I'm trying to dial in my 1996 T100 Extra Cab, yes I know wrong forum, but that one does not get much traffic, and the front end is the same as the minitrucks.
I've been fighting alignment issues on this truck for years, about a year ago I replaced all front suspension bushings, spindles, bearings and torsion bars. The alignment just won't dial in. What I'm stumped on is the ride height adjustment, as it vastly affects the ability of the lower control arm cams to set caster and camber. This is a stock truck, so trying to establish stock baseline.
In the FSM in the alignment section it starts off with a section of text:
HINT:
For the vehicle height of non−loaded vehicles for each model
and alignment standard values, refer to page SA−XXX
It then continues on with this information:
1. MEASURE VEHICLE HEIGHT
Vehicle height:
Front: A − B = 58.0 mm (2.283 in.)
Rear: C − D = STD cab: 23.0 mm (0.906 in.)
Extra cab: 28.0 mm (1.102 in.)
Measuring points:
A: Drive shaft height measured at its center on the
outer edge.
B: Lower suspension arm front adjusting bolt height
measured at its center.
C: Rear leaf spring front bushing height measured at
its center.
D: Rear axle shaft height measured at its center.
NOTICE:
Before inspecting the wheel alignment, adjust the vehicle
height to specification.
If the vehicle height is not standard, try to adjust it by pushing
down on or lifting the body.
I have seen this information in the FSM for the other trucks and 4runners too. In my actual paper copy of the 1996 T100 FSM there are specs at the end of the axle section that give ride heights for unloaded vehicles. Toyota uses the terms "non-loaded vehicle condition" and "standard loaded vehicle condition."
What do these two terms actually define????????
The non-loaded height specs are 32.3mm for the front end measurement and 79mm for the rear end, for my model, caster and camber are defined too. Sitting in the garage, the rear end with no extra weight in the truck is right around the 79 mark. If I set the front end to the 32mm difference, my camber becomes very negative without really maxing out the front cam. Now perhaps my assumptions are incorrect, but I imagine Toyota envisioned the adjustment cams to ride around the 0 mark or neutral in there adjustment range if all the suspension was in correct shape. If I set the cams to 0, caster and camber are nowhere close to right. On the alignment adjustment chart the negative camber is not even on the chart. I lowered the front end a tad, by letting the torsion bars off, to about the middle of this range. This of course increases the rake of the truck, but camber is beginning to come back into spec with less cam manipulation. Ride improved too.
I noticed in one of the pickup FSM's it explains loaded and non-loaded a little more, by saying in the loaded condition, regardless of the model variation of the truck, as weight is added alignment values are all the same or as the FSM puts it, approach the "standard value". But spring rate differences for different trucks would alter the unloaded specs. The only way I could hit the loaded spec above for the rear axle on my T100 would be with significant weight in the rear end of the truck. To properly distribute that weight would require weight in all the seats and such to load the vehicle equally to GVWR. Obviously they wouldn't do that at the shop.
I'm playing with this at home, very controlled environment. All wheels leveled, I have slip plates and I made brackets to hold a Longacre bubble caster/camber tool properly on the rim, so I can play with this and get things pretty close to a real alignment. This truck has been on the rack many, many times and they never seem to get it just right, so I'm trying to figure out what is wrong. I really thought after replacing pretty much the whole front end it would just fall into spec, but it did not. Didn't replace control arms, but look good, OEM ball joints have about 55,000 miles on them.
So what do we set the front height at. I found some info on Yotatech, that just said stock adjustment is 58mm, period, to ignore the non-loaded spec, but as I said, that does not jive with the rear end. So again, what did Toyota want done.
I've been fighting alignment issues on this truck for years, about a year ago I replaced all front suspension bushings, spindles, bearings and torsion bars. The alignment just won't dial in. What I'm stumped on is the ride height adjustment, as it vastly affects the ability of the lower control arm cams to set caster and camber. This is a stock truck, so trying to establish stock baseline.
In the FSM in the alignment section it starts off with a section of text:
HINT:
For the vehicle height of non−loaded vehicles for each model
and alignment standard values, refer to page SA−XXX
It then continues on with this information:
1. MEASURE VEHICLE HEIGHT
Vehicle height:
Front: A − B = 58.0 mm (2.283 in.)
Rear: C − D = STD cab: 23.0 mm (0.906 in.)
Extra cab: 28.0 mm (1.102 in.)
Measuring points:
A: Drive shaft height measured at its center on the
outer edge.
B: Lower suspension arm front adjusting bolt height
measured at its center.
C: Rear leaf spring front bushing height measured at
its center.
D: Rear axle shaft height measured at its center.
NOTICE:
Before inspecting the wheel alignment, adjust the vehicle
height to specification.
If the vehicle height is not standard, try to adjust it by pushing
down on or lifting the body.
I have seen this information in the FSM for the other trucks and 4runners too. In my actual paper copy of the 1996 T100 FSM there are specs at the end of the axle section that give ride heights for unloaded vehicles. Toyota uses the terms "non-loaded vehicle condition" and "standard loaded vehicle condition."
What do these two terms actually define????????
The non-loaded height specs are 32.3mm for the front end measurement and 79mm for the rear end, for my model, caster and camber are defined too. Sitting in the garage, the rear end with no extra weight in the truck is right around the 79 mark. If I set the front end to the 32mm difference, my camber becomes very negative without really maxing out the front cam. Now perhaps my assumptions are incorrect, but I imagine Toyota envisioned the adjustment cams to ride around the 0 mark or neutral in there adjustment range if all the suspension was in correct shape. If I set the cams to 0, caster and camber are nowhere close to right. On the alignment adjustment chart the negative camber is not even on the chart. I lowered the front end a tad, by letting the torsion bars off, to about the middle of this range. This of course increases the rake of the truck, but camber is beginning to come back into spec with less cam manipulation. Ride improved too.
I noticed in one of the pickup FSM's it explains loaded and non-loaded a little more, by saying in the loaded condition, regardless of the model variation of the truck, as weight is added alignment values are all the same or as the FSM puts it, approach the "standard value". But spring rate differences for different trucks would alter the unloaded specs. The only way I could hit the loaded spec above for the rear axle on my T100 would be with significant weight in the rear end of the truck. To properly distribute that weight would require weight in all the seats and such to load the vehicle equally to GVWR. Obviously they wouldn't do that at the shop.
I'm playing with this at home, very controlled environment. All wheels leveled, I have slip plates and I made brackets to hold a Longacre bubble caster/camber tool properly on the rim, so I can play with this and get things pretty close to a real alignment. This truck has been on the rack many, many times and they never seem to get it just right, so I'm trying to figure out what is wrong. I really thought after replacing pretty much the whole front end it would just fall into spec, but it did not. Didn't replace control arms, but look good, OEM ball joints have about 55,000 miles on them.
So what do we set the front height at. I found some info on Yotatech, that just said stock adjustment is 58mm, period, to ignore the non-loaded spec, but as I said, that does not jive with the rear end. So again, what did Toyota want done.