Caster with Camburg uca w/ball joint
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txbonds
Senior Member
Here's mine after install. I asked them to push caster to the 4 degree range but they said this was as far as they could get it and keep everything else in spec. I didn't add lube and was told the zerks were more for service down the road and the grease camburg provided with arms was for now.
gm350reratliff
New member
I could only get 2.3° of caster with mine. Actually, I could get 4° on the driver side but only 2.3° on the passenger side so I adjusted the driver side to match. My 4runner drives good, tracks straight, doesn't wander at all but I was hoping to at least be in spec. My Icon COs are set for about 2.5" of lift so nothing extreme either. I don't believe there is very much caster (if any at all) built into these BJ Camburgs.
I did alignments for about nine years at my former job. I did my own alignment on that very same rack but I forgot to grab the printout. :redbrick: I'll be doing another alignment on it someday just to double check because my COs have settled some.
I did alignments for about nine years at my former job. I did my own alignment on that very same rack but I forgot to grab the printout. :redbrick: I'll be doing another alignment on it someday just to double check because my COs have settled some.
Riddler6.7
New member
This is disappointing to read. I thought I had decided on these UCA's, but now I am second guessing that.
I did not align my truck yet so I didn't want to tell the alignment tech something that can not be achieved. Should I still ask if they can get it out to +4. I'm not going any higher than 2.5 on the lift and 275 tires, so I think i should be safe as far as tire rub.
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I ended up only using 2 packets of lube during the install. Think i should have used more. :wow::scared:
Indeed a little disappointing since I assumed most aftermarket UCA would achieve at least 4. But they are well built and nice looking.:wink2:
Engineer
New member
Mine maxed out around 3.1 with the rear cam bolts all the way in. I was told by wheelers that there is +2 built into the ball joint and uniball Camburgs which may or may not be the case. For what its worth i was "disappointed" because I was expecting more but the truck drives great so I see no issues I just had incorrect expectations. For the price I thought the Camburgs were the way to go and would still do them again
txbonds
Senior Member
I used 3. Used more on the drivers side than the passenger side but only because it was the second one to be installed. If you don't have squeaking or noises it's probably fine. Only so much grease you can squeeze between the washer and bushing anyway.
gm350reratliff
New member
I bought a tube of this: Prothane 19-1751, Prothane Super Grease | Prothane
I also bought a dedicated grease gun for it. I never opened the packets, just used the grease in the tube. Just before I torqued the UCAs to the frame, I pumped the grease into them until it just started to squeeze out.
A word of advice: Get a heavy duty lever style grease gun to use with the grease I mentioned. This grease is much thicker which makes it harder to use with a pistol grip style grease gun.
Riddler6.7
New member
So are there any other UCA's that offer more caster adjustment? Specified ball joint UCA's, not Uniball.
gm350reratliff
New member
SPC upper arms. You can dial in a bunch of caster if you desire. There are a few folks that have had issues with them and a bunch of folks that just hate them for no other reason. Personally, I've been running them for a few years now on my 4th gen and I haven't had one issue. I also periodically double check bolt/nut torque throughout the vehicle and haven't had anything loosen up related to the SPC arms. If I were to do it over on my 5th gen, I would have gone with the SPC arms, Total Chaos or Icon's tubular UCAs.
wfo9
New member
I have the camburg ball joints and think I have caster at about 3.5, could probably get a litlte more out of it, but it drives just fine as is. With stock UCAs and my current wheels, tires, lift... it drove like crapola with the caster maxed (think it was 2). The target is 4, it's not a magic number. Don't get too caught up in a number.
I've heard (not actually had it happen to me...) that the light racing UCAs are fragile.
I've heard (not actually had it happen to me...) that the light racing UCAs are fragile.
Jhalko
New member
I'm going to post this here as it fits, [MENTION=69789]newbian[/MENTION] and [MENTION=46576]jrob[/MENTION] hope this is helpful...
This past week I installed the Camburg UCA's with moog ball joints (purchased from wheelers, great service as always!). I'll be upfront, I don't know anything and this is purely my opinion, experience, and some speculation maybe.
