alignment tech/ help thread

i'm starting this thread so we can have a place to ask questions about alignment related issues, so we dont have to keep posting up new threds every time theres a question.

 

ill start.

i went and got an alignment a day or so ago and this is where every things at right now, they told me i need some kind of kit to correct the camber,anyone know what they were talking about?

 

Is your truck lifted? The caster on your driver side is way off. I would imagine the truck pulls to the left quite a bit.

 

5100s and 882s. it pulls to the left not to bad tho, mostly it just bothers me knowing that somthings off. would a set of uniball ucas fix this.

 

Seeing as how I posted my thread a day before this one was made, I'll just drop this here and see if anyone else knows anything. Thanks for the help.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201758

 

Are you 5100s at the stock setting? Yes, a set of UCAs would help. They have more Caster designed into them.

 

yup, set at zero.

 

Your Camber is not as bad as your Caster.
If they can get your right to 2.0, they should be able to get closer with your left.

 

ha ya just realized i messed up in my original question where i said camber i was meaning to say caster.

thats what i was wondering about.

 

Here is my last one for my 4runner. I'm lifted 2.5" in the front on stock UCA's. Might have to invest in some aftermarket UCA's if they can't get my caster down anymore. I've been back 4 times now and every time it pulls to the left. I'm getting annoyed and last time they left the steering wheel crooked. If they can't get it right this time I'm giving up on the place. It sucks because I have a 1 year warranty and went to that place due to the warranty and recommendations from my coworker.

 

Your Caster needs to come way up!

 

Yeah I know. I'm going to check my other sheets, but the guy didn't even touch the caster that last time. I'm going tomorrow so I'm going to specifically ask them about the caster and possibly give them a write up a member did about aligning a lifted 3rd gen.

 

Caster is ideal around 2.5 with everything else closest to 0. UCA will get you there with little effort but 2 is prob doable with stock??

 

what should camber be on a 99 with ebaich coils with 5100s at 0?

 

still close to zero

With my '04 4Runner, with 3" lift. I was able to get to +2.4 caster, both sides, with stock UCAs.

 

so what do you guys think my plan of action should be? im thinking go to another shop,get an alinement check and see what they have to say about it.

 

I'd either take it back to the first shop if they can do it without cost or go somewhere else.
But first, with 5100a and 882 at zero, how much lift does that equal?

I'd go back in with the numbers you want. Typically with a 2 3/4"-3" lift aim for:

Camber: 0 degrees
Caster: +2.4 (or more) degrees for 3" lift. A little less is okay for less than 3"
Toe: 0 to +.04 degrees

This is how I did it last time. I asked for them to work with me to hit those numbers, I said I wasn't in a hurry, If it took them a little while longer it was okay, those numbers were very important to how the truck was set up, and I thanked them for willing to work with me.

I think if you go in with the numbers you are shooting for and are pleasant, most folks are more apt to work with you.

Also ask before hand if they provide before and after readings on a printout. I thought this was standard, but I went to one shop that didn't do printouts and was disappointed, I ended up eating that cost and got it aligned somewhere else.

 

thanks for the help charles

 

I just got an alignment on my 2008 with a 2.5" lift, and the caster is showing around 1.1 for both sides (stock UCA's). I realize this is a bit low, but the truck drives nice and straight, no wandering or anything and the rest of the numbers look okay I think (toe is .1, camber .3) Are there any other issues that a low caster number could cause?

 

Perhaps a twichiness in steering when hitting a bump