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#1 |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
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New on this Forum. Literally first post and not completely sure this is the right location for my question.
I've been building a '05 v6 4runner. 3" Icon Stage 6 tubular suspension lift, Icon UCA, Dirt King LCA, TC gusseted steering knuckles & all new inner & outer tie-rods, rolling on Method 701's wrapped with Toyo Open Country MT's. During wheeling (about half way) I noticed my steering wheel is crooked towards the driver side. I'd just had it aligned and was curious whether others have experienced this phenomenon frequently? I asked my buddy in San Diego who has the same rig but with 35's and he confirmed after every wheeling trip he's bringing it back for adjustment. This weekend I plan on adjusting the outer tie-rods to straighten the steering wheel out as if this keeps happening I need to do this trail side. Is this maybe the alignment shop not tightening the lock nut down? Is there a remedy? Cause this seems crazy! Thanks in advance for any constructive feedback. TIA. To the Moderator: If I got this in the wrong spot just slide me to the proper area. Hugh |
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#2 |
Admin
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Posts: 12,308
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It is common to knock the alignment out of whack after a wheeling trip, but shouldn't happen every time.
People who put in beefier frame tabs seem to think it help keep the alignment in check when wheeling. These are the tabs where the LCA mount to the frame. This is normally what gets pushed around with the stresses of wheeling. I ran 35s and alignment only got knocked out when hitting something hard, not just normal stresses when wheeling. Faster trails usually was the culprit when you hit something while having a bit of speed. I think TC and others had kits to beef up the LCAs and frame tab mounts.
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andries K9BDG 2019 Low Rider ![]() |
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#3 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
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I have heard some weld on the TC tabs and still have the problem, I read one guy say it was a waste of time and money. It doesn't seem to be a caster problem as the vehicle tracks straight just that the steering wheel is biased to the left (driver side) so more of a toe issue.
I wasn't doing real fast desert driving just one minor ledge and normal trail driving out around Calico (not the real rough trails) so time to adjust it this weekend and keep looking for a solution. Thanks for the reply. Quote:
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#4 |
Old Timer
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Charlotte,NC
Posts: 1,836
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Get a set of Total Chaos Cam gussets and have them welded in then get an alignment. I always go over the alignment tech and torque down the cam bolts to 100 lbs spec too!
Hit up Total Chaos and tell i sent you for a small discount. ![]() https://www.chaosfab.com/accessories...-Gussets-59860 info@chaosfab.com It could be tie rods if you're smacking the side of the wheel/tire real hard or forcing turning against a rock that can bend a tie rod. Bobby
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2008 Black 4X4Runner SR5 V6, Total Chaos Race series 2" plus kit, King 700 lbs LT coilovers & MetalTech stage 5 LT rear, 315/75R16 KM2, Strike 6 16x8.5 -6 wheels , Demello offroad 3 hoop, 4X4Labs rear, ATO, RCI ,BudBuilt, Stubbs sliders, 4Crawler B/L 3/4", DynoMax , K&N , Speski barrier, sPOD, ARB CKM12, ARB locker front/rear 4.56 gears WMW roof rack Darklight's Build Last edited by Darklight; 03-06-2019 at 06:29 AM. |
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#5 |
Desert SW Roamer
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Desert Southwest
Posts: 433
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I was wheeling the other weekend and my wheel was pointed 45° to the right after that trip. My toe is out of whack and going to get it professionally aligned this weekend, as I adjusted it mostly straight to be able to drive it again for the next week before being able to get it aligned. I've got the TC cam tabs, due to Toyota screwing them up a few years back and blaming me for it. Granted the area I was in was pretty rocky and a few times my wheels were up against rocks and wasn't able to turn further thus realizing I couldn't turn anymore. Hope I didn't tweak my inner or outer tie rods as I swapped them out mid last year and used some from RockAuto.
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2008 SR5 4x4 V6 Salsa Red Pearl w/Taupe Interior Mods: OW 2.0", LR UCA's, 285/70R17 Cooper STT Pro's w/Spidertrax 1.25" Spacer, Magnaflow 14586 Muffler, SpeedoHealer, Stubbs HD-SKO Sliders, Odyssey PC1500 Audio: Eclipse HU CD8445, Polk Audio db6501 6.5" Components, Polk Audio db351 3.5" in factory tweeter location, 2 Sundown SA12's @ 1200W RMS "I'm an AMERICAN by birth and a VETERAN by choice!" |
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#6 |
Old Timer
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Charlotte,NC
Posts: 1,836
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Yeah turning hard and rocks will stress the tie rods, even bend or break them. Seen it happen on the trail several times. Whenever I feel resistance when turning tight, I just let off a hair until I feel the steering let up some. I’f that line doesn’t work then I back up a hair and try again. Sometimes you can’t do that though and lay to the fate of the rocks. The rocks will win in this case.
Bobby
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2008 Black 4X4Runner SR5 V6, Total Chaos Race series 2" plus kit, King 700 lbs LT coilovers & MetalTech stage 5 LT rear, 315/75R16 KM2, Strike 6 16x8.5 -6 wheels , Demello offroad 3 hoop, 4X4Labs rear, ATO, RCI ,BudBuilt, Stubbs sliders, 4Crawler B/L 3/4", DynoMax , K&N , Speski barrier, sPOD, ARB CKM12, ARB locker front/rear 4.56 gears WMW roof rack Darklight's Build |
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#7 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
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Please explain the TC explain the cam tabs debacle? How did Toyota screw it up?
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#8 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
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Good advice. I didn't encounter any hard tight turns on this wheeling trip. I'm beginning to believe the cam bolts weren't tightened enough. The passenger side is definitely off.
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#9 | |
Desert SW Roamer
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Desert Southwest
Posts: 433
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If the cam bolts aren't loosened enough and the tech tries to adjust them, it can stick enough where it bends the thin metal tabs for the cam adjustments. IMO if a person would of put a small bead of weld behind the tabs it would prevent them bending in the first place. But the cam tabs are basically much thicker steel that now won't bend if an idiot goes to do your alignment as well as if it's a tech who doesn't know how to do an alignment when the tabs don't exist. I had to call around and find a place that could do the alignment without the tabs so I could drive around till I got the TC ones swapped in.
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2008 SR5 4x4 V6 Salsa Red Pearl w/Taupe Interior Mods: OW 2.0", LR UCA's, 285/70R17 Cooper STT Pro's w/Spidertrax 1.25" Spacer, Magnaflow 14586 Muffler, SpeedoHealer, Stubbs HD-SKO Sliders, Odyssey PC1500 Audio: Eclipse HU CD8445, Polk Audio db6501 6.5" Components, Polk Audio db351 3.5" in factory tweeter location, 2 Sundown SA12's @ 1200W RMS "I'm an AMERICAN by birth and a VETERAN by choice!" |
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