Location: currently Huntsville, AL, originally from Honolulu
Posts: 1,696
Re: FJ Alignment Specs
Quote:
kinglenario previously said:
Hey Guys, the Toyota alignment specs are VERY wide general ranges. which most of the alignment guys just get it in the window. The FJ is super sensitive to alignment changes as it is to wheel balancing. Instead of giving them the Toyota specs, give them the EXACT specs you want. i have my FJ setup perfectly. it's alignment is spot on. here are my current specs.
Camber at 0.0 and 0.0. Caster left 2.7, Caster right 2.9 (This compensates for road crown). Toe left 0.05, Toe right 0.05. between adding the positive toe (toe in) and positive caster (lengthening the wheel base) the FJ is much more stable and drives straighter on the highway with less darting. I noticed a BIG difference on small changes, so the FJ is definitely very sensitive.
hope this helps.
I used your specs. Well had the techs use 'em and they said it rode spot on like a laser. I drive it and Love it! Real Solid If I knew how to give you rep points I would.
Anyway thanks for set up and Merry Christmas!
I'll report back as the miles pile on (on road and off).
hey kinglenario what suspension are you running? are you lifted? if so how high? just tring to dial in my suspension. i tried it tonight but couldnt get caster in spec. i'm running about 2.5in lift in front and 1.5 in the rear.
Thank You for your response, I do know what caster is... But... My Question Is tho, Why is the right set differently than the left ??? See below....
TY...
From what i heard/thought... might be completley off...
Bandi. The manufacturers always put more caster on the drivers side. The reason for this is so that the car tracks slightly to the right. This is an attempt to prevent head on collisions when a driver passes out. The extra caster on the drivers side pushes the drivers side wheel out just a tiny bit. it is not noticeable really by either the driver or the tires. I would love to push my caster out as far as i can just to give the FJ better breaking control and turn in response but its no race car so it makes no difference to me there. The only thing i don't want to lose when i put my lift on is the current handling characteristics. this is really the only reason i am considering replacing the upper control arms.
oh how i know what i just wrote. When i replaced the caster bushings on my GTO the stock setup has a washer on the drivers side to specifically push out the caster on that side. This was KEPT on my car even after i pushed the caster up quite a few degrees.
From what i heard/thought... might be completley off...
Bandi. The manufacturers always put more caster on the drivers side. The reason for this is so that the car tracks slightly to the right. This is an attempt to prevent head on collisions when a driver passes out. The extra caster on the drivers side pushes the drivers side wheel out just a tiny bit. it is not noticeable really by either the driver or the tires. I would love to push my caster out as far as i can just to give the FJ better breaking control and turn in response but its no race car so it makes no difference to me there. The only thing i don't want to lose when i put my lift on is the current handling characteristics. this is really the only reason i am considering replacing the upper control arms.
oh how i know what i just wrote. When i replaced the caster bushings on my GTO the stock setup has a washer on the drivers side to specifically push out the caster on that side. This was KEPT on my car even after i pushed the caster up quite a few degrees.
While I have not looked at Toyota FJ specs, I can tell you that I have never seen Toyota Perfered Alignment specs differ from side to side on Camber, Caster, or Toe on any previous models. You cannot "Adjust" Caster without sacrificing either toe, or Camber, at least on a vehicle that is lifted with stock control arms.
hmm... well i am not sure how Toyota does alignments but most stock cars that i have seen do not have much if any caster adjustability other than tweaking parts and bolting them down before they come back to their normal resting place. Both cars i owned before the FJ had no caster adjustability. Just toe and camber. the only way to adjust caster was to either get adjustable plates or caster bushings. the GTO has a spacer on the caster bushings that push the drivers side out. I am not sure if this is compensation for driver weight or if what i heard about the tracking to the right is true. I will try to find some pics for you of the caster setup on the GTO.
This is overkill for such a simple install, but I had a camera handy....
The bushing is labeled #2 in the drawing (the shop manual calls this the lower control arm rod insulator bushing).
The kit includes (2) polyurethane bushings, (2) convex washers, (2) metal sleeves, (2) flat washers, a packet of lube, and an assortment of smaller washers that will allow you to adjust your caster. I also had to buy a deep 24mm socket for the center nut. Beer sold separately.
Get the front of the car up on jackstands. Remove the center nut (24mm). You'll notice the factory bushing flexes quite a bit. This explains the lethargic steering response. Remove the four nuts holding the bushing plate to the subframe (13mm).
Once you've removed the five nuts, pull the bushing off. As pictured, my Goat had a washer (#10 in diagram) on the driver's side, but not on the passenger's side. I left the washer in place.
Lube both faces and the insides of the polyurethane bushings. Insert the metal sleeve into the bushing.
See the extra bushing i am talking about on the drivers side? Now i just have to find out why GM does that.
ok read a bit more and it seems to be a compensation for road slant and not what i previously thought.. but either way they have that adjustment built in to throw off one side.
If I knew how to give you rep points I would.
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