Pro Comp 6" Stage 2 Front Coilovers adjustment

Hey there, I am pretty new to the forums here, but I joined precisely for the knowledge abundant around here and because Tacomas are beasts and the sexiest looking trucks around. My question is this: I put a 6" Pro Comp Stage 2 lift with full adjustable coilover systems in the front and was wondering if anybody had ever adjusted them before. Thing is, I put the lift and a couple of months later I put a 130 pounds steel All-Pro Bumper with a 60 pound Smittybuilt winch which now makes my front 33" Ultras rub somewhere when I turn or hit an upward incline. Before the bumper, the tires did not rub so I know I just need to adjust, but I am a little hesitant. I looks like all I need are two spanner wrenches which were given to me when the lift was installed. If anybody has had experience with the torques involved and so on let me know, I would very much appreciate it. I have a 2013 Double Cab SR5 Texas Edition. Pictures on the truck in my profile.

 

Here's a couple pictures of the freshly shined truck and coilovers

 

Nice truck! I just installed the same lift on mine, haven't adjusted the coils yet though. From the pictures it looks pretty level. I would try and dial more caster in with the lower control arm cam bolts, you would have to get another alignment but will give you some clearance at the cab mount. You may just have to do the cab mount chop.

 

I don't have that lift, but can tell from your pics that you need more caster in your alignment. I'm sure you're rubbing the rear side of your wheel well/ fender. The bumper is just drawing your attention to a problem that already existed. You don't have enough caster to flex with 33s (I don't either, for the record).

Your truck looks beast!

 

This might sound dumb, but what exactly do you guys mean by more caster? @58 Siesta yes I definitely think it is rubbing in the rear side of the wheel well. What exactly do I have to do to fix it? Other than the alignment, can I do the fix myself or not? And does it have anything to do with the coilover height or not because I thought I simply needed increase the height of the coilover.

 

You can crank up the coilovers a little and that will probably help. But obviously the tires will still be close to rubbing at the rear side,especially with any suspension flex. Google caster,you will probably find some diagrams better than I can explain. Basically you can adjust the cams on the lower control arm(rear cam max out,front cam max towards the center of the truck), but then you will need to adjust the toe(tie rods), hence get an alignment. What this does is move the lower ball joint towards the front,giving you more clearance. Also search Cab mount chop. Hope this helps. On my phone so I can't post pics.

 

Ok I did some research on caster and all the adjustment stuff. Seems like adjusting the coilovers will require taking at least one end off once the truck is on jacks, and adjusting the caster will require going to an alignment shop. What really makes me mad is that the shop that installed my lift and later the bumper did not account for this when they installed the bumper. Having paid the boatload of money on the lift I would have expected them to at least do that. I wonder if I will need new upper control arms and so on, might have to talk to some manager at that shop. You guys let me know on any ideas I might use. Also, trimming the cab mount really does not sound good in terms of structural integrity of the frame, that will be my last resort if I need to but will avoid at all costs. I am running 33s for heaven's sake, not 35s, something must be possible without requiring cab mount chop. BTW I currently live in Virginia, anybody knows of good alignment specialists around the area also let me know.

 

I know about the boatload of money! And I installed myself. If I was in VA I'd hook you up. Your tires look bigger than 33's,that's about what I have and mine look small in comparison. A good alignment guy should know how to set it up. Maybe try and take it back and get them to help you out since they did all the install. Good luck man, Let us know how it turns out.

 

WOW yeah, thanks NABeast I should have just helped you out doing your lift so I could do mine afterwards. At the time I wanted to do it myself, but for the life of me I could not find torques and specifications on how to do it, so I just went to the shop and paid for it haha guess I could not wait any longer. Also, I now fully understand the whole caster adjustment so I will find a shop and will know what I am talking about.

 

No problem at all, if you need anymore help just ask. I finally uploaded a few pictures of my truck. Still need 35's,N-fab steps, and do some removal of emblems and stickers. At least that's all next on the list.

