My install is going on two months. The problem? Donahoe took 4 weeks to deliver my Front and Rear kits, plus the spiffy new UCA. They were moving so I give 'em a little slack.
Now my installer, a high-end racing alignment specialist and Camburg dealer, can't get the fronts to align. I had a good talk with Jeremy at Donahoe and he said the same thing I had seen here in the forum; nobody has had a problem aligning Donahoes on their FJ.
Specifically, though the camber is adjusted all the way positive, the wheels remain in negative camber. One wheel aligns straight only if the adjustment is maxed, and the other wheel is toe-out, so the car can't safely be driven.
I think it's the UCA (?) For the Donahoe UCA owners out there, isn't it the case that alignment is done first on the UCA, and then the normal way on the ball joints? You can tell I have not done this myself.
The installer, Dale at Dave's Frame and Alignment in Huntington Beach, CA mentioned boring out the UCA. This was to get additional needed height travel, which added to my confusion. The guy is a guru, so it's a weird little situation that only the resident geniuses here at the Forum can save...
This is probably a suspension post , but I am really glad to see it. I have had exactly the same problem with my Demello lift. My dealer warned me that my FJ would be "darty" due to the inabilty to adjust the camber-I lost my allignment figures and have been reluctant to post without the exact stats on my allignment (didn't want to seem as stupid about allignment as I am). I lifted 2 inches and did NOT replace the UCA. My suspension has settled and plan on taking it to a suspension shop and getting their opinion and re-allignment. I'll see what they say. I too would be interested in any info on this problem.
BTY 380hp supercharged?-bad a$$, my friend
yeah Demello lift here too Dhoe UCA and 3.5" lift on coil in front and Bilsten 7100 in rear and deaver rear springs..
these are spec after lift...
Caster was L 2.3, R 2.0 /spec is 2.3min, 3.3max /final was 2.9, 2.7
Camber was L1.0, 0.6/ spec -0.5min ,0.6max / final 0.3 both
toe L0.0, R0.1, total 0.10/ spec 0.05min, 0.25 max
My truck is by no means "darty" with 285/70/17s...larger tire will futher the sloth effect. Let me know (i'm in the OC) if you need me to count threads etc to help with your alignment..
Take AWHILE to loosen up still stays "on course" where ever you leave the wheel ecept tracking perfectly straight. Seem Partly due to a bad rear shock and a sticking upper a arm caused a handling issue for awhile..so be aware it will loosen up.
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AKA Thread Killer I post and bore threads to DEATH. Ninja poster, like I was never there.....
Thanks SAVVYAV, There is a bushing insert on on the bottom attachment point on the 'hoe coilovers that shift the coilover toward the rear of the truck. Initially, I thought this might be the problem, but decided it was actually has to be the lift changing the geometry. My FJ is now level front to back and I don't want to drop the front. I too have bigger tires and it tracs straight but may be a little more darty. I think I'll just give a repeat allignment a try and if the same, will keep it the way it is. Thanks for your input.
Remember also, How much lift you dial in with the C/O's
affects the alignment... the oem UCA starts out at an
upward angle while the LCA is about slightly down, now
as you lift, the lower starts to come in while the upper
goes outward first then back in, this is due to the diff
lengths of the UCA and LCA and the inboard placement
of the radius points...
So Bandi, are you saying that lifting more to get the UCA back in may improve the ability to allign? I was trying to stay around 2" of lift to limit stress on the front drive train, but hear that up to 3" won't stress the front components too much.
Well, I wish I could tell you that lifting more or less
would fix your issues... As you know, changing the
height would change the allignment one way or the
other which could give them more room to adjust the
alignment...
When start raising the FJ, the Camber increases at
first as the controls arms pivot on the axis', then as
you approach 3", the camber degreases again... this
is due to the UCA being shorter than the LCA and the
UCA starting angle being positive...
With my lift, the only thing that I adjusted was the
toe. The camber had gone + and then - and was back
to near stock setup... I only have a little - camber on
the passenger side...
I have new UCA from AP that I need to install, then I
can set my front alignment.
Also, when you go bigger tires with any rig, you really
want the camber to be about zero'd due to the larger
tire surfaces... as the FJ's suspension compresses, the
camber will increase + , and it extends, the camber will
decrease - ...
Now also keep in mind, because we have lifted the FJ'c,
the perfect setting (stock) with UCA + angle and the LCA
- angle) has been changed to the UCA - angle and the
LCA - angle also... Now when we step on the break or gas
for hat mater, you change the alignment buy the vehicle
raising or lowering due to weight shift... So at stock height,
the alignment will move very little, but when lifted, there will
more of a change with the same movement, hence a more
darty feel with every little weight shift, as turnings,
excelerating, stoping...
If the alignment can be adjusted or not depends where your
alignmnet is set now, and how much adjustment is available
and in what direction (LCA adjuster position)...
Bandi and Razor thank you VERY much... sounds like we have a major clue here thanks to your input.
It sounds like my alignment guy may not be aligning at the correct height. I'll show him your posts.
BTW Bandi - I see that your family has given the ultimate for us all and the country. I am indebted to you and your son. He is a greater American than us all. I would be honored to have such a fine son.
I did not search but, If a manufactured (AP, DR, Chaos)
comes up with a adjustable UCA's, maybe with johnny
or heim joints type setup, this way we would have that
little bit more adjustment that we don't get from the
OEM LCA's cams... One could always take the AP ones,
cut the ends off, and add an adjustable heim or johnny
joint... hmmmm...
I post and bore threads to DEATH. Ninja poster, like I was never there.....
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