SPC UCA Alignment Sheets

[Road Bull]

Gotta love the SPC arms. You got plenty of clearance from the pinch welds now. Just a heads up, if you haven't done the washer bottle relocate yet, you're gonna want too. The trade off for clearing the pinches is hitting the washer bottle at full stuff. It's 80 bucks from Sonora Steel and takes less then an hour.

Yeah, those SPC arms make all the difference. I have a lot more room and have yet to hear any rub during parking and backing up. That alone is a huge difference compared to what I was dealing with. I might have a chance to get it in the dirt / snow this weekend and see what it feels like.

As for the washer fluid bottle relocation... Hahaha.. it never ends. But that frees up a TON of space. I will probably order that this week. Do you have to take all that apart to change light bulbs after install? It's not that big a deal, and I suppose it is worth it regardless. That OME one is huge.

 

[psraff]

Do you have to take all that apart to change light bulbs after install? It's not that big a deal, and I suppose it is worth it regardless. That OME one is huge.

You shouldn't have to. I installed mine several weeks ago and it mounts off to the side (towards the center of the vehicle) so there's room to get to the light. I was concerned because I have HIDs and wiring for my winch down there also and there's room for everything.

 

[papabeach]

Just installing now... set to D for now, after reading thread, I bet I can set to G... but what about the LCA adjusters?

the front bolt should be all the way back? and the back bolt should be all the way forward?

so... when looking from the front, the back bolt head should be to the passenger side, kicking the rear out...
and when looking from the front, the front bolt head should be to the driver side, pulling the front in...

correct me if I'm wrong...

thanks guys!

When I did my install I called SPC and they told me to start at “G” with the rear cams pushed out as far as possible and front cams pulled in as far as possible. This setup maximizes clearance of the rear wheel well and gives you as much caster as possible at “G.” Camber will be way off but of course this can be adjusted with the top bolt. Toe will also need adjusted for sure. Fwiw, this was good enough to get me to the alignment shop and they took it from there with a little guidance from me. Hope this helps.

 

[JayRolla]

Finally some others are listening to fourfive on the "g" setting. Since he suggested it to me awhile back, I've been preaching it to people in here and and on the tacoma forums. No one believes how much clearance it gives and still rides fine.

 

[psraff]

Finally some others are listening to fourfive on the "g" setting. Since he suggested it to me awhile back, I've been preaching it to people in here and and on the tacoma forums. No one believes how much clearance it gives and still rides fine.

"G" is the only way to go! I did it when I started this thread (or soon after) almost a year and a half ago. :fro::fro::fro:

 

[JayRolla]

"G" is the only way to go! I did it when I started this thread (or soon after) almost a year and a half ago. :fro::fro::fro:

Nice. Been running it for few seasons now. Never a bit of rub offroad. Time to get 315s to fix that issue up.

 

[BigFishAllDay]

This is a beautiful alignment.

3.3 caster on the right and 3.1 on the left to account for road crown and everything else zeroed. Fresh bushings in both UCAs and LCAs. Front cams in, back cams out for full firewall clearance via the LCAs. SPC UCAs on "D" for +2.0 caster and set with the UBJ ~1/4" inboard from the outside edge of the slot to dial in some negative camber at the UBJ.

I'm always amazed at the trouble people have getting good alignments.

 

[IBallEngineer]

This is a beautiful alignment.

3.3 caster on the right and 3.1 on the left to account for road crown and everything else zeroed. Fresh bushings in both UCAs and LCAs. Front cams in, back cams out for full firewall clearance via the LCAs. SPC UCAs on "D" for +2.0 caster and set with the UBJ ~1/4" inboard from the outside edge of the slot to dial in some negative camber at the UBJ.

I'm always amazed at the trouble people have getting good alignments.

I'm not, I've seen so many lame'O techs who don't know how suspension works that is just isn't surprising. Did you notice that you started with .08+ Thrust Angle and by moving both front toe settings to the right, it put your Thrust Angle at 0? Very cool!

 

[BigFishAllDay]

I'm not, I've seen so many lame'O techs who don't know how suspension works that is just isn't surprising. Did you notice that you started with .08+ Thrust Angle and by moving both front toe settings to the right, it put your Thrust Angle at 0? Very cool!

I've been using the same guy at the same shop for 17 years, so I guess I've gotten spoiled. I always align it myself before I go in and try to get it as close as I can, just for fun. I usually have it pretty close by the time I get there.

The before measurements are a little misleading, for some reason the actual "before" toe measurements didn't get picked up, but both front toe settings were further left... I think the left was -0.56 and the right was +0.59. The rig just drove well, but the steering wheel was cocked right. I think the measurements on the sheet got picked up after his initial adjustment. All the other before measurements are accurate.

You may have misread the before/after thrust angle measurement... the final was the .08, the initial was the zero.

 

[IBallEngineer]

I've been using the same guy at the same shop for 17 years, so I guess I've gotten spoiled. I always align it myself before I go in and try to get it as close as I can, just for fun. I usually have it pretty close by the time I get there.

