Setting up SPC UCA: fixing camber

tired of the alignment being funny so I bought some SPC’s (good deal)

0 toe
2.2 degrees caster

Whatever that camber is.

How should I go about this? Make the adjustments on the arm only? Move the ball joint around?

I’m open to anything! Pic related

 

Why would you not go for as much caster you could get with those arms?

 

I’m confused on your question. Do you want more caster? Are you asking how to adjust your camber at home?

 

There is a point in time of too much caster. I used to believe that 3+ was great. Then i realized that this extra caster makes our tacomas really prone to pulling due to road crown. Im down around 1.75* of caster now and it tracks dead straight still (no wandering) and doesnt pull nearly as much because of road crown.


To answer the OP's question. When I do my home alignments i set the LCA's the same. Rear cam all the way out (to get me a set hard point), front Cam right in the middle on both sides.

Set the upper ball joint caster position to where you want it and slide the joints so camber by eyesight is close to zero. Do caster sweeps and adjust caster by fine tuning just the front cam on the LCA, put a smidge of extra caster (like .2*) on the passenger side to help track straighter on typical offset road crown if you wish.

Once you have caster set as you wish. Then simply slide the ball joint in or out to set desired camber. Spec is slightly positive (.2*ish) which will help keep steering light.

Then finally set Toe and center steering wheel.


When doing a home alignment i have found that a caster sweep of 1.25 turns + - from center is right about the same distance they use at an alignment shop, so you can measure camber changes at + - 1.25 turns and get pretty good numbers.

The biggest thing when setting caster at home is getting a general idea of your caster number, but most importantly getting both sides equal in calculated numbers using the same method every time and you will get a truck that doesn't pull weird.

 

I just know an alignment tech is gonna see these things and go full dumb.

I’m going to attempt to fix the camber in my shop. As it sits the truck drives great. I’ll add some more caster if the adjustment is there after the camber is fixed.

 

Just remember that sliding that ball joint in or out to set camber (same goes if you do it at the LCA, but its MUCH easier at the upper ball joint as it wont effect caster), really does a number on toe, so make sure you set the toe last.

I like ~ 3/16ths of an inch of total toe in on my 265/75R16's

 

I have found 2* caster to be amazing. It drives great. I’m not sure why everyone runs 4*.

Chris 4x4 recommended 2* in another thread and I went with that and love the way it handles.

Thanks for the wisdom dude we’re gonna give it a shot for sure before taking it in.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-do-an-alignment-at-home.252256/

 

No problem man. Yeah i used to run like 3.4* and it made steering heavy and pulled with any little bit of road crown.

If you set aside like 4 hours, get yourself a digital angle finder and make some wheel straight edges and it makes life easy.

Check my lil write up within the thread linked to above

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-do-an-alignment-at-home.252256/page-14#post-17255454

 

Wow when I put my new JBA Ball Joints in maybe I will have the guy dial the Caster down and see how it does. I am currently at about 3.7 and feel zero pull or wandering. But I am game to try it.

 

FWIW, mine handles like a dream. I think you’ll like it. It feels stuck to the road, but not too stuck if that makes sense..

 

It does thank you

 

I installed them in the +2 position for a total of about 4* caster. Truck drives a little funny. Wheel is kind of shaky. I feel like I’m driving a grocery cart with shitty front wheels lol. Idk I’ll report back as I experiment.

 

Dial it back to the 0 (+2*) position. 4* at the UCA plus what ever you have dialed on the bottom is TONS of caster.

 

Yeah I’m on vacation right now. Got the special edition vacation UCA’s hahaha.

When I get home I’m gonna have the shop I use redo everything. I do have a VSC light on so if you know anything about that check the thread out or pm me dude. Can’t catch a break with this damn truck

 

Have you seen this?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ibrate-your-vsc-computer-the-easy-way.467485/

 

I have NOT

Thank you!

 

Wow dude what an awesome write up. The pdf that’s being linked in some posts is NOT clear at all. Thanks guys. Especially you @Crom

Everything should work properly now correct? Just as before? I don’t want this thing to kick on when I’m merging into traffic or something as some users have reported in other threads.

 

Did the VSC light come on after the install of the UCA's... if so its possible you broke an ABS sensor, or if the steering wheel is vastly off center that will do it too.

Did you adjust Toe?

 

Hahahaha oh dude.. I ended up with it at a shop that, turns out, does not have an alignment rack. So I got it back and he didn’t touch camber or caster.

Okay. Whatever right? I get it back. At least fix the camber. Okay cool. We nailed it. Now the wheel is off center. So I take it back. Somehow this guy is doing all this manually. Idk. I didn’t ask. Maybe he’s summoning alignment demons when nobody is looking.

I have a 750 mile drive Monday morning so it’ll have to do for now. When I get home and I’m not in a crunch I’m gonna get it all redone.

I’m almost sure the vsc was off because I drove it with the wheel canted at about 10-14*. Kinda sucks that the wheel being off disabled the whole system..