camber adjustments.. UCA only choice?

[silversx]

i read in the searched threads that some of the guys with older gens are talking about lower control arm to help adjust camber?

i have .6 positive camber now with lift and the alignment guy said it's maxed out.. he showed me under the truck how the cambolt is all the way

i'm not rubbing uca with the 285s so i wonder if there's a cheaper alternative that allows camber adjustment to 0 or even negative

400+ light racing uca seems quite steep just to get some camber and caster ?:thanks:

 

[darkandshiny]

Total Chaos has some uca's for lots less than 400 bucks

What's New

 

[03L4RUNNER]

Total Chaos has some uca's for lots less than 400 bucks

What's New

One could only wish, they are $343 a piece, $686 for the set

 

[FERAL 4R]

i read in the searched threads that some of the guys with older gens are talking about lower control arm to help adjust camber?

i have .6 positive camber now with lift and the alignment guy said it's maxed out.. he showed me under the truck how the cambolt is all the way

i'm not rubbing uca with the 285s so i wonder if there's a cheaper alternative that allows camber adjustment to 0 or even negative

400+ light racing uca seems quite steep just to get some camber and caster ?:thanks:

Look at it like this....Once you decided to alter the original equipment suspension components...Then the original specs for said equipment have also changed.

If you have a bad alignment, then your tires will wear faster, and you will perhaps, have a bad ride, and probably spend $400+ down the road in new tires and alignments... Etc...etc...There's no cheap solution.

If you want to get the best alignment for your lifted application, I would spend the money now, and get a good set of UCA's.

 

[silversx]

So i guess uca is the only way to do camber and caster....

Not only do i have positive camber i have -0.5 caster. Lol imagine that

How much work or how hard is it to install uca?

 

[FERAL 4R]

So i guess uca is the only way to do camber and caster....

Not only do i have positive camber i have -0.5 caster. Lol imagine that

How much work or how hard is it to install uca?

Well, you could take it to another place and see if they can get the alignment a little better.

In my experience, with bigger, meatier tires, getting the camber to 0 (tire square on the ground) and toe to .05 on each side, is a good start point. Caster will not be in spec, but your tires will not suffer from caster adjustments.

Installing UCA's is not difficult if you are mechanically inclined. If not, I would have someone do it for you.

 

[silversx]

Toes currently good. Camber 0.8 positive

Besides the camber bolt what else can be done to adjust camber? If thats the only adjustment then he showed me under the lift that it's maxed out

Any one know a solid offroad alignment shop in so cal? My guy usually does street tuner cars

By the way lift is ome 884 front allpro 2" back with bilstein all around on lowest front

 

[Ducmonsta]

You should find another shop. You should be able to get at least 2* caster from the factory set up.
Did the guy show you the lower control arm bolt. If so, he should have shown you all four. There are adjustments at the front and back of the lower control arms. I've met plenty of lazy techs that will only adjust the front set, because adjusting the rear meant having to readjust the front all over again when setting toe. When I say rear, I mean the rear of the lower control arm.

 

[silversx]

You should find another shop. You should be able to get at least 2* caster from the factory set up.
Did the guy show you the lower control arm bolt. If so, he should have shown you all four. There are adjustments at the front and back of the lower control arms. I've met plenty of lazy techs that will only adjust the front set, because adjusting the rear meant having to readjust the front all over again when setting toe. When I say rear, I mean the rear of the lower control arm.

he showed me all 4 and said it's maxed out.. is that even possible? that it's maxed out on all 4 and still have -0.5 caster? and +.8 camber?

:AK47:

 

[Ducmonsta]

I guess anythings possible, but that seems very unlikely. My shop has never gotten anything lower than 2* + caster on any lifted 5th gen or Taco for that matter.
My advice, buy the UCAs. Investment worth buying.

We spend so much money on wheels and tires, lift kits, etc. It seems to be such a small price to pay in comparison.

 

[kenski]

I took my car in for an alignment after installing the lift, and when I left the shop the truck was pulling significantly to the left. This was way beyond crown compensation -- I couldn't make it half the block without the truck wanting to cross the center divider. I took it back to the shop and they told me that they were unable to get the caster within spec and that a caster / camber kit would need to be installed to get within spec. I haven't heard of this before and couldn't find anything on the forum other than UCAs to try to correct this. Wondering if anyone has had to install caster kits and if this is an appropriate solution.. or if I'm being jerked around.

Hoping someone can chime in here and help me out with this.:help:

Lift is about 2.7" spacer lift up front and 2" coil lift in the rear.

 

[Ducmonsta]

I took my car in for an alignment after installing the lift, and when I left the shop the truck was pulling significantly to the left. This was way beyond crown compensation -- I couldn't make it half the block without the truck wanting to cross the center divider. I took it back to the shop and they told me that they were unable to get the caster within spec and that a caster / camber kit would need to be installed to get within spec. I haven't heard of this before and couldn't find anything on the forum other than UCAs to try to correct this. Wondering if anyone has had to install caster kits and if this is an appropriate solution.. or if I'm being jerked around.

Hoping someone can chime in here and help me out with this.:help:

Lift is about 2.7" spacer lift up front and 2" coil lift in the rear.

Those spec will not cause pulling. Maybe some drifting/wandering at speed but not pulling. You may want to cross rotate your front tires and see if it pulls right.

 

[kenski]

Those spec will not cause pulling. Maybe some drifting/wandering at speed but not pulling. You may want to cross rotate your front tires and see if it pulls right.

Drifting does sound more appropriate an explanation of what I'm experiencing. Nonetheless, it's still rather significant as I can't make it a block without having to compensate. What concerns me is that this wasn't happening before and after lift was installed, but only after the alignment. (I drove for 3 or 4 days after lift install before getting the alignment and the truck was tracking straight.)

Thanks for chiming in. I'll definitely give the rotation a shot.