How bad is this alignment?

I just switched from SPC UCAs to JBA UCAs. The SPCs were previously able to get into alignment spec, but I decided to move to JBAs after the ball joints being worn out after 10K miles.

• 2" suspension lift
• JBA UCAs
• 285/75/16 tires

I took it to an alignment "specialty" shop and they said the best they could do was the following:


The reason why they said it was the best they could do was because the eccentrics were "frozen and/or maxed out".

How bad are these numbers? The tires are rubbing more than before, but I dont think they're hitting the cab mount -- just plastic. Are these numbers bad enough where I should consider doing the LCA/eccentrics repairs?

 

Yes, fix the eccentrics if frozen. Even though the caster may be within spec the left is pretty low and camber on the right is more than I would want for good tire life. I would like to see close to a min. of 3 degrees + on the caster with 0 camber especially for freeway driving. I would also want caster even side to side.

 

Different things. So a mix of both?

Frozen needs repair, maxed out seems is hard to imagine with that product and those numbers

Curious if this is a big box shop or an Indy with experienced alignment techs?

 

It's a mix of both, as I understand it. The "frozen and/or maxed out" phrase is copied verbatim from the invoice they gave me.

It was an independent shop here in Utah called "Alignment Specialists". I specifically was looking for a shop that specialized in alignments and was willing to pay more for knowledge. Unfortunately, I got some pretty dodgy answers -- specifically, I asked if I fixed the frozen eccentrics issue, if they could get it back into spec, but I was told "but they're also maxed out" and "you should get some SPCs". I also went back to ask if they could do what JBA recommends (setting caster to about 4.5 degrees) and got told the same thing -- "it's not possible, they're maxed out and frozen". I'm slightly suspicious, but don't know enough about alignments to be sure. Leaning towards not going back to them once I get the frozen eccentrics problem fixed.

Although now I'm curious which ones are maxed out. What position should the cams be if they were "maxed out"?

 

If I’m reading that sheet correctly on my phone, you were in spec before and after the alignment. There’s not much to learn from the alignment sheet.

High caster UCAs do not help oversized tire fitment. They actually make it worse. You should have stuck with SPC or another adjustable UCA. See post #138 in this thread:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-that-wheel-and-love-alignments.594309/page-7

Also checkout tinkerers adventure videos on IFS and UCAs.

https://www.youtube.com/@TinkerersAdventure

Another option are high caster LCAs like this one:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/game-changing-lcas-btffabrication.766413/

 

Your really going to have to push that caster out to help compensate for that uca. I had 4.5 to clear my 285's on a 17x9 +1 with a dirt king uca

 

Camber spec is -0.2 - 1.3 degrees. Before, right was -0.7 degrees and they moved it to -0.8 degrees . This is 0.6 degrees out of spec as I read it (making it 0.1 degrees worse). Similarly, it is 0.1 degrees out of spec on the right.

I'm not sure this is tire fitment question. I've done a cab mount chop and like I said, I'm just contacting plastic in larger compressions. That's an easy fix. I'm more concerned with the alignment. I'm not entirely sure if putting the SPCs back on, buying ball joints every 10K-20K miles, and leaving the cams frozen is the best course of action either. I also dont know if a high caster LCA is really necessary for 32.8" tires seeing how nobody mentioned it when doing research on the JBAs.

Others have been able to get the caster to 4+ degrees and camber in spec with JBA UCAs and stock LCAs. My concern here is my shop said they weren't able to do so, and if the alignment is out of spec enough where fixing the frozen eccentrics is worth it.

 

Are you sure your Tacoma only get 2 inch of lift, and frame not bent out shape? Somebody did “Dukes of Hazzard” crap with Tacoma?
If I not mistaken, not suppose to have problems with alignment only 2 inches of lift. Maybe OP provide photos of lift?

 

The question you should be asking yourself is, why are you wasting money on an alignment knowing that the all the things that allow for adjustment of caster and camber are not functional? Did the shop not offer remedial action for the eccentrics? With only 2" of lift, I would see more value in fixing/replacing, (and greasing/neverseizing), the eccentrics than buying aftermarket UCAs. Being that you are in UT, there should be plenty of shops around who are familiar with modified tacomas, I would advise looking for shop recommendations in your regional forum.

 

My apologies. I could not make out the numbers on my phone, but I saw green. I’m used to alignment sheets that use green for good and red for bad.

BTW, are you assuming you have 2” of lift based on advertising or have you measured it?

 

I measured it. Frame bent is highly unlikely. As I said, alignment was good (and I’ve never had an issue with alignment) prior to switching to JBA UCAs.

- I didn’t know this going into the alignment. As I stated in the first post, alignment has been perfectly fine up until now. Last aligned less than 20K miles, 2 years ago. No tech told me anything was seized. Granted, since I’ve been running SPCs for a while, techs were probably able to get things into spec without messing with the seized eccentrics.
- I mentioned in post #4 that the shop did not offer remedial action for the eccentrics.
- Aftermarket LCAs were never in consideration for me.
- Yes, I’m in Utah, but like you said, I’m hesitant to waste money on going to another shop when it is, in fact, something nobody can fix without me replacing the eccentrics. I’d rather fix them and go to another shop for alignment.

I’ve measured it, from center point of the wheel to the fender. Dont remember the numbers that went into the calculation but I remember less than 2”.




Thanks for the responses, everyone. My plan is to verify the eccentrics are, indeed, frozen. If they are, I will replace them with new stock UCAs and eccentrics. Then I will try to get the truck aligned at another shop. If they also tell me it cant be done, I’ll buy new ball joints for my SPCs, deal with replacing ball joints every 10-20K miles, and go back to using SPCs.

 

I was simply pointing out that your money would have been better spent on the time and parts to address the Cam sleeves/washers/tabs than it was on the UCAs from JBA. Seized Cam bolts seems to be a fairly common issue on these trucks. Now you are asking if it is worth it to fix the cam bolts, common sense would say: yes it is worth it in order to take advantage of the UCAs you already bought and installed and get the most life out of tires, steering, and suspension components.

You only said they gave you dodgy answers when you asked if they could do the alignment right if you fixed the issue, you made no mention of whether or not they said, "we can fix/replace the cam sleeves, it will cost you this much..."

I didn't say anything about lower control arms, only the uppers which you already bought.

Any reputable alignment shop would not have done an alignment without first discussing the matter of the seized cam bolts with you, it sounds to me like the shop you went to would have happily taken your money and sent you on your way without mentioning the cam bolts had you not pressed the issue. That coupled with a printout from a machine that is probably 20-25 years old paints a picture of a shop doing work that is "good enough" and not what you expected going to an independent, more expensive shop, these trucks also need to have the steering angle programmed after an alignment and I would bet that they didn't do that either.

If you can't get any good recommendations for a shop, find a local dealer for shop equipment, (lifts, alignment, tire equip, etc...), call them up and ask their sales or service techs who has good equipment that they take care of and knows their stuff.