95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

*URGENT* New alignment specs for cornfed spacers

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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 01:35 PM
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*URGENT* New alignment specs for cornfed spacers

Rig is at the shop right now and I just got a call saying its WAY out of alignment and they were asking if Cornfed had any new specs that they should adjust it to and I am not able to get a hold of either Cornfed location and I need my rig back tonight and right now I really don't feel comfortable driving it with the camber being so far off...any ideas??!?!?!

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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 02:21 PM
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Chris,
I would think that you would want the specs as close to OEM as possible. Spacers raise the truck - they have no inherent benefit with respect to alignment. So I would doubt that Cornfed, or any other manufacturer would recommend specs that vary from stock. Depending on spacer thickness, it may be difficult to bring it back to stock specs though - the factory alignment cams only allow for so much.

Andreas
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 02:44 PM
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From: Socal
Originally Posted by aowRS
Chris,
I would think that you would want the specs as close to OEM as possible. Spacers raise the truck - they have no inherent benefit with respect to alignment. So I would doubt that Cornfed, or any other manufacturer would recommend specs that vary from stock. Depending on spacer thickness, it may be difficult to bring it back to stock specs though - the factory alignment cams only allow for so much.

Andreas
Ditto. Just have them adjust to OEM and you'll be fine. Make sure to get a before and after printout of the specs. Sometimes, alignment shops don't do squat.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 02:52 PM
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with the suspension lift, i would ask them to get it as close to stock as possible. Just like the previous 2 said.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 03:01 PM
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take it to some other place to get it aligned as i smell screwup in the near future. any shop that complains that the lift is preventing them from aligning the vehicles are smokin somethin.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 04:13 PM
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Push the lower arms inward. Most places only do toe in and tow out, you need that and camber - caster as well.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 04:23 PM
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i have cornfeds and i had them align it to factory specs
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 04:25 PM
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new shop.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 05:25 PM
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Yep - everyone with a lift needs to go to a shop that knows ALIGNMENT not "how to run the alignment machine". I had a helluva time with the big lift on my last truck until I took it to an "old school" mom-and-pop alignment shop, then it was great!
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:04 PM
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These guys know alignment just fine, he was merely warning me that he had no experience with this kind of lift on a 4Runner and didn't want me to spend an extra $60 where it wasn't needed if it ended up just being exactly the same.

Here is a list of the numbers for the alignment (items in italics are the ones out of spec):

Front left:
Camber - .1* (-0.9* to 0.6* factory specs)
Caster - 1.6* (2.5* to 4.0* factory specs)
Toe - 0.07* (-0.04* to 0.13* factory specs)
SAI - 14.1* (11.9* to 13.4* factory specs)
Included Angle - 14.2* (11.0* to 14.0* factory specs)

Front right:
Camber - .1* (see above for factory specs)
Caster - 1.8* (see above for factory specs)
Toe - 0.05* (see above for factory specs)
SAI - 16.4* (see above for factory specs)
Included Angle - 16.5* (see above for factory specs)

Front cross readings:
Cross Camber - 0.0* (-0.8* to 0.8* factory specs)
Cross Caster - -0.2* (-0.8* to 0.8* factory specs)
Cross SAI - -2.3* (-0.8* to 0.8* factory specs)
Cross Toe - 0.12* (-0.08 to 0.25* factory specs)

He said that he ran it twice and got it as close as he could, if you guys think that some of this could use a little more adjusting let me know and I can take it an actual alignment shop...these guys have always done absolutely PERFECT work for me and have never let me down so I doubt that I will find a better place to take my rig than my dealership but let me know what you think about those numbers.

As for the lift itself, AWESOME! Ride quality is the same if not better, handling is definitely better (tighter in turns) and the look is AWESOME! I haven't gotten my tires on yet as I didn't get out of the dealership until 6 and Sam's closes at 7.

Thanks for all the help but we got it figured out.

Fink

Last edited by Fink; Dec 7, 2005 at 06:53 AM.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:15 PM
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Good to hear things are looking good. Now set up some huge lights and snap some pictures NOW
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:17 PM
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I wish I could but I'll get some up tomorrow, going back to the dealership early tomorrow morning to get the final layer of glaze put on the rig after she got repainted and then going to lunch with my girlfriend and then heading up to Sam's and gettin the Muds mounted...I'll be back to my apartment before 3 I'm hoping and I'll be able to snap some shots.

Fink

Last edited by Fink; Dec 6, 2005 at 06:19 PM.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:20 PM
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Cool !
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:27 PM
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I'm tellin' ya - I went to several shops where people had great alignments done, and they couldn't get the truck in.

I took it to this old guy in a beat up building without a Hunter or other laser machine in sight, just a lift with radius plates and he finally got it perfect. Well, as close to perfect as possible - one of the control arms was off so the wheelbase on one side was different than the other. He said he could fix it, but it would take a while, and I probably wouldn't notice.

These days, alignment shops have "alignment machine techs" who know how to run the machine and adjust stock suspensions that are relatively close, not necessarily how to do a "real" alignment with a vehicle that may be significantly out.
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by tc
I'm tellin' ya - I went to several shops where people had great alignments done, and they couldn't get the truck in.

I took it to this old guy in a beat up building without a Hunter or other laser machine in sight, just a lift with radius plates and he finally got it perfect. Well, as close to perfect as possible - one of the control arms was off so the wheelbase on one side was different than the other. He said he could fix it, but it would take a while, and I probably wouldn't notice.

These days, alignment shops have "alignment machine techs" who know how to run the machine and adjust stock suspensions that are relatively close, not necessarily how to do a "real" alignment with a vehicle that may be significantly out.
Again ditto. It took the shop I went to 3 separate times to get the alignment right and it's still not perfect. I just didn't feel like spending another $60 on a better shop.
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Old Dec 7, 2005 | 10:10 AM
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i have the 3 inch cornfed and is siting at positive camber with alignment
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Old Dec 7, 2005 | 03:10 PM
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Took it to the shop and the only thing out of spec now is the caster.

I am going to make another thread about the MANY problems I have had today, thanks for all the help.

Fink
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Old Dec 7, 2005 | 04:40 PM
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As you know, i have the same spacer you have and town fair tire here in CT had no problems aligning it. i had to replace a out tie rod end, but after that, everything was fine.
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Old Dec 7, 2005 | 04:42 PM
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That is very odd, when I took it to the place today they said I had a bad tie rod end...is this a common problem on our rigs?

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Old Dec 7, 2005 | 04:44 PM
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i forgot you said that in your other thread. mine was the passanger side outer tie rod end. it was frozen and couldn't be adjusted. i had my buddy replace it for me. he said it was a major PITA, used a torch and stuff to get it off. now i'm all set. you start that other thread yet? i may be able to help ya out with some stuff.
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