alignment tech/ help thread

Damn ....something must be bent

 

funny how the 3 main people conversing are dirt bikers. i should change my User name to yourlocal250sxf lol

so would going back and asking the mechanic to give me 2.4 on caster be an okay thing to do? just worried he'll charge me to do it.

 

Any thoughts on having the Caster a degree too high...?

 

oh snap! thanks! i can call my mechanic and state that it does everything opposite of positive caster lol

 

Nothing wrong with running caster a degree over stock specs.

 

Are you sure? The truck keeps a nice straight line and feels great on the highway...I just what to be sure it won't mess anything up...

 

Well... if it feels good now, no need to change it. Although depending on your tire size you could possibly cause it to rub either more or less.

How are you planning to change it? What are your current numbers, how much more do you want?

 

Well, the alignment shop set it a degree too high...they put in that I was driving a 2011 Tacoma 4x2 regular cab. That called for a castor of 3.7, as opposed to the 2.7 I am seeing here. I have stock tire size on 16x8 rims (4.5bs) so rubbing isn't really an issue...

I guess Im more concerned about premature wear on suspension components...

Im sure they will correct It if I ask them to...I just don't want to sit there for 45 minutes before work tomorrow if I don't really have to. It's lifetime, so I can take it back whenever I have some free time...

Specs: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/201871-alignment-tech-help-thread-8.html#post5269911

 

Okay, no rub, great!

That won't cause any premature wear, IMO.

 

Yeah, camber and caster are directly related. The toe is not though. Typically there should be no issue getting that to 0. It's hard to find a really good alignment shop, IMO.

If you're lifted you're not gonna get the specs you want. I had almost the exact same specs with 265s, stock ucas, and 884 coils.

Not really

 

thats exactly what i'm running. stock uca's 265 75 16's and 884 coils.
so it it okay to leave the caster as is? seems like it's way too low... then again i was running it at 0.4 and 0.3 before i got it done lol

 

Well as long as you don't care. Caster wont hurt anything. With that camber rotate normally and you'll be fine. Nothing you can do but ucas

 

Got my alignment done today and was working with the tech to get everything just the way I wanted it. He really worked with me and showed me the entire process and let me help a bit, which was great. I told him what I wanted; toe= 0"-1/32",caster= 2.25*, camber= 0*-1/8*, matching on bothsides...

2nd time in the shop as they did a "toe and go" the first time and caster was way low...1.5*

Where I sit now...

Left. Right
Camber. 1/4* camber. 3/8*
Caster. 2 1/4* caster. 2 1/4*
Toe in. 1/32". Toe in. 1/32"

Total toe in 1/16" Steer ahead -0.01*

I drift/ pull to the right, the alignment tech noted this on test drive as well (he drove first), we got back to the shop and I felt rushed out as he explained he had another car to complete before days end, it was 1700hrs (we started at 1530) by this time and asked that I drive it this way for a bit, then swap from tires side to side and note any changes...I have brand new cooper tires and brand new 5100's (set st .85, stock springs)and am willing to bet dollars to donuts that it is the difference in camber causing my pull to the right. As I understand, the vehicle will pullto the side with more positive camber, ie; the right side in my case.

This will be my third try if I go again, I feel the tech is willing to work with me...yet, I don't want to be 'that guy' that nit picks, yet I want to be happy driving ....

Am I correct in my thinking as to why I am pulling to the right? Is an offer to buy him lunch to get it spot on sufficient? I think he would of done it today had he not had another car to get to after spending an hour and a half this afternoon with me.

Edit: I understand the crown in the road effecting where the truck goes...

If I am on the left side of the crown, I'm ok, flat road pulls a bit right...right side of thecrown, I go right, harder than I should. If they were compensating for crown, the numbers would be flipped right to left. I think the combo of more positive camber on right+ puts my pull to the right...

I suppose I'm asking how to approach the situation, as I think I know what is wrong

 

one of my mechanics said he can not crank my coilovers downanyfurther he's maxed on adjustment(alignment)so my question is what do i have to change to correct this im in need of alittle mo lift uca/lca/both or im way off base ihave fab tech 6"w dirt logic shocks & 35's

 

Typically one adjusts caster more on one side to adjust for road crown. Camber will cause a pull to one side though, getting them equal on both sides is your best bet. Caster can also cause a pull but less so than camber. IMO your best bet is to find someone who can get them to your specs for you or explain to you why they can't. I think your offer to buy lunch should go a long ways.

 

So... he can't crank the coilovers down anymore because if he does you won't be able to align it because you'll run out of adjustment in the alignment cams, right?

Getting UCAs is the only way to go.

 

thats the way im understanding it & is there a uca that would be most fitted for my situation or any company will do thanks max you've steered me in the right direction afew times now i owe ya beer or 30 if we ever cross paths

 

With the LR uppers I just got throught the group buy I was reading the install instructions and they say which direction to put the star plate with the rounded end in a certain direction. My star plates are not rounded on one end:



Any of you guys run into this? What should I do? I'd like to install them this week

 

I'm a nobody here and haven't even bought my UCAs yet so someone else should pipe in, but I say ignore the fact that the instructions show the locking plate as being rounded on one side. The hole is centered and symmetrical, so as long as it's registered in the slot on the underside of the control arm you should be good. The orientation of the ball joint with the SPC logo is what matters.

 

That's what I thought but I figured I'd ask just to be sure