[zesty_toy]

Okay...I have an '85...I also have a problem with my front end wearing out my tires...

Background info...I have crossover steering...I have an '85 axle that I have no clue what the history is of it(who's vehicles it has been on because I swapped it out for my old one)

Problem...the camber angle is so great that one side of the tire wears out much faster then the other...this is what my front end looks like from the front \----/ with the tires on the ends...I was told that to correct camber that I would have to adjust my tie rod which would bring the toe-in angle in, thus correcting camber...so what they are saying is toe-in fixes camber...if this is true...when I adjust my tierod, will I want to lengthen or shorten it by 1/8"?

If there are any parts of this post you don't understand let me know...thanks <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

 

[Chris Geiger]

I can't tell from here if it's bent, but the toe-in sounds wrong. You will want to adjust the tie rod so that it's around 1/8" toe-in. Once your toe is set you can look at the caster and camber.

[ 08-15-2001: Message edited by: Chris Geiger ]

 

[zesty_toy]

Chris did not answer my question...can someone else please read it and read the last line...sorry Chris and no...my tierod is not...it is almost impossible to bend...it's 1.5" thick...solid tierod...never going to bend

[ 08-15-2001: Message edited by: zesty_toy ]

 

[stkman]

Chris' answer is correct. To increase toe-in, you need to shorten the tie rod. Adjust it so that the 'front' of the tires are 1/8" closer to each other than the 'back' of the tires. Once you've done that and got the toe-in correct, look at the camber - if the camber is not right at that point, you have a bent front axle.

Andrew

 

[BlueCoyote3]

The problem is not your tie rod. Or your toe. If one or both of your tires look like this from the front \-0-/, or /-o-\, or |-o-/ this is a camber problem. You may have a bent axle tube, knuckles, worn knuckle bearings, bent spindles. Depending upon the severity of the bend your choices are:

1. Check the upper & lower knuckle beargings. Look at the knuckles for signs of damage. Replace if damaged.

2. Have the alignment checked by a competant shop. Tell the you want the readings in degrees / inches. This will give you and idea of were to start.

3. Install alignment spacers/shims between the spindle and the knuckle. They come in varing degree ranges. These are available from most truck alignment shops. Be sure to use only STEEL spacers, not the aluminum or plastic ones. The alignment specs will tell you the size you need. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

4.Replace the axle. <IMG SRC="smilies/crybaby2.gif" border="0">

FYI
*Your camber reading should be close to 0 degrees. This is adjusted by spindle shims. Trying to correct camber by adjusting toe will only mask the problem.
*Your toe IN should be 0 to 1/8 inch. This is adjusted by turning the tie rod in our out.
*Caster is adjusted by adding shims between the axle tube perch and the spring.
Hope this helps
BC

 

[OOP'S]

Originally posted by BlueCoyote3:
<STRONG>The problem is not your tie rod. Or your toe. If one or both of your tires look like this from the front \-0-/, or /-o-\, or |-o-/ this is a camber problem. You may have a bent axle tube, knuckles, worn knuckle bearings, bent spindles. Depending upon the severity of the bend your choices are:

1. Check the upper & lower knuckle beargings. Look at the knuckles for signs of damage. Replace if damaged.

2. Have the alignment checked by a competant shop. Tell the you want the readings in degrees / inches. This will give you and idea of were to start.

3. Install alignment spacers/shims between the spindle and the knuckle. They come in varing degree ranges. These are available from most truck alignment shops. Be sure to use only STEEL spacers, not the aluminum or plastic ones. The alignment specs will tell you the size you need. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

4.Replace the axle. <IMG SRC="smilies/crybaby2.gif" border="0">

FYI
*Your camber reading should be close to 0 degrees. This is adjusted by spindle shims. Trying to correct camber by adjusting toe will only mask the problem.
*Your toe IN should be 0 to 1/8 inch. This is adjusted by turning the tie rod in our out.
*Caster is adjusted by adding shims between the axle tube perch and the spring.
Hope this helps
BC</STRONG>

You cannot adjust the camber on a Toyota front end. It is built in from the factory. I would bet that the toe-in needs to be set (1/8-1/4)or an axle tube is bent. I set my toe-in by setting the truck on jack stands, removing tires, clamping two pieces of 1" alum angle that have a mark in the center and one on each end at the size of my tires to the bottom of the rotors on center, leveling them and then take a measurement at the front and back on the marks for the tire size. Try alinging the toe in and see if that helps. Also check the trunion bearings and make sure they have the correct pre-load. You can use a cheap fish scale for this, or Harbor Freight has a cheap scale that can be used. If the pre-load is not set right the camber will be off, if the trunion bearings are worn the camber will be off. There is a lot more set-up to the front end then most people think. I went to the Toyota dealer and they made a copy of the Factory Service Manual section for setting up the front end for the 84 axle that I have under my truck. I also set the pre-load to the high side because of the big tires that I am running.

Also All-Pro sells a complete rebuild kit for the front end which includes the trunion bearings and races, I think is around $120.00. I have also ben told that Man-A-Fre sell a complete kit for around $75.00.

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: OPP'S ]

 

[zesty_toy]

Thank you...that will help big time...I hope it is just the camber...