Long Travel BS Thread

Question for suspension gurus: When you set up shock mounts do you set max allowable link/arm travel to max allowable shock travel then bump/strap it less or do you set max link/arm travel to less than max shock travel, and then still bump/strap less? Seems like the difference would be an additional safety measure but is there any performance trade off?

 

Ok gent's its that time, Went to get an alignment today, one cam bolt is mostly stripped, and my tie rods are completely closed(threaded in?), the Manager at the alignment place told me I would need shorter tie rods.

Any reviews on the SPC cam bolt replacements? And advice on the tie rod issue. Ended up with good numbers, but steering wheel is clocked at about 1030. I told him I'd rather have proper wear on the tires than a straight steering wheel for now. Just getting the truck prepped up for Pismo in December.

Idea's are possibly cut the tie rods shorter or see if they can be rethreaded farther up. Replace all the cam bolts while im down there. Maybe with new cams in place they won't need more tie rod...unsure. Hoping those camburg 4x4 fabbed spindles release soon, might switch to heimed steering at the point.

 

@ilubtimmyhos used SPC cam bolts recently when we replaced his stock LCAs if I'm remember right. They got the job done but didn't seem as stout as the stock hardware I bought to replace my cam bolts with. SPC is probably a lot cheaper though, since I think it was about $200 for a set of Toyota cam bolts from one of the online OE part websites.

 

I'd rather go with something reliable that works well than cheapest price. If I have to drop some cash on OEM cam bolts, so be it.

 

i see things like this, and i think i built my fj40 wrong lol

 

Get OEM - I had to buy SPC at o'reilly's due to my truck being my ride to work the next day. Not nearly as well made as OEM. Looking into buying a new bolt and replacing the SPC with OEM when I redo my setup.

 

Let me know if you need part numbers, and I can dig them up. It's half a dozen part numbers or more for all the pieces that make up a set of OEM cam bolts.

 

Yeah I found them, thanks guys.

 

OEM cam bolts...and do the alignment yourself...shouldn't have to cut tierods at all...theres more than one way to achieve the "good numbers"

 

Yeah TBH the guy that initially worked on it didn't really know what he was doing, spent 45 minutes and fucked it up, then the manager came by, and they played with it some more and got it a little bit better than it was, but I lost 2 degrees of castor up front so now the 35s rub even more, and my steering wheel is super clocked. The dude that usually does it wasn't there, probably should have just came back, but wanted to get it done. They started talking about "usually we're $110 an hour in labor" since they were there for a little over an hour and a half fucking with it, but didn't try to charge me.

 

These bolts have been great. It they can stand up to my abuse, they are good to go.

 

For the bolts check this thread out and see what @gunny1005 can do for you, I think they’re getting a group buy together: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/camelback-toyota-discount-for-tw-members.207298/page-197

 

You might have better results doing it yourself. Took a while, but I got mine set up better than the last shop I went to.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-do-an-alignment-at-home.252256/

 

I shortened the outer tie rod by 1/2" and that worked well to get better numbers and easy to do.
I have a spc cam bolt a member gave me but I only have as a trail spare. I Wouldn't Use it for DD not as good as OEM.

Edit my frame isnt straight though, so that may be why I had to shorten tie rod length.
I also think the spacers that camburg has In Their kit is a tade bit to big. They leave no room to adjust in if you want high caster #s for 35s.

 

I cut 1/2 off one of my tie rods as well. The Camburg kit was a little too long.
Also on a side note my old moog cam bolts wouldn’t fit through with the Camburg kit so I’m OEM.
Do yall know that the SPC bolts will fit?

 

Anyone know where to get new lower bushing sleeves? Can’t find any

 

TC has them but they're expensive.

 

@Basikbiker how do you do your own alignment? I have a digital angle finder on a piece of metal for the camber and I know about running a fishing line from the front to the rear of the truck perfectly straight, then adjust the toe to get it close, then use to a tape measure to finish. Can’t figure out how to get the caster right. I tried @jberry813 method but I’m wondering if there is any easier way to adjust caster

 

What do you cats run for an air intake? Preferably first gen setups. I like inhailing half the sand dunes as much as the next guy but I think it’s time for a fix.

 

Stay OEM