I paid to have my lift installed given time and lack of experience, high country 4x4 did it as well as alignment. It actually drove just fine with factory UCA's, a little twitchy at high speeds but I don't remember what the alignment was. I have about 2.5" lift up front and with it driving well I figured I'd swap them out when I had time, about a year and a half later...
The install wasn't bad, I had a buddy help but neither of us had ever done it but I did find a YouTube video of a TC install which was good. The hardest part was getting the long bolt through with the washers lined up, not quite as easy as the video of course! We used something on the backside to hold things in place as it went though, made things way easier. Had a little trouble on one side with the castle nut kinda binding but [MENTION=106176]wfo9[/MENTION] coached me on how to fix that (thanks again!)
The alignment showed with the new UCAs that caster started at like 4.8, I have gotta think there is definitely extra caster built in as there is no way it would be that high otherwise? After alignment it was at 3.6, I put 170 miles on it today with almost all of that highway, drives perfect and it's definitely better and more stable, zero complaints on it. I did put new 265 C load duratracs on at the same time FWIW. I don't know if a full 3" up front would further impact caster but for me it seems like the Camburgs were a good way to go. I know people have installed these and not gotten much better caster, I wonder if camburg updated them along the way? Hard to know.
On a side note the LR UCA were never an option, past bushing issues aside, with people posting the rust on them after one winter just didn't have confidence.
Anyway, my 2 cents...
This past week I installed the Camburg UCA's with moog ball joints (purchased from wheelers, great service as always!). I'll be upfront, I don't know anything and this is purely my opinion, experience, and some speculation maybe.
I paid to have my lift installed given time and lack of experience, high country 4x4 did it as well as alignment. It actually drove just fine with factory UCA's, a little twitchy at high speeds but I don't remember what the alignment was. I have about 2.5" lift up front and with it driving well I figured I'd swap them out when I had time, about a year and a half later...
The install wasn't bad, I had a buddy help but neither of us had ever done it but I did find a YouTube video of a TC install which was good. The hardest part was getting the long bolt through with the washers lined up, not quite as easy as the video of course! We used something on the backside to hold things in place as it went though, made things way easier. Had a little trouble on one side with the castle nut kinda binding but [MENTION=106176]wfo9[/MENTION] coached me on how to fix that (thanks again!)
The alignment showed with the new UCAs that caster started at like 4.8, I have gotta think there is definitely extra caster built in as there is no way it would be that high otherwise? After alignment it was at 3.6, I put 170 miles on it today with almost all of that highway, drives perfect and it's definitely better and more stable, zero complaints on it. I did put new 265 C load duratracs on at the same time FWIW. I don't know if a full 3" up front would further impact caster but for me it seems like the Camburgs were a good way to go. I know people have installed these and not gotten much better caster, I wonder if camburg updated them along the way? Hard to know.
On a side note the LR UCA were never an option, past bushing issues aside, with people posting the rust on them after one winter just didn't have confidence.
Anyway, my 2 cents...
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cjacob316
New member
I would probably take 3.5 caster over the cost of rebuilding uniballs as often as I've read they need to be done. I have 2.5/2.6 with my stock UCA's. I drive at least 300 miles a week on the interstate and unless the wind is bad, I don't have any real issues. I can imagine 3.5 would be just fine.
Jhalko
New member
Yep, I'm a pretty mellow driver so being just out of spec wasn't a big deal. That said the improvement is noticeable. Adding the duratracs I figured more stability would be ideal, several online sites say the Duratracs weigh the same as the SA's but I'm not sure I believe that.
Taco04
Member
I have 3.7 of castor on both sides of mine the first place I took it to couldn't get more than 2.5 out of it before. Most alignment shops won't waste time getting it right since they will make just make more money by aligning another car rather than getting it set to your specs....
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CatskillsRunner
New member
Hey, [MENTION=91899]Jhalko[/MENTION],
Why did you go with those as opposed to TC? Thinking about the TC for next year and running the SPC until then (replaced the bushings and ball joints 2 months ago)
but I really like how it drives with 2.6/3 and am scared of losing that.
