Confused on alignment specs

Can anyone tell me what the caster should be to make more clearance from the cab mount? I don't want to do a chop just yet, but I'm rubbing the very top of the cab mount. I don't know much about alignments, but from what I've read it looks like I want decent positive caster.

Im fine with trimming more off the front bumper, but don't want to cut metal yet.

Thanks for the help!

 

Correct, you want positive caster adjusted on the LCA to move the tire forward in the wheel well, away from the cab. I believe the consensus on Tacoma’s is more caster will drive better (someone correct me if I’m wrong).

When I moved up tire sizes to a 305/70r16 I asked for 3° caster and it drove very well. Now that I’m on 315/75r16 I asked the alignment guy to give me somewhere between 3.5°-4.0° caster and told him more is better. He was able to get 3.8° left and 3.9° right and the truck drives like a dream.

 

Awesome! I want to do 305s when my tires wear out, and that's when I'm planning on doing the CMC, pinch weld, and all that jazz. I'll make sure to ask for about 3° then. Did the increased caster make your steering feel any heavier? I heard it could, and would actually like if it did. Thanks for the info!

 

Anyone else have experience with this?

 

Yes, you want as much caster as you can get. I think I was able to get like 2.4 with stock UCAs and a 2" lift. Aftermarket UCAs will allow you to get more caster if needed. I removed the mudflaps but I'm free of rubbing with 255-85/16 on the stock steel rims. I can't comment on the steering feeling heavier because I had the truck less than a year before I went to 255s.

 

Yes, I have noticed a trend where the increased caster does make the steering feel a little heavier but each time I’ve gone up in tire size I’ve also increased the weight of each wheel quite a bit, which could also contribute to that effect. With the 305 setup I also noticed my truck wanted to follow road crown quite a bit sometimes. With the 315s and current alignment is barely feels it.

To add, when I bought my first set of tires after the factory tires wore off, I made the mistake of getting tires and alignment at sams club (just 265/75r16). Didn’t know much about vehicles in general back then but noticed my truck would float badly and wouldn’t track straight on the highway. I later learned it was because my caster was extremely low.

So I guess that’s basically that’s the trade off. Low caster gives a light and floaty steering. High caster is heavier but is more controllable.