Front Wheel Alignment

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Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 21:27:39 -0600
From: Mark Kitlinski 
Subject: Suspension Install...need an alignment?
To: Toy4x4@off-road.com

Barney McNamara wrote:

> What shims would affect the caster?

 shims on the spring pads

> PS - what are caster and camber, and how do they affect the vehicle?

caster = degrees from zero at the steering knuckle pivot looking at the 
side of the truck

camber = degrees from zero at the steering knuckle pivot looking at the 
front or back of the truck

with zero being vertical

my thought is that since I have canged my camber, the toe in is changed 
(not realy, just in relation to the road.)  needing an alignment would
depend on how much it changed, That I don't know, and the only way to 
find out is to get an alignment.  catch 22.
- -- 
Mark Kitlinski
'85 Xtra cab
Kitlinski@worldnet.att.net
http://www.geocities.com/baja/dunes/2580/

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Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 14:35:26 -0500
From: Clif Moyers 
Reply-To: cmoyers%mickey.cti-pet.com@cti-pet.com
To: barney@flowpoint.com
Subject: Barney

Barney,

Caster is angle of steering rotation axis, off of vertical.  If you take
a solid front axle and allow the whole axle (knuckles and all) to rotate
forward or backward, you will be changing the caster.  Think of a caster
wheel on a shopping cart.  This is a radical caster angle!  Notice how
wheel self-centers.  Caster creates the force that centers the steering
wheel when you come out of a turn.

Camber is the angle off of vertical of the rotation plane of the wheels;
a plane through the center of the wheels.  Out of camber looks like the
tops of the wheels are leaning in or out from the bottoms (tread
contact patch).  Camber affects the contact patch on hard lateral g's
(cornering).  Oval-track racing vehicles often have some pretty wild
camber angles; often different for inside vs. outside wheels.


Looking in my '85 Toyota Truck/4-runner manual, they indicate caster
angle is set by the front springs.  They show correction of caster
angle  problem to involve replacement of front springs.   I bet you can
change the front springs' rear shackle length and achieve caster
adjustment.  ???

Camber, I believe, is totally welded into the front axle via the knuckle
attachment to the axle tube.  If camber is bad out, the knuckle bearings
may be gone.  Else, you've bent some serious metal!  

Therefore, I don't believe you can do anything while "modding" that's
going to affect the camber.  Caster - definitely!
Clif
-- 
Clif Moyers
(cmoyers@mickey.cti-pet.com)

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Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 07:36:34 -0600
From: Rock 
Subject: alignment / torsion bars
To: toy4x4@tlca.org

Hey anybody, (maybe Jim Brink)

All the time I've owned my truck, my steering wheel, when going straight,
is at a point which looks like I am turning left. What I mean is I need to
hold it there, because the truck will pull to the right if I let go. I have
had it aligned repeatedly, in fact, once I thought they had it dialed, but
eventually it returned to where it was. I keep the tire pressure checked so
it shouldn't be pull caused by that. I have an idea but am looking for
input. Since my truck has IFS, I am wondering if at some point the torsion
bars were adjusted which has caused this permanent mis-alignment. Part of
the reason I consider this is that my A-arms are almost perfectly
horizontal and my truck lacks the typical sag of a toy4x4. It appears to
sit level. Also, I think, the right rear sits slightly lower than the left
rear. Next week I am having new tires and shocks put on. At the same time I
am going to have the guy "crank up" my torsion bars to bring the front up
slightly (.5 - 1.0 inch) I have told him about checcking for level (left to
right on the rear) and he knew I would need an alignment. Any other
suggestions to remedy this or do you think that it may be corrected by what
I am going to do?? Input appreciated.

Rock

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Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 09:42:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Geiger 
Subject: alignment / torsion bars
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

The idler arm may be worn this allows the tow angle to change as you
drive. Jack up the front of the truck, grab the passenger tire (with keys
in the ign) and turn the tire left and right while looking at the idler
arm and tie rods. Do the tie rods go up and down and well as left and
right? If so your idler arm may be bad (or some one of the ball joints).
Also you can measure the distance between the wheels to see if the
alignment is being done correctly. Take a tape measure and measure the
distance between the back most part of the front wheel and the front most
part of the back wheel. This measurement should be the same on both sides
of the truck (if all of your tires are exactly the same) You can adjust
the caster of the truck by sending either of the front tires forward or
backward with reference to the rear tires. If you pull the driver side tire
back it will pull to the left. If you push it forward the truck will pull
to the right. Same on the other side, pull the right tire back it will
pull to the right. Push it forward and it will pull to the left. If you
make this adjustment remember to keep the camber the same using a carpenters
square on the ground near the hub to see how much camber you have. After
these adjustments are made you will need to recenter the steering wheel
but adjusting the tie rod ends. You should make any changes to the torsion
bars first as these will change the alignment a bit. Measure from the top
of the front rim (a 15" rim)to the bottom of the fender, it should be 13.5
to 15.5". You can set these to the hight you want them just make sure they
are both the same when you are done.

Just to review the alignment steps for do it your selfers.
Set the camber and caster, then reset the toe
Test drive the truck to feel for pulling left or right.
Adjust the tie rod ends until the steering wheel it strait.
Take the $50 you would have spent for the alignment and put it in the
kitty for your next wheeling trip!

In my opinion everyone that takes their truck offroad should know how to
adjust the torsion bars, here's how.

Jack up the front of the truck to get the wheels off the ground and to let
the strain off the torsion bars (this MUST be done or you will destroy the
adjusters bolts) spray the bolt end with WD-40 or something. Tighten or
loosen the 22mm bolt head a few turns. Look at the upper nut when doing
this. If it is turning then your adjusting bold may already be bad and in
need of replacement. You should replace the nut and bolt as a set (about
$6 at toyota). Do the same adjustment to the other side of the truck.
Drive down the street and hit the brakes hard at the end to set the bars
in place. Come back home and measure the distance between the fender and
the top of the rim on both sides and make adjustments until they are the
same.  

permanent mis-alignment: this can only be caused by bending one or more of
the frame parts, No torsion bar setting can make this happen.

Chris Geiger 3 4Runner http://geiger.mcl.ucsb.edu/offroad.html

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Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 09:07:56 -0800
From: Brandon Miller 
Subject: Drop Drag Link
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

Lifting a straight axle DOES NOT AFFECT THE ALIGNMENT (and straight axle
4wheel drive pickups are the easiest to align, there is only one
adjustment so don't let some shop try to charge extra becuase you have a
4x and then more because it is lifted!!!!!!!!!).  Well, at least not the
toe which is all an alignment shop will adjust.  As far as the drag link
goes, it should be adjust so that you have the same amount of turning in
both directions, if it is adjusted too long you won't be able to turn
sharp one direction and vice versa.  The only affect the drag link has
is on the steering.  Don't worry, just throw it on and if you find that
you can't turn all the way in one directions and too far in the other
pull of one end and adjust it accordingly, no big deal.  It shouldn't
take long to put on, make sure you get it pretty tight though.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Brandon Miller                     email: sac78483@saclink.csus.edu
Sacramento, CA                            millerb@gaia.ecs.csus.edu
               
                             url:
http://gaia.ecs.csus.edu/~millerb                   
TLCA #6013
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