IFS alignment screwed - front wheels like | \...

[RatLabGuy]

'89 4Runner, stock IFS (w/ BJ spacers)

After the Line Mountain 4x4 race, my front D-side tire was left w/ a nice inward cant, so the pair looks like this | \ from the front, lol.
This race was really brutal on the steering

It's hard to tell whether the top is tilted in, or the bottom is pushed out... but in comparison to the "good" side there is more space between the lower bumpstop and the shcck, and a littl less between the shock and the upper BJ. Which makes me tend to think it's the bottom pushed out.

I've played with the adjusting cams on the lower A-arm base... the front one will move all the way to maybe 40 degrees,the back one to only maybe 10 degrees before they get stuck... but even then it's nowhere near close to getting the tire vertical.

I can't really see anything specific that is bent or warped. Any chance it's the body of the knuckle itself?
For you guys that really punish these IFS components (befroe ditching for SAS), where is the warpage?

Just trying to hunt down what I need to replace.

BTW my first suspicion was broken balljoint, but there's no obvious play/wiggle in the up/down direction.

 

[lewistire]

front

I would take a wild guess at the upper control arm or spindle being bent. The cams should turn all the way around, but the bolts seem to get stuck inside of the bushings. If the tire is leaning that bad I would suspect bent components.

 

[RatLabGuy]

I would take a wild guess at the upper control arm or spindle being bent. The cams should turn all the way around, but the bolts seem to get stuck inside of the bushings. If the tire is leaning that bad I would suspect bent components.

I'm sure osmething is bent
It's just hard to tell what it is.

The cams should be able to go a complete 360 degrees around?
Maybe if it were up on a lift, and I could put a 4' cheater bar on the socket they'd go farther...
the brackets that hold them are clearly bent up though, I figure they're binding on something.

I have a lifetime alignment deal at Firestone just for this purpose but wanted to try and at least get it close before driving it out there. But i seirously doubt that even w/ the cams at 90 degrees (wouldn't that be max extension outward) it'd be enough.

 

[RatLabGuy]

Any other ideas of where the common failures are? I know there are a lot of IFS haters here and I've read of people complaining about this.... so where does this failure occur?

 

[Blkvoodoo]

IFS Toyotas are known for the frame twisting and the lower A arm rear mount spreading ( usually caused by JUMPING ( go figure )

there were a few companies that made a brace that linked left and right side rear mounts together to help reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Too late to make it fit now, it's time to SAS, it's the only REAL fix short of going all BAJA Chassis on it.

Link to 4x4 wire install of said brace....

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/frame_brace/

 

[shawn]

x2... didn't you already bend it there once? I seem to recall a piece of 3/8" flat stock that was bent up into the pan.

 

[RatLabGuy]

IFS Toyotas are known for the frame twisting and the lower A arm rear mount spreading ( usually caused by JUMPING ( go figure )

there were a few companies that made a brace that linked left and right side rear mounts together to help reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Too late to make it fit now, it's time to SAS, it's the only REAL fix short of going all BAJA Chassis on it.

Link to 4x4 wire install of said brace....

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/frame_brace/

SAS may happen eventually - but in order to stay in ECORS A class, unless the rules change, I have to keep the IFS.

Regarding a truss - I have one on the back of the lower A-arms. Home-made, but basically the same thing... just for this reason. Trying to curb that problem.

x2... didn't you already bend it there once? I seem to recall a piece of 3/8" flat stock that was bent up into the pan.

Yep. But - in that case the truss was bent UPWARDS sothat it was hitting the 3rd member. I've since bent it back flat.

So that's the weird thing here. If anything, that truss being bent upwards should PULL the A-arms in, right? It's bolted to the brackets, and the holes still line up.
I guess what I need to do is measure that distance between the A-arms and compare to the factory specs.

 

[BrianGreen]

Or you could say it is an 85 4runner......

 

[Black Bear]

Or you could say it is an 85 4runner......

x2....

 

[RatLabGuy]

Well, this would do it!

This has been perplexing me for a long time now.
I have measured and re-measured - the LCA frame distance matches what is stated by Downey and the same as the '93 P/U I have.
Nothing is obviously bent.
Last week I replaced both upper and lower BJs (the upper was getting bad, in the process replaced the whole spindle too, just in case.
Still had the lean! Best the alignment shop can get is ~3 deg out.

and lately the handling has been getting really sloppy, ride is terrible.

Well I was over talking to another guy about it, and he took a look... leaned in, and said, oh Dude, here's your problem...

See attached Exhibit A and B.

He reached in and pulled out (!) an UCA bushing! lol nothing left of it.
In A, you can see the rearward one is shot b/c pivot point is out of line.
In B - no bushing AT ALL!

 

[shawn]

Dummy.

 

[Blkvoodoo]

Have fun !! those things SUCK to change !!

 

[RatLabGuy]

Dummy.

Thanks jackass

Have fun !! those things SUCK to change !!

yah...
But I'm hoping that (1) since one is already gone and the other is already loose, getting them out hsouldn't be bad... well on top anyway...
or (2) I'll just use this as an excuse to change to long travel, that comes w/ new bushing anyway