 

So I did some more digging around and found out that I need to replace my stock UCAs with Light Racing UCAs from SPC so the camber and caster can be adjusted properly without putting all the setting to its max and so on. I am I the process of buying a set for $379 and will install myself and then take to the alignment shop. Toku58 seems to have really good knowledge about it. He says that camber must be kept a certain degree of positive for the truck to be in ideal adjustments which is the whole reason I used coilovers in the front instead of spacers. I think when installing the new LR UCAs I will also raise up the coilovers a bit and hopefully I won't need to trim the cab mount.

 

I have light racing upper arms off my old truck, and they need new ball joints. They don't hold up very well. The problem with adjusting caster with upper arm is that it pushes the tire more rearward,giving less clearance. But you can dial in camber very well. Also getting the upper arm bolts out is an expirience.

 

The cab mount chop isn't a horrible thing in my opinion. Toyota boxed in the cab mounts in these huge steel boxes so to speak, I consider it unecessary overkill. I spoke with many on the subject and they agree. The cab mount really limits the room in there, I chopped mine to fit 33s. (305/65/17 to be exact) and I have a 3" lift. It isn't the height that is the issue, it is the width. How wide are your tires?


Edited to add: I don't feel the cab mount chop messed with the integrity of the cab mount, I just cut off the front metal piece, its still a very solid mount IMHO.

 

Plus if you weld/box it in after you cut its as good as oem!

 

Agreed, I won't lie mine are only chopped right now but I plan to have some stuff welded and when I do I will have the welder put on some new plates while I am at it.

Also, when I intially installed the tires I actually didn't rub that bad, but then I got the alignment to factory specs and I rubbed really bad. It doesn't sound like when you got it installed they did an alignment. Your problems could be worse if they put it in factory specs.

Here is a good post to read:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/40470-ucas-alignment.html

 

Agreed,too much caster is ok. Also a little neg camber isn't so bad either. As long as it's close to equal on both sides.

 

Darn, so do you suggest I don't get the LR UCAs or get better ones like Icons uniballs and the likes? Yeah, ok now I ma more confused because everything everyone says sounds right. See the way I read it on another forum is that in fact you need a little more positive caster because the lift places the application of the forces at different angles which means you need to increase the caster so that forces produced by the transmission are adequately applied in an optimal manner. Being that I have a little background in physics and mechanics to me it makes a lot more sense, but the like you said, the clearance will decrease if I do that. Yes, the alignment needs to be adjusted but like I said, the reason I spent the extra money in the full coilover system is so that I could keep the original geometry of the stock design as much as possible, and I cannot do that with the stock UCAs, without chopping the cab mount, and raising the height a little higher. My hope is that doing all three of those things will give me exactly what I need. Any other thoughts, and if so explain. I am always open to knew knowledge.

 

@Tacotrd311 the post you suggested is where I got most of my new information from. The guy really knows what he is talking about. Either that or he is just a very good B.S.er lol. And he has a Tundra now, he betrayed the Tacoma world lol, but his knowledge is solid nonetheless.
Here are the specs for my tires:
Approved Rim: 8.5-(9.0)-10
Load Rating: E
Max Load: 3750
Max PSI: 65
Overall Diameter: 34.96
Pattern: Courser MXT
Ply: 10
Sidewall: OWL
Speed: 126\123Q
Tire Size: LT305/70R18
Tire Width: 12.5

 

I have light racing UCA's and have had no issues so far, you sound like you have more knowledge about it then I do. From my personal experience I feel like after having the alignment done correctly, with a 6" lift I still would of rubbed on the cab mounts, maybe not as much with the 3" lift but still enough to have it chopped. Let me know if your able to do it without a CMC, I would be curious what it would take to get there.

 

Try Berts alignment in VB ... They specialize in this type of thing .... Pretty fair on pricing as well.