Just installed Icon 2.5 Front Coilivers w/ RR & CDCV, Icon 2.5 Rear Shocks w / RR & CDCV along with SPC Upper Control Arms. Just got it out of alignment shop. And because I know absolutely nothing about alignment, I’m want you guy’s opinion on my results.
Does This Look Right?
- Thread starter sjbill17
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Drives great. Just didn't know if more caster is needed or anything. I don't know jack about alignment. Installed the suspension myself. Took me two days and a bottle of Aleve for my back, but I got it in. Got the CDCV set at the softest setting for now. Gonna give suspension time to settle and may crank the front up a little more. It has a little bit of forward rake right now with the bigger overlander springs, but plan on installing a Victory 4x4 rear Strike bumper w/ swingouts in the next 30-60 days so my wait for final height adjustment until then.
That's what I was thinking but it drives great. I got the Firestone Lifetime Alignment, so I can always have it redone. Running stock tire size at the moment. 285/70/17 General Grabber ATXs going on in two weeks.
Ok fellas. Today I made a hard right turn into a parking spot and my right front actually contacted my stock skid plate. My original thought was it contacted my Remote Resi but after inspection I found the right front tire had contacted my stock skid plate. My alignment remains as posted in my original post. And I am still running stock 265s on stock trail rims.
SPC UCA ball joint is in "D" position as stated in the install instructions.
I'm afraid its gonna be worse when I go to 285s.
Any suggestions?
SPC UCA ball joint is in "D" position as stated in the install instructions.
I'm afraid its gonna be worse when I go to 285s.
Any suggestions?
I am not familiar with SPC UCA, but your Caster is low . Try to get it to 3.9 or 4.1 . I am sure you will be good to go for 285’s. Good luck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was just looking at my alignment spec sheet. And I will not claim to no jack $hit about alignment, but from looking at my before measurements, my left caster is at 4.0 and my right caster is at 3.8. It appears to me that the alignment dude *ucked it up by just adjusting the LCA cams to dial in the camber. I can say for a fact that he did not touch the UCA at all.
This whole alignment issue is puzzling me. Just wondering if you guys see the same thing that i'm seeing in the spec sheet.
And again, thanks so much for any info / advice you guys can give.
This whole alignment issue is puzzling me. Just wondering if you guys see the same thing that i'm seeing in the spec sheet.
And again, thanks so much for any info / advice you guys can give.
Last edited:
SpeedyKevin
New member
The shop most likely doesnt know how to work with the spc arms. Consider taking it elsewhere if they confirm they dont how
Yea, that's what i'm thinking, but I paid for a lifetime alignment with Firestone so i think i need to take it back. Have them put it back to the original settings and attempt to adjust camber with UCA. I can tell him how to do that, i do know that much. I just feel that my original caster numbers is where I want to be and camber should be easily adjusted with UCA by loosening the top nut and sliding it outward or inward in the slot.
I really need to get under there and look at my cam bolts. If i suspect correctly, i'm expecting my right side front and rear cams to be in the 3 o'clock position and my left side front and rear cams to be in the 9 o'clock position. Because my original camber on left and right was over -1 degree and the only way to fix that is by bringing the LCA inward. Hince my rub on skid plate.
Please correct me if i'm wrong.
kenwilliams0803
New member
Good luck getting Firestone to adjust caster.
My branch just leaves mine at the 2.5* that it rolls in there every time with since it's just barely "in spec".
My branch just leaves mine at the 2.5* that it rolls in there every time with since it's just barely "in spec".
MAG GRY TACO15
New member
You got the spc i'm assuming for the ability to get more caster. So you need to have them redo it and get your caster up above 3 b/c those uca will easily do that. You could even get to 4 probably. The caster numbers you have are almost achievable with stock UCA's. I wonder if you alignment guy saw stock 4runner specs and tried to get there not knowing you want to get more caster.
I got the SPC on recommendation. For the ease of adjustment and range of adjustments.
Yea. I can take responsibility for that. Noobie mistake on my part. I’m still learning as I go.
Anyway I never told him I wanted more caster. So he just did what he’s trained to do. I’m gonna take it back and discuss it with them again. At $200 for Lifetime Alignment, they gonna do something.
Bobstoy610
New member
First post here so Hi and thank you all for your wealth of knowledge!
