Rate my alignment specs

[cvenom96]

Took it in after putting the lift on. Definitely handles better than before. It still wanders after I installed a rebuilt steering box late last year. I suspect it needs adjusting or the shafts in the box are also worn and need to be replaced. Anyway, the truck is running 37s with Dobinson VT144/145s. Front bumper and winch, rear bumper with swingout and spare, roof rack and a constant 100 lbs or more of tools, etc in the back. Also has the Dobinson Caster Plates and adjustable front panhard bar.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Toe and caster are the only things you can adjust without cutting and welding.
Toe looks spot on, don't know why the form says it needs adjustment unless you want it a touch heavier.
Caster is at the low end, but in spec. This can be increased up to 4 degrees. That will help with wander. The higher this number is, the heavier the steering will feel at low speed.
Have you changed the suspension bushings? How are the TRE's and wheel bearings?

 

[cvenom96]

Changed out all of the bushings about 2 years ago. TRE’s around a year ago. Wheel bearings probably about 2 or 3 years ago. Didn’t feel any wobble with it jacked up and trying to move from the 12 and 6 position. I’ve experienced that with it before I changed the bearings.
I’ve got the Eimkeith 2” lowering mounts I could install which I think say should add 2 to 3 degrees more caster. I’ll play with the steering box more to see if there’s anything else to be gained there first.

 

[SmokingRocks]

I’d set my toe at the high end of the spec, but that’s just my personal preference when running larger tires. Seems to help cancel out some of the wandering.

Caster could be increased as well. As Rusty stated, caster is the most crucial adjustment you can make to reduce/eliminate wandering at speed.

 

[retrofive]

I’d set my toe at the high end of the spec, but that’s just my personal preference when running larger tires. Seems to help cancel out some of the wandering.

Camber could be increased as well. As Rusty stated, camber is the most crucial adjustment you can make to reduce / eliminate wandering at speed.

Camber?..... or did you mean caster?

 

[SmokingRocks]

Camber?..... or did you mean caster?

Yes Caster. Thanks for the catch, hadn't had my coffee yet.

 

[lumbee1]

I just had my alignment done at a local shop and realized they used the alignment specs for a modified Toyota 4runner. It was a laser alignment but I don't have the ranges of measurements for 4runner specs. The truck drives ok and I attributed most of the light steering to caster but my toe is flat. Looking at specs above, I should have .05* to .15* toe and .10* to .30* total toe. I could release the lock tabs and rotate the rod myself but I don't know how many turns of the rod I need.

Left Front​		Right Front​
Camber​		Camber​
-0.3*​		0.3*​
Caster​	Total Toe​	Caster​
2.1*​	.02*​	2.4*​
Toe ​	Steer Ahead​	Toe​
-0.01*​	-0.02*​	0.03*​

 

[SmokingRocks]

I just had my alignment done at a local shop and realized they used the alignment specs for a modified Toyota 4runner. It was a laser alignment but I don't have the ranges of measurements for 4runner specs. The truck drives ok and I attributed most of the light steering to caster but my toe is flat. Looking at specs above, I should have .05* to .15* toe and .10* to .30* total toe. I could release the lock tabs and rotate the rod myself but I don't know how many turns of the rod I need.

Left Front​		Right Front​
Camber​		Camber​
-0.3*​		0.3*​
Caster​	Total Toe​	Caster​
2.1*​	.02*​	2.4*​
Toe ​	Steer Ahead​	Toe​
-0.01*​	-0.02*​	0.03*​

Go get two 4' sections of metal or aluminum L angle at Home Depot, put your front axle on jack stands, remove the front tires off, point the steering wheel straight forward. Next, take your L angles and center them in relation to the hub, then clamp them to bottom of the brake disk and check them with a level. Then measure the distance between the front edge of the two angles and the distance between the rear edge of the angles.

Subtract the rear measurement from the front and this will be your toe in amount. 1/8" and 1/4" toe-in is the spec.

 

[enox]

Here's my specs

 

[lumbee1]

Why are the toe specs for the 93-95 different from the 96 and 97?

 

[cvenom96]

Reviving my previous thread. Here's my alignment from October. I removed the Dobinson plates and installed the Landtank 4" plates. Truck still pulls to the right noticeably and of course wanders on the highway. I'd attribute the wandering to the low caster and fighting it pulling right. I'm concerned about the thrust angle value and the weird camber. All of the control arm bushings have been replaced. I have the Delta panhard bracket and an adjustable panhard in the front. I checked the rear arms when I replaced the bushings and they all looked nice and straight. No front bearing wobbles, trunion bearings were replaced a while back.