The before measurements are a little misleading, for some reason the actual "before" toe measurements didn't get picked up, but both front toe settings were further left... I think the left was -0.56 and the right was +0.59. The rig just drove well, but the steering wheel was cocked right. I think the measurements on the sheet got picked up after his initial adjustment. All the other before measurements are accurate.

You may have misread the before/after thrust angle measurement... the final was the .08, the initial was the zero.

Boy I sure did!layball:

 

[JayRolla]

This is a beautiful alignment.

3.3 caster on the right and 3.1 on the left to account for road crown and everything else zeroed. Fresh bushings in both UCAs and LCAs. Front cams in, back cams out for full firewall clearance via the LCAs. SPC UCAs on "D" for +2.0 caster and set with the UBJ ~1/4" inboard from the outside edge of the slot to dial in some negative camber at the UBJ.

I'm always amazed at the trouble people have getting good alignments.

The fight I had was not really the alignment. It was easy to get your caster numbers and everything zeroed out but for some reason my rig would rub the firewall no madder what alignment I would do with anything over 2.5* caster.

Only way I could completely clear my firewall when wheeling was to move the SPC ball joint, max out LCA caster and get around 1.7*.

So with this current alignment you have and the 295 tires you completely clear the firewall when wheeling?

 

[psraff]

This is a beautiful alignment.

3.3 caster on the right and 3.1 on the left to account for road crown and everything else zeroed.

View attachment 289398

Wish all I had to account for was "Road Crown".... :lookout::lol:

 

[BigFishAllDay]

The fight I had was not really the alignment. It was easy to get your caster numbers and everything zeroed out but for some reason my rig would rub the firewall no madder what alignment I would do with anything over 2.5* caster.

Only way I could completely clear my firewall when wheeling was to move the SPC ball joint, max out LCA caster and get around 1.7*.

So with this current alignment you have and the 295 tires you completely clear the firewall when wheeling?

That's correct, but the alignment is only a piece of the puzzle.

Wheel backspacing is another major factor, as I'm sure you know. My current setup is 16x8 with 4" BS. I have also cut out a good chunk of my fender, liner, and all of the pinch weld, in addition to some hammering things nice and flat at the bottom rear of each front wheel well.

Wish all I had to account for was "Road Crown"....

Damn... that second section of road looks like it would be downright dangerous if it caught you by surprise.

 

[YouInTheShirt]

Thanks

Started at G to get rear well clearance and adjusted from there. Ended up with the arms set to get as much negative camber as possible. Everything else was fairly easy to adjust on my own as I replaced LCA bushings, all new LCA cam kits, LBJs, and shocks and springs.
When everything got put back together the alignment was way off. Went through it several times just eye balling it so I could make it to the alignment shop. Seeing what you guys think of these alignment numbers?

Find it funny that I was able to eye ball the alignment in my driveway and then take it in and lose caster.....

 

[thezentree]

Started at G to get rear well clearance and adjusted from there. Ended up with the arms set to get as much negative camber as possible. Everything else was fairly easy to adjust on my own as I replaced LCA bushings, all new LCA cam kits, LBJs, and shocks and springs.
When everything got put back together the alignment was way off. Went through it several times just eye balling it so I could make it to the alignment shop. Seeing what you guys think of these alignment numbers?

Find it funny that I was able to eye ball the alignment in my driveway and then take it in and lose caster.....

Your image is broken.

 

[YouInTheShirt]

Your image is broken.

Fixed?

 

[Bandit Runner]

Can anyone tell me which setting on the SPC UCA's would put the tire in the same position as the stock UCA's?

I'll be installing mine soon, and need to determine where to set them. I currently clear my 35's with my OEM UCA's, due to lots of hammering of the pinchweld/firewall area. I'd like to get more caster, but I don't want to move the tire any further back than it is now.

I was thinking of setting it at "F" to start. Thoughts?

 

[thezentree]

Fixed?

Yep.

 

[YouInTheShirt]

Can anyone tell me which setting on the SPC UCA's would put the tire in the same position as the stock UCA's?

I'll be installing mine soon, and need to determine where to set them. I currently clear my 35's with my OEM UCA's, due to lots of hammering of the pinchweld/firewall area. I'd like to get more caster, but I don't want to move the tire any further back than it is now.



I was thinking of setting it at "F" to start. Thoughts?

Based of my install and self alignment, f and e setting put the ball joint closer to the spring and would hit when fully flexed on jacks and the ubj set all the way in. G allows me to use the ubj in any position on the uca and push the tires forward enough to clear rear well, but limited on how much positive caster I am able to get

 

[Bandit Runner]

My buddy is installing my SPC UCA's this weekend, and I have an alignment appointment on Monday. I told him to set them at "E" to start out. If they need to be set to a different setting, how difficult is this to do after they have already been installed on the truck? What is the easiest procedure to change the setting, while on the truck? Is this something that the alignment shop can do easily?