alignment tech/ help thread

got my Alignment done today got a full 3 inches with 885s anf 5100's 05 pre runner

right side
caster +1.00
Camber +.55
Toe 0.00

Left Side
Caster +1.55
Camber +0.85
Toe 0.00

Do these look good, alignment confuses the shit out of me. From My reading I assume I want higher caster and lower camber. But is this the best i can get with Stock UCA'S?

After reviewing the alignment sheet I had to beg for them to print me a copy, they had the machine set for the 5 lug trucks. All my max min ranges are way off what i am seeing for the 2nd gen 6 lugs.

 

Took it in again. Numbers are more f'ed up then the ones I posted had them do it again with no luck. So LR UCA's will be ordered with tax refund.

 

Had an "alignment" yesterday and was told that the cam adjustment colts are seized in both diver and passenger side. The tech told me he saw the same thing with a a similar year taco , mine is 09 with 70k miles, last week and seems to be a common problem. Any advice? Torch? PB Blaster? BFH with cheater bar? Feel free to link any threads. Im currently via iPhone and the search thread function is useless.
Seemingly unrelated but I'm maxed out with 5100s running stock uca so I know alignment can be difficult but I'm trying to figure out if this guy is full if it or not. Thanks.

Jason

 

Pretty common issue , let me see if I can find you a thread

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/su...-replacement-2005-tacoma-4x4.html#post3691528

 

Thanks man. Guess I got my weekend planned.

 

You may be able to free them up with Deep Creep or PB Blaster or similar , but quite often the cam bolt is seized to the inner metal sleeve in the bushing

 

Certainally will try it first. But I'm expecting it to be FUBAR as the alignment tech told me he worked in it for about an hour. My only hope is that after seeing the size if his gut, his definition of worked might be a but different than mine.

 

Haha , good luck

 

has anyone noticed their truck comes out of alignment really easily?
I bumped a rock with my wheel and LCA going like 3 mph and came to an abrupt stop. i ended up driving down the road with my wheel at an angle for a few weeks until i had the alignment done. Now I smacked a pothole when I was not paying attention to the road and it pulls to the opposite side! Admittedly it was one mother of a pothole, but this seems ridiculous. My 01 never had bad alignment and it took a thrashing.

 

Perhaps your LCA cam bolts were not torqued sufficiently or the cam bolt could be seized inside the bushing sleeze and is actually twisting with the LCA

Have you checked your alignment tabs for signs of damage / rubbing ?

 

I tightened all the LCA bolts. They were tight. I also inspected everything. one alignment cam seemed to be pushed slightly to one side on the impact side. My truck has about 145k but its about 80% highway in California. Absolutely zero rust, all bolts were in very good shape and not seized. I recently put 5100's all the way around and was very impressed with the status of my undercarriage.

 

100ftlbs torque for the LCA bolts I believe , and your bolts may be seized in the inner sleeve of the bushing

 

So i guess my Caster is on the low side. Would this cause harder steering, also it wouldnt be maxed at this would it?

 

This link provides good understanding for alignment terminology (it has pictures)
http://www.autek.dk/Articles/PrincipOfSteeringGeo_eng.pdf

Stock specs for 2nd Gen are min to max range
values are in degrees
Front

Caster 1.3 to 2.8
(never want negative #, bad steering control; steering will wander with every little bump, too much caster hard to steer wheels always want to go back to center.)
Camber -0.3 to 1.3
Toe 0.0 to 0.10 (0.0 toe out to 0.10 degrees Toe in)

 

More caster makes the wheel want to return to center (harder steering feel) and drive straight, less caster makes steering easier and return to center on its own less. But you are really close to acceptable range. If you have bent something you may be out of adjustibility on the caster because it also affecets camber. Which is why its both very close to limits on the right side

 

installed Camburg UCA, took in for alignment.
Yes Camburg BJ UCA does help provide caster
Have OME 885 w/nitrocharger shocks + 1/4" spacer for lift.
stock LCA

Result(degrees) =

Left Caster 1.9 (was 2.6)
Right Caster 1.8 (was 1.2)

Left Camber 0.7 (was 1.0)
Right Camber 0.7 (was 0.7)

Left Toe 0.05 (was -0.25)
Right Toe 0.05 (was -0.45)

 

I posted this in a new thread, but I thought I'd post here as well.

Hey Guys

So I just installed a set of FOX 2.5 Factory Series Coil-overs with Remote Reservoirs and set of Total Chaos UCA's on my 12 Access Cab TRD OR. I have BFG TA's 265/75 16's mounted on Method Double Standard's with 0mm offset and 4.5" backspace.

After having the truck aligned, the truck has very sluggish steering. It drives straight in the road, doesn't wander, but it is very hard to initiate tuns.

In looking at my alignment numbers, it looks like my caster is quite high: 4.2 but it was they best they said they could do. Is this what is causing my steering issue?

Should I just take the truck back to the alignment shop and tell them to aim for caster in the 2.7 to 3.0 range?

Thanks for the help!

 

If your preload on the coil overs is set to stock height, then that might explain the high Caster #. The TC UCA are there to compensate for lift, and provide more caster, but if there is no lift above stock, then you'll have too much caster. Maybe??

 

I forgot to add that Fox pre-set the coilovers to level the truck, so 2" lift.