Strut bar and alignment!!! need help

[Vampress]

I had tokico and intrax setup on my 94 camry. After this i didn't go for alignment for two weeks while i installed the strut bar on it without any alignment. After this i sent my car for alignment but the problem came now, my sterring pull to the left side after i had three times alignment in that store. i saw everything is all rignt on their computer screen.( i mean alignment offset).

1. Is that alignment problem? or my tire wear problem? or installed strut bar b4 alignment?
2. another problem, if the rear strut mounts are broken, will it affect the height of the car or wheel gap? Coz now i heard some noise when i get over a bump from rear strut mount, like something dumping against something?
3. Some clanging sound from the front, i think somewhere around chasis or suspension , somewhere around there, it happened when i move over some rough road? Can anyone tell me what happen? bushing problem or what?

Thanks a lot for everyone over here first!!!

[BenG]

I can't comment about the noise coming from your suspension, but if you want to check if it's your tires causing yoru aslignment problem, rotate them side to side (left to right and vice versa) and then see if that fixes your alignment problem. Your tires and steering wheel might shake for a little while since your tires may be worn unevenly, but that should settle down away after a few hundred km. If the problem becomes less severe after the rotation, then your alignment is probablly correct and it was your tires. If not, then find another shop to do your alignment

[kocho]

Originally posted by Vampress
I had tokico and intrax setup on my 94 camry. After this i didn't go for alignment for two weeks while i installed the strut bar on it without any alignment. After this i sent my car for alignment but the problem came now, my sterring pull to the left side after i had three times alignment in that store. i saw everything is all rignt on their computer screen.( i mean alignment offset).

1. Is that alignment problem? or my tire wear problem? or installed strut bar b4 alignment?
2. another problem, if the rear strut mounts are broken, will it affect the height of the car or wheel gap? Coz now i heard some noise when i get over a bump from rear strut mount, like something dumping against something?
3. Some clanging sound from the front, i think somewhere around chasis or suspension , somewhere around there, it happened when i move over some rough road? Can anyone tell me what happen? bushing problem or what?

Thanks a lot for everyone over here first!!!

It's not clear from your post if the noises started after the alignment. I doubt this is the case, but most likely the firmer suspensio is taxing your strut mounts more than the OEM setup. So if they are weak already, they might be giving in and causing some clunking. You may need to replace them.

I have '00 and have similar noises to what you describe in the front. Common problem with '97-'01, fixable by new strut mount and careful installation.

I don't have suspension noises in the rear (although some piece of insulation or something esle small is rattling in the back - can't find it yet).

Check if everything is tight, because often folks find-out the nuts on the strut mounts (the big one in the middle or the three around it), or the hex nut on the sway bar end links are loose after such upgrades. Tightening them-up fixes it in some cases.

About the alignment - yes, rotate the tires so you see if that's the problem. Also, make sure your tire pressure is the same in each pair of tires (two fronts should be the same pressure, the two rears should also be matched).

Once I had a guy do my alignement three times and the steering was still off-center. The guy had a defective machine... Installing the bar before the alignment is the right thing to do I believe, although it probably should not affect your alignemnt either way.

If you rotate tires and still the car pulls, then go to Toyota, and if they fix it through an alignment, get back to the first place with the receipt and a printout and get your money back...

[rpj1984]

Originally posted by kocho

If you rotate tires and still the car pulls, then go to Toyota, and if they fix it through an alignment, get back to the first place with the receipt and a printout and get your money back... [/B]

Does Toyota align lowered cars?

[smokey8890]

im pretty sure the clunk sound your hearing is from your mounts. not to talk trash about intrax but they then to sag unevenly. this is what i think.
1.) the spring did not settle down properly
2.) one side of the springs is saggin more than the other (happend to 2 of my friends but with diffrent cars.
3.) pep boys sux when it comes to alighnment.

[kocho]

Originally posted by rpj1984


Does Toyota align lowered cars?

Good question... They should, if it is lowered with TRD springs, because this is a Toyota product, I would think. Intrax is not much different from that prospective, as the drop is not much different.

My local dealership did warranty work (replaced strut mount and did alignment afterwards) on my already lowered '00 Camry. At the time I only had the TRD springs with stock struts. They were kind enough to put my Tokicos in the front for free, while they were doing the strut mounts... So yes, some would do it.

less than 2" drop should not throw your alignment off that much, so they should be able to do it for you...

[Hotwheelharmer]

Originally posted by kocho


Good question... They should, if it is lowered with TRD springs, because this is a Toyota product, I would think. Intrax is not much different from that prospective, as the drop is not much different.

Actually dude TRD is not a Toyota product. TRD is an aftermarket company they just only sell Toyota products and can only be bought through Toyota. TRD just has a deal with Toyota that is why it seems like they are a Toyota brand when infact they aren't. As for your alignment problem just because it shows ok in the green doesn't mean the alignment is correct. Make sure that the place that is doing the alignment has measured your ride heighth since it has changed with your springs. This will change your alingment angles and will be need to be different then the stock settings. A lot of alignment machines will let you change the ride heigth of the vehicle and it will change the specs of the alignment. Also if they have done that make sure that they are checking caster and SAI. Most shops only check caster and not SAI. If your SAI is off then it will also make you pull. So make sure that is getting done along with your toe radius. Most shops only do caster, camber and toe but not all the other specific measurements that can also make you pull or feel something wrong. So go into the alignment shop and tell them to do every single measurement they can and they will be able to find your problem I garuntee it.

