[simpletallman]

Ok, so lifted my 4runner up front with some adjustable King coilovers about a month ago. They were adjusted for about 1.5" of lift. Wanted about 2" total lift, so I cranked them up a bit with a spanner wrench that Darren over at Twizted Engineering in Broomfield made for me.




It was a BITCH! Jacked up at crossmember to relieve some load on the springs and cranked away. I have seen advice that said to use two cuttoff screwdrivers or rods to insert into the adjustment holes and twist with that, but it wouldn't budge. I got them to turn with the wrench, but with the 4runner upper mount in the way, it was not easy. Kinda mucked up the adjuster on the coilover.




Any advice for a better way? Obviously, could take them off to adjust, but off... adjust... on... check height.... off again... and repeat. Would suck. I would say that getting coilovers with the adjustment on the bottom would have been best. Or maybe drilling more adjustment holes into the adjuster... dam... maybe that would have been best. There are only three, so getting to the next one without interference after 1/3 turn, was tight. Had there been six... maybe easier. What do ya think?


Next up: I noticed the tires have started wearing unevenly; worn more on outside than inside (too much positive camber). So... being that tires are on their last leg and I'm too broke at the moment for new ones, I decided to try my hand at adjusting the alignment a bit and save money for a real alignment until I can afford new tires. All I did was move the cams on the bottom control arm out one notch each, thus moving the positive camber more towards the negative.




I had never done this before, so I don't know the relationship between one notch on the cam and how much lower control arm adjust. I figure unless I overshot the mark (0 degrees camber), it will be an improvement over my existing condition, and if I don't notice my tire wear evening out, I can go one more notch.

Any comments, advice, suggestions?

[flyingyogi]

I have about 6 holes on my adjusting collar, which is easier, to find a hole with the wrench. When I adjusted mine I had to use a 2' cheater bar on the end of the spanner wrench. The only other option would be to compress the spring and then adjust it, but the $250 or so for a decent coil compressor is not worth it unless you plan on adjusting the coilovers monthly.
As for you alignment, I'll take mine in for that.

[Bighead]

Maybe a silly question but did you take out the set screw before cranking on the adjustment collar (if there is one)?

[simpletallman]

Yeah, loosened the set screw. I got them adjusted, it was just hard to get the wrench on square cuz of the top shock/coilover mount. I think adding some holes to the adjusting collar will solve the problem for next time. Appreciate the good suggestions.

[bowyer2002]

When I did my brothers and my C/Os adjustments not only did we take the entire load off the spring but we also greased the threads on the shock AND the spring face that the collar is rotating against - it made a lot of difference, reducing that additional friction. Just my .02 - good luck!