Do spacers "help" alignment?

C

CentcomPete

Member
Need to put a 1.5" coil spring spacer in rear and will also be raising my front Bilsteins to 2.5. Also considering adding Spidertrax 1.25 wheel spacers. Will the wheel spacers help me achieve a better alignment? I want to maintain ride quality without having to buy new UCAs and thought maybe wheel spacers allow the tires to be aligned better.
 
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Wheel spacers won't help with alignment at all. They may push the tire further out to eliminate any rubbing on the stock UCA if you're having a problem with that, but then they'll create more rubbing issues on the liner or body mount.
 
No. Also, any time you change your suspension geometry by altering coilover setting you should be taking your truck in for a new alignment as even minor adjustments can cause excessive tire wear.
 
No rubbing issues. Just anticipating degraded ride quality after coming up again in the front to 2.5 setting (especially at speed) due to so-so alignment due to stock UCAs.
 
What's the cause of your "so-so alignment"? If it's caster, then aftermarket UCAs will probably be your only solution.

Why do you "need" to add the extra 1.5" in the rear and 2.5" in the front?
 
CentcomPete said:
No rubbing issues. Just anticipating degraded ride quality after coming up again in the front to 2.5 setting (especially at speed) due to so-so alignment due to stock UCAs.
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Why don't you drop it back down in the front until you can hit around +4 caster? There's only so much you can do if you want to maintain the stock UCA and maintain good high speed drive-ability.

What is your currently caster set at and how much room do you have left on the stock adjustment cams in the LCA? This will give you a decent idea on if you have enough adjustment left to maintain a good alignment after you raise the front up higher...
 
Raising the front is just a "want". The rig is dead level now so I need to get a little of the rake back for light towing so the spacer out back is a "need". I am anticipating a less than perfect alignment w/o UCAs.
 
eddiebx said:
Why don't you drop it back down in the front until you can hit around +4 caster? There's only so much you can do if you want to maintain the stock UCA and maintain good high speed drive-ability.

What is your currently caster set at and how much room do you have left on the stock adjustment cams in the LCA? This will give you a decent idea on if you have enough adjustment left to maintain a good alignment after you raise the front up higher...
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Good advice. I will check that. Thank you!
 
CentcomPete said:
Good advice. I will check that. Thank you!
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I think you are overlooking something. Everyone realizes that increasing lift increases the need for positive caster. When you raise the rear of the vehicle you are directly reducing positive caster - this is why you get the "it depends" answer as to why some people seemingly run stock UCA's at 2.5" lift and get an OK lift and other can't get close to a decent alignment. If it's marginal now, and you simultaneously increase lift while increasing rake you have no chance of a decent alignment w/o aftermarket UCA's.

I have airbags on my Tacoma in the rear w/ 5100's and 5100's / Eibach coils in the front for 2.5" lift. Normal daily driving, I keep about 20 pounds air in the bags which gives about an inch of lift - the truck is almost level, about 0.5" positive rake. Caster is maxed out at 2+, stock UCA's, the truck drives great. When I haul a heavy load or tow I'll air up the bags, usually about 45psi. Towing or w/ heavy load it drives great.

Take the load off and the rear rises, about 1.5" higher, noticeable positive rake. If I forget to air the bags down, I don't forget for long because the truck drives like crap! Very twitchy! Increasing rake decreases caster and destabilizes the vehicle at highway speeds.

Reconsider your plan, I think you are about to be disappointed.

David
 
Canazes9 said:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RLliJpGBLA8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

David
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Antman said:
It wasn't funny because you failed to factor in the data that showed the percentage of swimmers/non-swimmers. :dammit:
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philsey said:
Suggest you keep your day job.
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I only ask because [MENTION=96409]Canazes9[/MENTION] mentioned funny in a previous post. He started it.
 
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