Truck Feels A Bit Squirrelly Sometimes

Did dude EVEN TRY to change or adjust your caster, put a wrench to the LCA nuts? How did the 'checking' go? He drives car, you are in it, he says it is fine, you say thanks goodbye, switch seats, then you drive home? Did you ask for 'more caster'?

I think you need to get your caster upped. New UCA will assist in that effort, shop around, I bought the OME UCA for the name and it matched the rest of my lift components, but there are others out there.

Oh, and maybe find a tire shop that has more experience. Then they can offer up suggestions how to get it how you want. Dude did not work with you, in my opinion, from what you posted describing the scenario.

 

I think you meant Caster, not Camber... lol

 

He drove it on the alignment lift, said everything looked good. I told him about this thread and how many said I needed more caster.

Maybe I need to find a shop that specializes in this shit. The shop that did the lift had to take my truck to a Chevy dealership for the alignment due to them not having a machine.

I went with the 6112/5100 due to everything I've read that I wouldn't have to change out any front end parts.

My UPA's

 

You got me thinking, this one. Yeah, I meant caster. Thanks.

 

Gotcha. Yes. Did you ask him, if the caster was maxed out, with your UCA's? I think his answer should be 'yes I tried like HELL to get you your caster bud'.

 

The guy said it was fine because it was within spec. Spec is fine with an unlifted IFS truck. With the lift, you need more caster to help restore geometry. In short, the guy was lazy.

 

First off you need something much wider like at least a 285, prolly more like 305. And low profile too. Then you be running right on them floorda expressways.

 

I'll call them tomorrow, and make another appointment.

I told him I heard I needed more caster. I guess he didn't check anything after seeing it was within spec.

I'll make another appointment.

If I need new UCA's what would be the best to go with. I hope this isn't a what kinda oil should I use question.

The tire shop does lifts, it would be a lot more convenient to have them install them than going to Holly Hill, plus they obviously have a front end alignment machine.

Thanks!

 

Can you elaborate on squirrelly? Any speeds or speeds above 80?
Tires with a tall sidewalk are not ideal for the high speed driving. You increased sidewall, therefore increased sidewall flexing.
Lower cold tire pressure below your oem tire size recommended.
Also, OEM UCAs don't have a range for the caster. Most shops will keep alignment parameters in green zone.

 

It's like driving with a strong wind blowing on the side and front of my truck. For the record it has been windy as hell the past month 20 to 25 MPH gusts. It's not as bad when the wind isn't. The front end of my truck just feels light...not grounded or tracks like before. Seems like it starts around 60 MPH.

I'm right at a 2" front lift and about the same in the back, and as far as tires, I went from 165-65-17 to 165-70-17. Both sets were Toyo Open Country AT. I think the new ones are AT 3.

I did ask the alignment dude if tires could be causing it and him and the other dude both said yes, after I told them I had the tires put on at their shop they never mentioned tires again.

All this lift shit is new to me, sorry for being clueless.

 

Can you give us some more info on the tires, both take offs as well as new ones??
You could have had XL old tires and SL new tires and that be your issue, or going from LT to SL can/will be a big difference at speed...

 

Okay, it's coming out, slowly. If this thread were a murder investigation there would be NO arrest and somebody would be picnic-ing on the sandy beaches of Bora Bora. Okay, no blame, no guilt, for being on the learning curve, we are here to help.

You have to become your own advocate, and understand that there are over 80% of service tech's that will forever more, look at your truck make/model/year, look up the specs, and set your front end alignment ANYWHERE within 'specs' then claim he has done his job. You know better, now, and all of TW knows better since we all know you got a lift now-which is NOT spec.

Your tires might have a little to do with it, but the littlest amount to do with it. Here is a test you need. Put your tires at 30 psi, drive it. How does it feel? What does that tell you? What does your door pillar placard say for cold psi? Please check.

I see many responses in this thread, pointing to more caster, based on the alignment numbers you posted. You asked for advice, you got it. This might be a hard truth for you because, yes, it is an added expense getting new UCA's, but in MY case it was worth it and I posted my alignment numbers with my opinion on p.1 I believe.

Heres all the advice given, just a SHORT list of the advice given to you.

With stock UCA, yeah, get used to it, but lower your psi. With new UCA so you can get MORE CASTER, no, it will feel more like stock than ever before once installed and you get aligned correctly.

I got the OME UCA for, simplicity and greaseability sake, but this is where you need to become your own advocate and choose which one you think best after a good comparing.

Like I said, no blame/guilt. Allignment and other dudes don't seem familiar with what's really going on with your truck. Remember you got dozens of TW members routing for you, hoping you'll get new UCA and enjoy your truck and new lift for everything it's got!

 

I just set all 4 tires to 30 psi. I'll be driving it 52 miles round trip later to see if there's any difference.

Talked to the Tire shop. He did say they set the truck to factory specs. Told him about this thread, and he said he'll set the caster at whatever I want as long as I won't hold them responsible for any unusual tire wear. I have an appointment Monday at 1300. I asked about the possibility of my UCA's being maxed out, and he said they can instal aftermarket ones if needed.

He told me forums are the worst thing to happen. He has a Dodge with a 3.5" lift and said he never expected it to handle like stock. Also said 30 psi will wear out my tires fast.

 

^Normally I advocate lower pressure. However, since you'll be doing >85 mph, 35 psi is fine.

 

Caster angle has virtually no effect at all on tire wear (not sure why he would say that unless he's just not as knowledgeable as he thinks he is).
As long as both camber & toe are in spec, tire wear will be fine. I would suggest getting UCAs as well.

 

There are great multitudes of aftermarket UCAs.

Suggestions?

 

1. I don't agree, my experience shows smoother ride at 30. YMMV.
2. OP is running a test at 30, let's see what he finds, then he can pump it back up if he finds it necessary.

 

Very interesting. I had to take a pic of mine. 30.

 

At 2.5 degrees positive? No, but at 6 to 8+ degrees like on a performance vehicle, it will wear both edges of the tire, during cornering the tire will roll over on the edges, ever looked at a MBW or MB parked with the wheels turned hard, the tire is laying over...

 

Agreed (and is why I used the word "virtually"), but who runs that much caster on a Tacoma? 3-4° is plenty.