Alignment - Caster adjustment

Les schwab(Taco Bell) lol

 

Seems weird to me, stock suspension parts can be aligned at just over 2° caster easily. With your setup using SPC uppers that come default as +2° over stock you are still only at ~2.1°? Meaning that your stock lowers are set for 0.1° caster and are probably doing all the camber work.

Here’s my recommendation: Years ago I had 3” of lift, SPC uppers, stock lowers, 305/70R16 tires on the same 16x8 -11 offset wheels. I left the SPC uppers at D and pushed them in halfway for camber. I went and got a basic alignment (they did not touch the UCA) and received 3° Caster, 0° Camber, 0° Toe. I did have a medium CMC but had not touched the pinch weld. Only other trimming I did was on the plastic around the cab mount and bottom of the plastic covering the pinch weld. Truck ran great and almost never rubbed.

I would do it again the same way. If I were you I would do the same, except go to a different alignment shop.

 

I hear ya and I would but I already paid these morons so I want them to make it right

 

Figured it out bro! Dialed the uppers to setting E(+1). Good call on SPC telling me the wrong settings. Ended up with caster being just under 1* and 1*. Dont rub a single thing. Still have the mud flaps and haven’t cut anything. Also feels more planted in the front. I had a intermittent humming noise before at setting D that’s not noticeable anymore. Truly a stress cloud lifted off. I recommend ANYONE that’s running 285s or bigger start at the E setting and adjust from there.

thanks again!

 

Excellent! If it rides great I wouldn’t change it.

I am curious though, are you saying your final alignment numbers are under 1° caster? Do you get any bumpsteer (potholes and such pull your steering wheel)? Again if it rides great I wouldn’t change it!

 

Not that I recall if I remember and I run into that I’ll let you know. I have these on my 96 and the only time I got bump steer was because the old timers I took it to had the star plate not in its slot

 

Did the 305/70r16's rub with just the lift alone? CMC is a must do huh?

 

I’m not running 305s I’m running 285/70/17s
Set the caster at E (+1) and haven’t rubbed a single bit. Didn’t have to remove or cut anything either. Caster comes in around 1*

 

Yep I would say CMC is an absolute must do, nothing too drastic though aside from some minor inner fender liner trimming.

 

You run one degree of caster at ride height?

 

No I have 3” spacers and 2” rear lift. Anything bigger than 285/70 and don’t plan on rock crawling than you don’t need a CMC. Anything bigger than that I would adjust further than E, so F or G and even then if you have a aftermarket front bumper you still won’t need a cmc. The only way you would need one is if your running 35s and plan on fully stuffing your front tires going off road. As for a street driver you would only need a cmc running 35s

 

My truck is currently being done right now. I had 2.5 caster drivers and 2.7 passenger. Camber at 0 both sides and my ball joint would smack my coil spring. The shop is going for more caster and actually adjusting to UCA top plate!! Most shops don’t even touch it lol. Hopefully by rotating the spindle back it won’t hit on droop. Fingers crossed

 

Drives me nuts that you have to ask a shop if they will perform a simple request and even provide the instructions all for a 50/50 chance they won’t do it and a high chance they will charge extra to do it!

What shocks you running that are allowing your SPC UCA ball joint to hit your coil? Got any close up pics at droop?

 

Rough Country lifted struts. 3” front 2 rear

 

They just got me in the 4’s on caster. Chances are I rub now on cab mount cause the spindle is rotated back so far to clear coil spring.

 

But did it work? Does the ball joint still hit the coil?

 

Ahaaaaa it did work! 4.2 drivers and 4.6 passenger. Uca st to the “A” position. It’s close on the cab mount, may rub on hard steep incline most likely. Drives way better though! Ball joint no longer hits coil all good there

 

How hard is it to adjust the SPC UCA’s? Want to squeeze bigger tires next year, trying to get away from the cab mount, CMC and I still have rubbing sometimes.

 

As easy as jacking up the truck and loosening that big nut. You shouldn’t have to remove the nut completely. You can even leave the tire on if you want to be extra lazy but I would suggest removing it to simplify the process otherwise you will be fighting the weight of the tire/wheel as well as the spindle.

Changing the caster with SPC’s will also change camber which in turn affects toe so you will need an alignment afterwards.

Be aware that if you rotate the upper ball joint forward, you will slightly increase tire distance from cab mount but you will also be reducing caster angle.

 

If you reduce caster the lower quarter of the tire( the part that hits the cab mount) actually gets closer to the mount.