Alignment, Caster, Clearance, and Driving Report with Light Racing UCAs

As close to 3* of caster with toe and camber around 0

I set mine like most guys on TW....LR UCAs at neutral (SPC logo facing out)

The SPC site has an FAQ with tips to help you with clearance issues if you are running larger tires.

 

Thanks. That's what I'm going to have it set to.

 

Hey guys, nice write up moose. I need some input. I'm having the exact same rubbing issue with mine. I'm going back to the shop this week to have them re-align. I installed them at the neutral setting, and I'm pretty sure they adjusted them to the 3*.. which Is causing my rubbing. When I go in, is there anything I should say specifically? Or will they know what to do? Thanks.

 

You might want to try the midtravel BS thread. I also found something from LR themselves.
Originally Posted by LIGHT RACING LAB
ToledoFJ called us and let us know this thread was flowing. Here are a few deign points on our Upper Control Arms you all might be interested in knowing:
• Our Upper Control Arms were designed work with a wide range of coilover shocks; from the stock Toyota units to long travel aftermarket shocks similar to the Light Racing or Icon units. This includes shocks that allow for a slight increase in droop travel.
• The increased travel was accommodated by using a ball joint with a higher range of travel. The stock Toyota ball joint has a 77° included angle (or 38.5° off centerline). Our design allows for a 90° included angle (or 45 ° off centerline. A spherical bearing (monoball) with high angularity inserts rarely has more than a 35° included angle. The angle of the ball joint plate is optimized for this increased ball joint travel.
• The sliding off-set ball joint that we use allows for a huge range of alignment adjustment rather than designing an arm with a static off-set and relying on the Lower Control Arm cam bolts for adjustment. This means the camber of our arm can be adjusted to the stock upper control arm geometry or it can be adjusted for proper camber in a 4” lifted vehicle. The caster can also be adjusted from stock numbers up to a 4° increase in caster for better high speed stability.
• Using a standard ball joint (instead of a monoball) and molded rubber inner pivots (instead of urethane) gives better ride quality, better longevity, lower maintenance, and quiet operation.
• We as a company have 30 years experience designing ball joints for aftermarket and OEM use. The design and quality of the ball joints used on these arms is top notch.
• Our arms are coated using E-coating. This is a process where the coating is electro-statically grown on the part. This is used for many OEM suspension components and gives superior corrosion protection to zinc plating, paint, or powdercoating.
I will check this thread a few more times over the next couple of weeks and answer what questions I can. For other questions please call our customer service department at (800)525-6505.

 

Check these out also:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/213583-icon-extended-travel-coils-non-resi.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/gr...acing-05-tacoma-group-buy-metal-tech-4x4.html
(page 2 on that thread talks about extended travel Icons and LR UCAs)

 

Subd. I have to rebuild my UCAs in the very near future and I need to get reacquainted with how these work

 

Hay I'm installing these uca this weekend and was wondering if u had a picture of how u got ur arms set to what u said. Like witch direction is the SPC loggo facing I'm having a had figureing out how set them.

 

Firestone got it right this time...am very pleased. Caster 3.0, camber and toe 0......Ride is perfect. Thanks for all the info on here guys.

One complaint with the LR UCA's that i have is the E coating. 8 months on the truck now and i have a little rust on the passenger side. Northeast weather i guess. Salt and road treating sucks.

 

Subd,

Just had icon extended travel suspension installed with 16x8 wheels and 285 tires. Don't mind doing the body mount chop, but want to make sure that I get the the most clearance I can. Bringing my truck back to the shop on Wed for a few odds and ends but this post should help me atleast ask slightly more inteligent questions about the alignment. Thanks to the OP.

Subd

 

So how do you know how far to slide the top part in or out? You just set it down off the jacks and tighten it up?

 

I assume you are referring to the ball joint and camber. I put a level on mine unloaded, tightened it, put it in the ground, drove it and checked it again. Most guys just pull it all the way out towards the tire and tighten it. Ultimately I trusted the alignment shop to fine tune it.

 

Hey all, I’ve tried everything I can think of from what I’ve read here and I still can’t get rid of my tire rub. I just finished my lift Sunday and got my second alignment tonight, still rubbing the tires on the back of the front fenders during full turns in either direction. Why? Yes, I’m still running my factory mud flaps and I intend to keep them. I like them and they serve a purpose. I am having a tough time accepting that I HAVE to remove the mud for a 265/75 tire. Oh right, I spoke to a great guy at SPC today and confirmed through him, "more caster means more clearance." I do have less rubbing with more caster, but still rubbing for some reason. Hopefully some of you can identify what I am doing wrong here.



My specs are listed below:



2012 Tacoma TRD Off Road DCSB
ToyTec coil overs adjusted to about 2”
Light Racing UCA’s set to +2deg additional caster (“D” setting on the chart for your other LR users)
ICON AAL in rear
Goodyear Duratrac 265/75-16 (they are big for their size, but not that big)
Spidertrax and stock TRD Off Road wheels.

1st alignment (left me with rubbing while turning and bump steer)
-0.2 Camber -0.2
2.7 Caster 2.7
0.01 Toe 0.04

2nd alignment: (I requested more caster to remove bump steering and rubbing)
-0.2 Camber -0.3
3.7 Caster 3.3
0.03 Toe 0.04

The bump steer is better and the truck drives pretty well, but I’m still rubbing. Mainly rubbing while turning in reverse, but I have to drive more before I decide if the rubbing in DRIVE is still present. So……what next???? My factory caster is maxed out, but I can still adjust star plate on the UCA’s for more caster before I go back if need be. Thanks, you all are great.

 

Lose the wheel spacers

 

Nice save OZ, before I could answer "YES stock wheels," it was gone. Ha. OK, but the Duratracs are very close to the spindles (right term on a 4wd?) and I like the off set from the spacers. I will for sure give it a try though. Easy fix if it works. So does that mean after market rims with more back spacing will cause me to rub as well?

 

I run 275/70/17 on stock wheels without wheel spacers and do not contact the spindles or the UCA

and yes , pushing the wheel out can cause more rubbing in the inner fender or cab mount

 

Increasing caster moves the wheel closer to the pinch weld/mudflap area.

 

When I increased caster on my particular set up, it moved the wheel forward and lessened the rub on mudflap area. I saw the alignment guy make the wheel go forward as he was adding more caster.

 

It just depends on how they make the adjustment.

OEM upper arms, or any aftermarket except LR, the castor is adjusted at the bottom on the lower arm pivots.

With LR arms, they can set the upper adjustment as a coarse setting. Then ideally fine tune the lower arm setting. Hopefully to let the lower arm pivots be positioned close to the same clocking for the front pivot and rear pivot.

PK