Lift gone wrong...Need suggestions.

I just installed a lift kit on my 09 prerunner TRD and I'm having a lot of problems being able to get the front end aligned.

What I bought was the Toytec OME lift kit but instead of getting the OME shocks and struts I went with the 5100's based on a suggestion from Toytec (said it would give me a better ride). I have been slowly accumulating parts for my lift so I actually ordered the lift kit over a year ago. In addition to the lift kit I also bought the light racing upper control arms to make sure that I could get the front end in alignment. There weren't any real directions with the kit so when I took my truck to have the lift installed we made a mistake with where we set the struts in the front. The first time we had the struts set at the maximum lift and with that and the coils that came with the kit my front end was probably 2.5 inches higher than the back end and the suspension had no give at all, it was terrible. On top of the terrible ride I wasn’t able to get the front end in alignment.

We called Toytec and this is when my frustration with Toytec began. They told us that they don't recommend the 5100's with the OME lift, and I was like WTF this is what you sold me and told me it would work great one year ago. The said that those struts were not designed to work with those coils. I asked them if they would swap me out the Bilstein coils and they said that since I had installed them on the truck already that they wouldn't. I was pissed! The coils have been on the truck for one day and this is what they had told me would work and what they sold me. Well after calming down Toytec told me that the OME coils and the Bilstein are about the same and that by setting the 5100's at the lowest settings and leaving the top plate spacers I would be fine. So I paid my shop another $200 to tear down the front end and set the 5100’s at the lowest setting. The truck now rides a lot better and it is lower but still I’m about 1 inch higher in the front so I’m going to have to go back and remove the top plate spacers (which will cost me more money) even though Toytec said I didn’t need to.

Ok, so removing the spacers should help my front to back ride height issues but I still have a huge alignment issue and I need some suggestions on how to fix this. We are going to be calling Toytec again today but I wanted to get some other suggestions. Here is where my alignment currently sits:

Front Left (specified range in brackets)
Camber -1.7 (-.1 to 1.4)
Caster 1.9 (.9 to 2.4)
Toe 0.12 (.06 to .17)
SAI 11.0 (11.0 to 12.5)
Included Angle 12.7 (11.0 to 14.0)

Front Right
Camber -1.6 (-.1 to 1.4)
Caster 2.7 (.9 to 2.4)
Toe 0.12 (.06 to .17)
SAI 10.1 (11.0 to 12.5)
Included Angle 11.6 (11.0 to 14.0)

I have been told by NTB (who did the alignment) that the adjustable UCA are at their maximum adjustment but I’m not convinced that they really know what they are doing.

Here are some pics that might help.


Here is the settings on the UCA:




Here is the front of the truck:




Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Sorry, I can't help you with your problems, but your avatar is just...awesome.

 

O toe 0 camber 2.4 caster is what you would like to get

 

it looks like you can get very close to the numbers I posted

 

Check out this thread.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/57162-lr-uca-install-initial-setting.html

 

Looks like the gold bar under the arm on my UCA's are backwards. Maybe that's my problem....

 

Rock Chalk dude!!!

 

A little bit of looking around on here before hand would have saved you a bunch of time and effort. OME springs should be on used on the 5100s with the zero lift setting only. It has been discussed at length on many threads here. Looks like you need to take your truck somewhere else to get it aligned. Doesn't look like NTB knows what they are doing. The picture of control arm shows that there is plenty of room to get the camber back where it needs to be. Do you have any lift on the back? If not, an AAL will get the back leveled up with the front.

 

That is what it appears to me and as Chris4X4 mentioned that in his post also. Hope it turns out well. You may also want to call around and find a alignment shop who has knowledge of aftermarket UCA's.

 

Yeah, wish I would have done some reading before hand. I took the truck to the local shop that Toytec recommended so I assumed that I was covering my bases.

Yeah I did add a leaf to the back so I'm pretty close to level but still a little high in the front.

 

The reason I have taken it to NTB is that when I bought my tires (buy 2 get 2 free) the sale that I bought them under required that I buy one year worth of alignments so NTB doesn't cost me $$$ but it sure has cost me time.

 

You might want to remove that bull bar and take it to a new shop.

 

Understandable....Did you provide NTB the directions that came with your uca's? From everything that I've read the uca's should be installed with the SPC letters on the brass plate facing out as in the thread I sent you earlier. I'll be doing this install myself soon and have done ALOT of research on here. There is alot of good information on here. I can perform my own mechanical needs but by NO means a professional at this so make sure you do your research.

 

????

 

The worst part is that I did provide them with the directions but they still screwed it up. Based on the instructions I think it's pretty obvious that there is a flat side that needs to face out. I think I will probably try a different NTB location.

 

I am having alignment issues myself. I seen someone mentioned taking off the bull bar then taking it in for relinment. What would that accomplish?