Steering Stabilizer

[petegangies]

did you have a road force balance done? I had one BFG years ago that on a normal balance came up good but did cause a wobble at freeway speeds. Upon doing a road force balance it was much better but found the tyre to have a slight high spot in it

I couldn't find anyone in Sydney who did that! I did search and the one place that did has long closed down. Given it's done it with the Yokos and the BFGs I'm thinking less tyres and more something else, but it definitely feels like a wheel balance.. not sure what else in the suspension/steering would cause this though. The tyre place tried to see that all terrains do this, which is BS.. I've had other vehicles with ATs and heaps of my mates do, and none of them wobble/virbate at speeds 80km+

 

[mudgudgeon]

only toe is adjustable on the front and was done

Toe in just puts a little load on all the steering parts so nothing is slack when cruising in a straight line.
If there's a little play in tie rod ends, steering box, bushes etc abs you had no toe in, tires can wiggle around and cause an oscillating vibration. Death wobbles is the extreme version of this.

Have them add more toe in, or do it yourself. It's easy enough to do.

I think factory spec is something like 3mm per side, 6mm total. Increase that to 6mm per side, 12mm total.
With my cruisers with bigger tires, I've found a bit more toe in helps.
Too much toe in can cause excessive/ adverse tire wear on the outer edge so it's probably a good idea to rotate tires regularly

 

[petegangies]

Toe in just puts a little load on all the steering parts so nothing is slack when cruising in a straight line.
If there's a little play in tie rod ends, steering box, bushes etc abs you had no toe in, tires can wiggle around and cause an oscillating vibration. Death wobbles is the extreme version of this.

Have them add more toe in, or do it yourself. It's easy enough to do.

I think factory spec is something like 3mm per side, 6mm total. Increase that to 6mm per side, 12mm total.
With my cruisers with bigger tires, I've found a bit more toe in helps.
Too much toe in can cause excessive/ adverse tire wear on the outer edge so it's probably a good idea to rotate tires regularly

I was speaking to an alignment specialist, and he was saying even though only the toe is adjustable that it's easy to stuff up and not have the right setting for the individual vehicle. In his exact words... "I believe the process of wheel alignment is poorly understood and each day I am presented with poor executions of proper alignment from my clients."

His alignments are expensive though ($220).. trustalign.com.au ... which i'd contemplate paying if it were worth it, but not if every time you replace a bush or fiddle with the suspension it's going to subtly change the geometry.

 

[mudgudgeon]

and each day I am presented with poor executions of proper alignment from my clients."

Lol.
Lots of assignments are pretty much done by tire fitters who've been shown how to use a machine by another tire fitter

 

[efjayatee]

We have lifetime alignments programs from our "tyre" shops.....just like free refills on sodas

 

[petegangies]

Lol.
Lots of assignments are pretty much done by tire fitters who've been shown how to use a machine by another tire fitter

yep, who tbh, are usually the dregs of the autmotive industry.. rough as guts and zero fks given on jobs.

 

[mudgudgeon]

We have lifetime alignments programs from our "tyre" shops.....just like free refills on sodas

Yeah, that's not a thing in Australia, at all that I know of.
Retail and service industry stuff is very different

 

[robnicko]

Just DIY the Toe, I did it on mine a couple of weeks back and it made a big difference to handling given the potholed and uneven roads we have here in Vic.
Mine was out a little (toed out) and I brought it back to Toe-In a little and much better, positive handling.

Thread 'Alignment Setting Toe'

Dec 5, 2010

On the ’80, toe is the only thing easily adjustable. It can be knocked out from wheeling, impact, so should be occasionally checked.

For something that looks deceptively simple, vehicle handling is a complicated subject, there are great books on the subject, this will be the simple version: Toe-in enhances high speed straight-line stability. If set at zero the tires are free to move, play in the system isn’t taken up, steering feels light, prone to darting. With some toe-in, the tires are loaded slightly at odds with each other; this reduces the effect of play in the system, makes the...

• Tools R Us
• Replies: 94
• Forum: 80-Series Tech

• 

 

[mudgudgeon]

Just DIY the Toe, I did it on mine a couple of weeks back and it made a big difference to handling given the potholed and uneven roads we have here in Vic.
Mine was out a little (toed out) and I brought it back to Toe-In a little and much better, positive handling.

Thread 'Alignment Setting Toe'

Dec 5, 2010

On the ’80, toe is the only thing easily adjustable. It can be knocked out from wheeling, impact, so should be occasionally checked.

For something that looks deceptively simple, vehicle handling is a complicated subject, there are great books on the subject, this will be the simple version: Toe-in enhances high speed straight-line stability. If set at zero the tires are free to move, play in the system isn’t taken up, steering feels light, prone to darting. With some toe-in, the tires are loaded slightly at odds with each other; this reduces the effect of play in the system, makes the...

• Tools R Us
• Replies: 94
• Forum: 80-Series Tech

• 

It can be done even easier with RHD Aussie 80s.
All you need is some string and a couple of 5-6mm blocks.

 

[robnicko]

It can be done even easier with RHD Aussie 80s.
All you need is some string and a couple of 5-6mm blocks.

i did the string check afterwards when I told my Dad and he said that how he would do it back in the day. So I tried it and got the same result, much much easier !

 

[FJ80HI]

The problem could also be a warped front rotor. I have a 2007 Range Rover sport I was having bad front vibration. Was not quite sure what it was. Suspected rotors and changed them. Solved the problem. Also found one front caliper locked up and changed that. All good now. As far as front end alignment. Son had a 90 Toyota pickup with solid axel swap. All leaf springs and lifted 5 inch. With 35 inch tires. Had terrible bump steer and wonder due to extreme lift. We aligned ourselves. Using string. 1/8 inch toe in on front of tires and increased caster with shims from 2 deg to 7 deg. Solved the problem. Understand formula cars can use 12 caster for control at extreme speeds. Seeing we had solid axels could not change camber but it measured ok. Nice to do own alignment as you can make changes as see effect without expense of a shop

 

[mudgudgeon]

Seeing we had solid axels could not change camber but it measured ok

FYI you can get 2⁰ offset trunion bearings which allow you to tweak camber and/or caster depending on how they are oriented

For mini-truck, I'd guess Marlin Crawler or Cruiseroutfitters would probably carry them

 

[petegangies]

@robnicko .. found a road force balancer in Hornsby.. he wants $250 to balance all 4 wheels and it will be extra if they need to remove and reseat any of the tyres...hahaa highway robbery!

 

[robnicko]

@robnicko .. found a road force balancer in Hornsby.. he wants $250 to balance all 4 wheels and it will be extra if they need to remove and reseat any of the tyres...hahaa highway robbery!

absolutely a rip off.