It's always pulled to the right even before the lift. Carfax said it had never been in an accident but doesn't mean somebody didn't do something stupid with it.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

@cvenom96

Roads are crowned so water drains off to the right into the gutters, this could explain the pulling to the right, especially with the caster #'s you are showing.

Here is a crap analogy, think of caster like the angle of forks on a motorcycle. A dirt bike has steep forks and can turn really sharp really easy. A chopper has forks that are way stretched out with a ton of angle, the chopper is super hard to turn but it will drive straight down the interstate with no hands all day long. The dirt bike represents negative caster and the chopper represents positive caster.

With your current caster and extra extra large 37's the road is imparting a ton of extra force on your steering, so the crown in the road, or ruts offroad, and other things will make your truck wander.


IMHO your should be aiming for a minimum of 4 degrees positive caster with 37's.

Goodluck.

 

[cvenom96]

Yeah I knew the caster was way off and needed more. I've mentioned before I have the Eimketh drop brackets and I'm thinking of putting them on as the weather warms. Other option is offset trunion bearings. I'm running a DC and still have a little vibe. Not bad but noticeable. I need to actually check the angles and see where it sits right now.

 

[landtank]

what is the distance from the front hub's center to the underside of the fender/flare?

 

[landtank]

Based on your caster reading and having my plates installed you have a lift ride height of more that 5”.

I wouldn’t do anything that adds caster and also changes the position of the axle. That would change the pinion alignment and bring more issues.

So you could do a cut n turn on the axle or more easily install some offset trunion bearings. Either will put your caster where you need it to be with out disturbing the pinion angle.

Have you done anything with the rear pinion angle? If not then that is likely a vibration problem with the rear shaft. Also check for play in the slip yoke of the rear shaft.

For the pull I’d look closely at the brakes. Pull the tires off as well as the calipers. The calipers should slide off the rotors, if you find yourself bumping the caliper with the heal of your hand to get them off the calipers are sticking. Compare the pad thickness of each caliper to each other. Besides a sticky caliper causing a pull it can also induce vibrations.

Don’t forget to check for a sticky ebrake as well.

 

[cvenom96]

Finally went and measured. It's close enough on both sides that I can say it's 24 1/4" at the rear and 25" at the front. This is with the Dobinson 3.5" C97-144VT Fronts and C97-145VT Rears.
@landtank That was my biggest concern was pinion angle. Before I swapped in your plates and the DC shaft, there was a pretty gnarly vibration on the highway. It's not really that present now. I ordered an angle finder that was supposed to be here yesterday but is a bit delayed so once I have that I can relay where it sits now.

Nothing has been done w/ the rear yet. I'll check it too once the angle finder gets here.

The pull has existed to some degree ever since I got the truck. I've changed tires/wheels, rotated, rebuilt the knuckles several times and replaced all of the bushings. Front and rear calipers were replaced with OEM and OEM pads. Literally the only thing I haven't replace in the braking system is the LSPV and the hard lines. Original E-brake components were rusted in place (not engaged thankfully) and has since been rebuilt.

 

[landtank]

25" at the front puts you at 4.5" of lift and why the caster is low with my plates. I'm confident that the remaining vib is coming from the rear. Still check the calipers. Hard lines can rust on the inside and become internally restrictive and not allow the calipers to fully release. If you find a caliper that won't easily slide off, open the bleeder and see if that helps release them.

 

[COYS]

if you need a lift that high one presumes you’re running 37s+ which means you need aftermarket control arms like the L version Delta sells. And that’s just the beginning!

Caster plates are a band aid solution imho. They also shorten the wheel base where every single mm counts.

Enjoy the process, friend.

 

[cvenom96]

Correct I'm on 37s. I would have been fine with the advertised 3.5" though . Makes me wonder what kind of weight they expect. I'm running dual batteries, NWTI bumper and a winch. Maybe that difference is for a beefy ARB bumper....

I will say I like the way the truck sits. No stinkbug stance.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Correct I'm on 37s. I would have been fine with the advertised 3.5" though . Makes me wonder what kind of weight they expect. I'm running dual batteries, NWTI bumper and a winch. Maybe that difference is for a beefy ARB bumper....

I will say I like the way the truck sits. No stinkbug stance.

How long have you had the suspension and how many trips have you put on the suspension.

In my experience sprjngs usually settle about 1" after a few good trips fully loaded.

Maybe you need to "break in" your springs.