Alignments, Odd Tire wear, etc.

[Matt]

Gentlemen, I've got an issue with my 2008 T660. I bought this truck with brand new michelin steers and Bridgestone drives, for the first 9 months of running the truck the tires wore perfectly. No irregular wear whatsoever. I replaced the shocks when I bought the truck. But in May 2017 I started noticed a loud popping coming from the front end as I turned, eager to nip it in the bud, i had the rear lower spring pins, bushings, and shackles changed. The mechanic showed me the bad bushings before he removed them and I was proud of myself for getting ahead of a problem for once.

Fast forward to mid June and all of a sudden I started noticing irregular edge wear on my steers, outside passenger and inside drivers. It was cupping but only in random spots on those edges. I had the tires flipped on the rims and immediately took the truck for an alignment at our local shop. He noted the alignment was a bit off but didn't think replacing spring pins was the issue. He also said that the alignment was "set for new tires" and that a left pull was normal due to the condition of the tires.

I parked the truck August 1 to March 15 this year.

Now that I've been at it for nearly 2 months again I'm watching my steers slowly die a cupping death (as I knew they would). They're starting to subtly shake now in the steering wheel and it has me thinking about new steers BUT I am not confident the alignment shop has this right. Set for new tires? What the hell does that mean? I also notice a creaking coming out of the front end when turning. I'm thinking this needs to go to a proper alignment shop before I dare sentencing another $1500 in tires to an untimely demise.

Does anyone have any insight? Or where to find a GOOD alignment shop in SK or the upper Midwest US? I heard MD Alignment was good in Des Moines, thier systems are in many shops across north America but I fear the machine is only as good as the mechanic running it.