87' runner IFS caster?
03-28-2003, 04:02 PM
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87' runner IFS caster?
Can someone direct me to a link on setting the caster on my runner.My truck drifts to the left.I've checked the bearing and balljoint play.I measured around all the wheels.Everything seems ok except on the drivers side,from the back of the front tire to the front of the rear tire is about a 1/4 inch shorter than the passinger side. I looked at all the shims and they all appear to be set the same for each control arm.Could it be the rear axle thats out of line?Any help or suggestions appreciated!I'd like to see if it's something I can do before spending money at an alignment shop.Thanx
03-28-2003, 04:51 PM
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i aligned my 87 4runner, there are eccentrics on the lower control arms, good luck getting the nuts loose but if you do, thats how you adjust the camber and caster but after you do, yer gonna have to re-set the toe, good luck
03-28-2003, 05:01 PM
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Oh you poor bastard... I am working on this myself right now.
well there is probably a 100% chance that the bolts are rusted inside the sleeve which means that they will spin and rip in the old rubber bushings and not allow the alingment to keep true. This leads you to needing new bushings.. Toyota gets about $75 each (x4) and if they are like mine, you will have to cut the blts to get the control arms off. This can only be done with a sawsall and short blades (buy about 20 of them!) Now If you do what I did, and but the hyper-flex bushing kit, they do not come with the washers, outer sleeve, or inner sleeve (yea, that one that started this whole mess..) Now I have gotten the control arms preped nice an clean, the special washers are a little cut-up on the outer side from the saw, as well as the frame brackets.. I have yet to get the cut bolt out of the sleeve yet (I am going to try to get new ones first, then I will try to heat them with a borrowed oxy-actly torch next)
EDIT~~~ Ok, short of a neucular blast.. There is no way to get the rusted bolt out of the sleeve.. Of course it is next to impossiable to find 21mm steel with a 16mm hole meainging you have have some sleeves custom made by a shop with a lathe...
Long story... it is a major pain... I think when I am done it will be worth it to have the front end all fitted with poly bushings (well, I don't think I am goint to do the uppers... Major pain with the torsion bars.. (I would have to buy all new adjusters!)
My condolences to you my friend.....
well there is probably a 100% chance that the bolts are rusted inside the sleeve which means that they will spin and rip in the old rubber bushings and not allow the alingment to keep true. This leads you to needing new bushings.. Toyota gets about $75 each (x4) and if they are like mine, you will have to cut the blts to get the control arms off. This can only be done with a sawsall and short blades (buy about 20 of them!) Now If you do what I did, and but the hyper-flex bushing kit, they do not come with the washers, outer sleeve, or inner sleeve (yea, that one that started this whole mess..) Now I have gotten the control arms preped nice an clean, the special washers are a little cut-up on the outer side from the saw, as well as the frame brackets.. I have yet to get the cut bolt out of the sleeve yet (I am going to try to get new ones first, then I will try to heat them with a borrowed oxy-actly torch next)
EDIT~~~ Ok, short of a neucular blast.. There is no way to get the rusted bolt out of the sleeve.. Of course it is next to impossiable to find 21mm steel with a 16mm hole meainging you have have some sleeves custom made by a shop with a lathe...
Long story... it is a major pain... I think when I am done it will be worth it to have the front end all fitted with poly bushings (well, I don't think I am goint to do the uppers... Major pain with the torsion bars.. (I would have to buy all new adjusters!)
My condolences to you my friend.....
Last edited by Firefyter-Emt; 03-29-2003 at 04:06 PM.
03-28-2003, 05:11 PM
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:pat: Thanx 87,the toes not a problem,but,can you xplain the eccentrics.I pulled one of the lower control arm bolts off and I could see where its possible to set the camber.There's a slot to allow the bolt to move side to side.The problem I can't figure out is that the bolt and shim are slotted so they only fit one way.How do I move the arm forward or rearward to adjust the caster.Thanx in advance!
03-28-2003, 05:20 PM
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Thanx firefyter-emt.I had to laugh when I read your reply.I read your earlier post.I agree,it's a real PTA!!!Good luck also with yours!
It'll take a lot of these to get thru this.
03-29-2003, 01:12 PM
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the eccentrics are round, washer-like things that go onto the bolt on each side of the control arm, the bolt has a flat side, and the opening through the eccentric has one flat side, line those up (duh) hehe, and if yours doesnt have eccentrics already, it is possible to set the caster/camber without them by just sliding the bolt around in the slot, but it is not reccomended, unless you can really crank those bad boys tight, like say 150 lb ft or more.... good luck
ps:
did my lower ball joints and front brakes today, now i need new front calipers, upper joints and shocks, and it will be like new.... nothing like breaking a couple bolts on your day off to make it all worth while...
ps:
did my lower ball joints and front brakes today, now i need new front calipers, upper joints and shocks, and it will be like new.... nothing like breaking a couple bolts on your day off to make it all worth while...
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03-29-2003, 03:23 PM
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:pat: Thanx 87,yeah,now I know what your describing.Well I took it to the alignment shop today.The drivers side was way off.They said they did the best they could but couldn't fully adjust the caster on that side because the bolts were frozen.they were able to get it to -1.0 degrees caster on the drivers side.Everything else appears to be within specs.Needless to say,it still has a slight drift to the left.Just curious,is the bottom bolt the one that adjust the caster or is it the top and bottom bolts.If its just the bottom one,I had that loose last nite and they're BS'ing me.Can you guys clue me in?Thanx,Doug
03-29-2003, 04:18 PM
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mine has 2 bolts on the bottom each has 2 eccentrics, hell i donno, maybe ill go take a peek later.... where is this "top bolt" you speak of? mine might just be covered in mud
:cry: 
03-29-2003, 05:40 PM
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She's 15,but thinks she's 30!Driving me nuts.I petty the rest of you guys with younger daughters.It only gets worse.Did you get the msg.My BOSS (her) says we can send it thru your email address.Let me know,it's scanned and waiting to be sent.
03-30-2003, 05:56 AM
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15 eh? then she knows more about computers than most people on this board ! lol, no kids at all here, 18 and single..... its the way to be, especially in south florida at spring break time lol, go ahead and shoot it through an email, id like to look at your readout...
04-01-2003, 03:16 PM
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ok solar, here goes!
they should have left the left side caster alone, and possibly brought it up some, you want about a .5 split, that is .5 higher on the right side to compensate for road crown (what allows for water drainage), if i were you, id call and ask why they brought the left side caster down instead of up, how much did you pay for that alignment?
they should have left the left side caster alone, and possibly brought it up some, you want about a .5 split, that is .5 higher on the right side to compensate for road crown (what allows for water drainage), if i were you, id call and ask why they brought the left side caster down instead of up, how much did you pay for that alignment?