I picked up an 18 limited a few months ago and went to work on the suspension so here's how it went. I'm a mercedes tech and I'm quite familiar with alignments and how I want the car to ride and handle. I raised the front 2" and rear 1 to get the height that I wanted and threw it up on the rack. My numbers loo:banana::banana:ked just like yours when I was finished but I HATED the way it darted down the road. Up it went again and I maxed out the caster by sacrificing some camber. Caster was @3. Hated that too. Got and installed UCAs with 3degrees built in. Up on the rack again! Got my camber back to 0 and put the caster at 4.1 on both sides. I'm now very happy with it to the point I can handle it with my knee at 90 (for test purposes only). Hope this helps on your quest. BTW the dancing bananas are supposed to go where I was happy!
I picked up an 18 limited a few months ago and went to work on the suspension so here's how it went. I'm a mercedes tech and I'm quite familiar with alignments and how I want the car to ride and handle. I raised the front 2" and rear 1 to get the height that I wanted and threw it up on the rack. My numbers loo:banana::banana:ked just like yours when I was finished but I HATED the way it darted down the road. Up it went again and I maxed out the caster by sacrificing some camber. Caster was @3. Hated that too. Got and installed UCAs with 3degrees built in. Up on the rack again! Got my camber back to 0 and put the caster at 4.1 on both sides. I'm now very happy with it to the point I can handle it with my knee at 90 (for test purposes only). Hope this helps on your quest. BTW the dancing bananas are supposed to go where I was happy!
Thanks for your insight, i'm kinda new here myself.
You using SPC Upper Control Arms? If so what position did you set the ball joint and is it centered in the slot or offset inward or outward?
When I installed mine, I set the ball joint in the "D" position and centered in the slot per the instructions. As you can see by the alignment sheet, my camber was >/= -1.0 which is too much. I'm thinking the tech decreased the caster to get camber to -0.1 on both sides.
I'm thinking I should have marked my LCA cams prior to my alignment visit so I would know where they were set on the initial reading.
Bobstoy610
New member
I don't know anything about the CAs that you have. I used JBA high caster arms a: because I knew what I wanted and b: because they were best suited for the kind of driving that I do (some sand but mostly highway). If the joint is adjustable I would see if it can be adjusted Back to increase the caster. If in and out are the only options then I would go in, therefore allowing the lower front to move in as the rear sets itself out further. More caster.
As many have said before, if you're happy with how it drives then leave it be. I'm just waay too picky about my stuff.
As many have said before, if you're happy with how it drives then leave it be. I'm just waay too picky about my stuff.
Well it drives nice. However, my right ( driver ) front rubs on my stock skid plate at full lock on righthand turns. And this is with stock size tires. My concern is that once i go to 285s the rub will get worse. It's already bent my stock skid plate. I know i can bend that back into shape easily though. I'm gonna take it back to them and have them reset the caster to the original settings and then adjust camber at the UCA. If i had the know how, I'd do it myself, but I did pay for lifetime alignment with them so I gonna make them do it.
Run Forrest Run
New member
Similar situation and could use perspective
Installed Ironman Nitro lift (3”/2.5”) and Ironman UCA’s w/ 4* built in caster.
Went to local shop for alignment assuming it should be simple. Currently running stock wheels/tires with plans to size up to 285’s- requested caster above 4 to make space. Tech worked diligently for 2.5 hours but it was obvious he didn’t have experience. I should have asked about this before taking it in- my bad. End result is that all is in spec, but couldn’t get Caster above 3.0 on drivers side and 2.8 on passenger. It drives great, but could use some advise. Should I find a more experienced shop before buying new tires or am I being OCD that my Caster is in the low end of spec?
Before and After alignment specs below.
Does it look like the LCA cam was even adjusted or is it still in the neutral position?
I see signs of adjustment but don’t know how to read what was done.
Installed Ironman Nitro lift (3”/2.5”) and Ironman UCA’s w/ 4* built in caster.
Went to local shop for alignment assuming it should be simple. Currently running stock wheels/tires with plans to size up to 285’s- requested caster above 4 to make space. Tech worked diligently for 2.5 hours but it was obvious he didn’t have experience. I should have asked about this before taking it in- my bad. End result is that all is in spec, but couldn’t get Caster above 3.0 on drivers side and 2.8 on passenger. It drives great, but could use some advise. Should I find a more experienced shop before buying new tires or am I being OCD that my Caster is in the low end of spec?
Before and After alignment specs below.
Does it look like the LCA cam was even adjusted or is it still in the neutral position?
I see signs of adjustment but don’t know how to read what was done.
Attachments
Last edited:
daytonaviolet
New member
I’m running 285/70/17 with trd wheels and my caster is set to 4+. I still have slight run in reverse at full lock coming down my driveway.
