2500hd 4x4 Tracking

jimc · October 4, 2009

I have a 2002 2500HD 4X4 Crew Cab. I was coming back from my hunting lease today and a buddy was driving behind me. He called me on the cell to tell me that my truck was tracking crooked. That he could see my front driver's side wheel protruding beyond the width of my rear wheel. I hadn't really noticed this before, so when I got home I looked at it and could see a difference , but it seemed the same on both sides. I got a tape measure out and (not being very scientific about it) measured the outside spacing of both front and rear wheels. Sure enough, the front wheels were at about 78" out to out and the rear wheels were about 75" out to out. Is this supposed to be this way? Would this have anything to do with the torsion bars needing to be adjusted? I only use my truck for hunting and towing my boat, so it only gets a couple of thousand miles a year these days.

I am due for a front end alignment. Even though I get them regularly, I always seem to get this constant "drift" to the right. It's been that way ever since the truck was a coupe of years old. Seems like it only takes a short time after an alignment for it to become more obvious. Steering is getting a bit sloppy on the highway also, so I may have some worn front end parts. I have just over 100,000 miles. I'm the original owner, and it's never been wrecked. Replaced the shocks with Bilstiens a couple of years ago.

Looking for any guidance here so I can tell the folks at the alignment shop what to look for.

Thanks.

Jim C.

thearborbarber · October 4, 2009

Your truck is completely normal.

Here is a link to some dimensions

http://autos.yahoo.com/2009_gmc_truck_sier...long_box-specs/

mtm700 · October 6, 2009

Yup, its fine. It trips people out though. Every now and then when I'm on the highway, I'll see the guy behind me riding 2 lanes and then the shoulder to scope out the dog-track effect.

I had a friend that constantly was told by other people that his truck did dog-track, and that the frame was bent. He was convinced his truck had been wrecked. He tried making the dealer by it back, but wound up getting it repo'd, lol. He bought it with 9 miles on the odometer and swore up and down it was previously wrecked, I just laughed and told him they were all like that-never sunk into his brain.

jimc · October 7, 2009

Thanks for the replies. Glad to hear that it's not what I thought it was. It does make you think the worst when you first notice it.

I guess they make these trucks as if they were all going to be "duellies". That way the front wheels would be centered on the two rear wheels on each side.

Does anyone else have the same problem with them constantly wanting to drift to the right? Or maybe this is just a 4WD issue?

mtm700 · October 7, 2009

Mine drifts to the left right now. I'm due for new tires and will do an alignment once I replace them. Try swapping the front tires side to side and take it for a ride. Most times, a pull is caused by a tire. If it still drifts after that, I would suggest getting an alignment.

Also note, GM vehicles are aligned from the factory to have a very, very light drift to the right. If you were to fall asleep at the wheel, the truck would drift to the right and avoid a head-on collision with oncoming traffic.