Lowering 1980 720 alignment and working angle

[Lowandslow]

I'm planning on lowering my 720 this weekend and I had a question about the alignment after lowering the truck. I plan on doing 2.5 to 3" drop front and back and just wanted to know how negative the camber gets. Is it something a wheel and tire shop can handle or is there some modification and DIY I would have to get into?

 

I searched this question and came up on the working angle. I noticed that when a 620 is lowered the carrier bearing must be raised in order to keep good working angle. I'd this true for any lowered truck? I've never lowered a RWD vehicle so have no knowledge on how to keep working angles happy.

[Zeusimo]

You Might Have A Tad Bit Camber But Toe Is What Really Matters

I'm Sure You'll Be Fine If You Take It To A Shop For Alignment

 

For The Rear I Reccomend You Take It To A Rear End Shop

And Have Them Correct The Pinion Angle With Shims

They Know What To Do

Just Tell Them You Lowered It Slightly

And Would Like The Pinion Angle Corrected

 

It Might Not Be Needed

So Drive Around At Freeway Speeds

You Might Not Even Notice Much Rear End Vibrations

You Should Be Fine With Small Tweaking

[Lowandslow]

Thanks!! This is exactly what I was looking for! So the toe is what changes during lowering? I would've thought camber, but I'm glad to know its nothing too extreme for an alignment shop to get done.

 

I don't know of any rear end shops in y area but at the same time I have never had to go to one. I will follow your advice tho and if I feel any new vibration I will take it in.

 

Is vibration the only thing I should be looking for when driving?

[Zeusimo]

Camber Changes As Well

But Bad Toe Causes More Tire Wear Than Camber

 

Once You Lower It

You Will Notice The Wheels Won't Point Straight

And Will Pull To One Side When You Let Go Of The Wheel

Also If You Hit A Pothole Or Bump On The Road

The Wheels Will Want To Turn By Themselfs

That Is Called Bumpsteer

But This Can Be Fixed With A Proper Front End Alignment

 

You Should Encounter A Slight Vibration Over 50 MPH

I've Read That Some Ppl Use A 1" Piece Of Tubing

To Raise The Carrier Bearing, But That's Kinda Just Guessing

Nothing Beats Installing The Proper Shims

 

While You're Down There

You Might Wanna Look Into Replacing Your 30 Year Old U-Joints

I'm Not Sure About 720s But 620s Use 3

They Are Only Like $9 For OEM Made In Japan

They Give You Much More Confidence In Hauling/Driving Farther Away

[Lowandslow]

Oh man haha my truck needs an alignment to begin with, pretty much everything you described already happens. I was going to lower it and have an alignment done at the same time.

 

Will the stock shocks still work when lowered? I saw a few people using Ford Pinto shocks since they were shorter than the stock ones. Once again this was on a 620 and not a 720.

 

I'm not sure if its a 3 piece driveshaft like the 620 but I will check later on today. I will definitely be take it in somewhere to have it shimmed up or at least have a professional take a look at the angle.

 

I will also be getting new U joints and checking the carrier bearing.

 

I got this truck about a month or 2 ago so I'm still learning and doing routine maintenance on the truck.

[datzenmike]

The upper control arm can be spaced outward to relieve the camber by removing the shims on the mounting bolts. It's not much but may help. Camber and toe always change when adjusting the height. Toe you can adjust yourself in your driveway.

[Lowandslow]

So by removing the shims I can get some positive camber? Nice!!

 

How would toe be adjusted? I've seen the string method but that's about it

[JoeCool]

You may want to replace the upper and lower ball joints while you are at it. I know on my  truck the ball joints were shot, lowering it made the camber horrible! Replacing them straightened it out quite a bit. The handling was improved as well. Before I replaced them with the truck in the air you could shake the wheel back and forth a good two to three inches.

[Lowandslow]

I actually just ordered the top ball joints for both sides a couple of days ago. The bottom ones were done by the PO a year ago. That sounds really bad tho, I can hear metal to metal contact when I go over speed bumps or hit a bump

[Lowandslow]

Does anyone know if the stock ford pinto shocks work on the 720 when it's lowered just like on the 620?

[Zeusimo]

Pinto Shocks Are Only 1/2 Shorter Than Stock

Just Section The Towers