everyday occurrence such as a pothole or train tracks can cause an axle to become bent.....
So one really needs to determine just why the alignment is off, and then weigh the different pros and cons and methods of fixing it.
Axles can be bent to align them. I am NOT a fan of this. First off, because these are not the super heavy duty components that the big rigs have. I don't feel that our lightweight axles are a suitable candidate for bending to achieve alignment. Especially if they became unaligned by being bent in the first place. In that case I would put the money towards a heavier axle.... That way the fix is more likely to be permanent.
If the alignment is off because the hangers were welded on wrong, then bending them to align them to the improperly positioned hangers has a different disadvantage. If such a custom bent axle ever needs to be replaced, such as for a spun bearing etc... Then the new replacement axle will have to be bent to match the old bent axle.. If the spring hangers were cut off and welded on in the right position, then not only will the original axle not need to be bent, but any replacements later won't need to be bent either... And visits to the alignment shop won't ever be necessary.
OTOH, pulling into the alignment shop and paying to have it aligned is real easy.... They will be glad to take your money, and you just might become a regular customer.
There are no shims and adjusting bolts, tie rods etc.
The alignment is set when the axle hangers are welded onto the frame. IF, and that is a BIG IF this was done right, then the axles will be in alignment. The only way this will change is if something gets bent. Unfortunatly TT builders like to save a few dollars and often install axles that are BARELY strong enough for the job. This can mean that a common everyday occurrence such as a pothole or train tracks can cause an axle to become bent.....
So one really needs to determine just why the alignment is off, and then weigh the different pros and cons and methods of fixing it.
Axles can be bent to align them. I am NOT a fan of this. First off, because these are not the super heavy duty components that the big rigs have. I don't feel that our lightweight axles are a suitable candidate for bending to achieve alignment. Especially if they became unaligned by being bent in the first place. In that case I would put the money towards a heavier axle.... That way the fix is more likely to be permanent.
If the alignment is off because the hangers were welded on wrong, then bending them to align them to the improperly positioned hangers has a different disadvantage. If such a custom bent axle ever needs to be replaced, such as for a spun bearing etc... Then the new replacement axle will have to be bent to match the old bent axle.. If the spring hangers were cut off and welded on in the right position, then not only will the original axle not need to be bent, but any replacements later won't need to be bent either... And visits to the alignment shop won't ever be necessary.
OTOH, pulling into the alignment shop and paying to have it aligned is real easy.... They will be glad to take your money, and you just might become a regular customer.