[kocho]

Originally posted by Hotwheelharmer


Actually dude TRD is not a Toyota product. TRD is an aftermarket company they just only sell Toyota products and can only be bought through Toyota. TRD just has a deal with Toyota that is why it seems like they are a Toyota brand when infact they aren't.

"Dude", how about this (from www.trdusa.com):

"...Toyota Racing Development (TRD) U.S.A., Inc. plays a key role in providing Toyota with an enhanced performance image. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), www.tmsusa.com, U.S.A., Inc., TRD designs and builds Toyota racing engines in addition to developing and marketing performance aftermarket parts for Toyota vehicles...."

Unless the above is incorrect, or you somehow argue that a "Toyota subsidiary" is not part of Toyota and therefore their products are not considered "pure toyota" products, TRD and Toyota go hand in hand as far as I'm concerned...

TRD springs are Eibach, TRD Struts used to be Billstein, older Camry/Solara/Avalon TRD S/Cs were Kazuma...

Either way, no big deal, important is that TRD products are fully waranted and approved by Toyota and their dealerships.

[Vampress]

yeah somekey 8890

Ok, i pretty sure the rear clunk is strut mount problem. What about the front, coz i just replace new strut mount. and the sound doesn;t sound like clunking coz it most probably came from axles or some where around there, just sounded like something loosen!

[Hotwheelharmer]

Originally posted by kocho


"Dude", how about this (from www.trdusa.com):

"...Toyota Racing Development (TRD) U.S.A., Inc. plays a key role in providing Toyota with an enhanced performance image. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), www.tmsusa.com, U.S.A., Inc., TRD designs and builds Toyota racing engines in addition to developing and marketing performance aftermarket parts for Toyota vehicles...."

Unless the above is incorrect, or you somehow argue that a "Toyota subsidiary" is not part of Toyota and therefore their products are not considered "pure toyota" products, TRD and Toyota go hand in hand as far as I'm concerned...

TRD springs are Eibach, TRD Struts used to be Billstein, older Camry/Solara/Avalon TRD S/Cs were Kazuma...

Either way, no big deal, important is that TRD products are fully waranted and approved by Toyota and their dealerships.

Yes the above is correct what I am saying is that Toyota does not own TRD or anything it is just that TRD and Toyota have a contract together but TRD is not a Toyota product it is just made for Toyota parts. And I Am not trying to be a dick about it I am just stating what a lot of people get confused. They hear TRD and think it is automatically owned by Toyota which it isn't. Toyota owns Toyota Motorsports which they work with TRD.

[kocho]

Originally posted by Hotwheelharmer



Yes the above is correct what I am saying is that Toyota does not own TRD or anything it is just that TRD and Toyota have a contract together but TRD is not a Toyota product it is just made for Toyota parts. And I Am not trying to be a dick about it I am just stating what a lot of people get confused. They hear TRD and think it is automatically owned by Toyota which it isn't. Toyota owns Toyota Motorsports which they work with TRD.

True. Lots of products wear the "Toyota" label (engine oil, coolant, brake fluid) and they are made by someone else for Toyota. It could be misleading. Some dealerships would not mind installing for you reputable aftermarket stuff and will gladly work on your car. Others would not touch it...

Btw, you mentioned about some alignment machines being able to take into account or compensate for lowering. Should the alignment numbers be different after I lower the car? I know that the camber is off slightly, but shouldn't the rest of the numbers be set again more or less to factory spec after alignment? Or should we ask for a slightly different settings to account for the lowering. It should depend on the make, but should for example the toe-in etc. be set slightly different from stock specs for a dropped Camry?

[Hotwheelharmer]

Well for the alignment part if the companys machine can change settings of ride heigth then the nummbers for the specs will change and the place doing the alignment should just put the arrow in the green like normal. As for toe that will more then likely stay the same. The angles you are changing are the camber and caster. As for the rest of the angles like SAI, IA thrust angle and toe radius most shops don't check those because they jsut do a speedy alignment but a real good alignment shop will check these as well because they are actually part of an alignment. Hell just checking SAI can help you determine if anything is bent even slightly.

[Deep]

Vampress, what year is your Cam?

There was a TSB for the rear strut mounts on the Gen 4's. This means that Toyota will replace them for free if it wasn't already done. They're bad in one of our cars and the sound you described is pretty much it, a dull thud/clunk noise.

[kocho]

Originally posted by Deep
Vampress, what year is your Cam?

There was a TSB for the rear strut mounts on the Gen 4's. This means that Toyota will replace them for free if it wasn't already done. They're bad in one of our cars and the sound you described is pretty much it, a dull thud/clunk noise.

Is that a new one? I know there is one for the fronts:

SU001-00 JAN 00 * Suspension - Front Support Change Reduces Noise

And here are some more of interest (all for G4)...
ST008-01 DEC 01 * Front Suspension - Squeaking Noise
EG011-01 AUG 01 * MIL ON - DTC P0300 Random Multiple Cylinder Misfire
SU001-01 JUL 01 * Wheel Bearing Dust Deflector - Ticking Noise
BO017-01 MAY 01 Power Seats - Movement/Adjustment Inoperative
BO011-01 MAR 01 Seat Belt Tongue Plate Stopper - New Parts
BO028-00 NOV 00 Trunk - Water Leaks
BR004-00 OCT 00 * Brakes - Pad Clicking Noise
EL011-00 OCT 00 Daytime Running Light - Disabling Procedure
ST004-00 JUN 00 * P/S - Power Steering Rack Squeaking Noise
SU002-00 MAY 00 * Suspension - Rear Axle/Shock/Coil Reminder, ABS

[mrbacardi]

what is the rear strut mount, anyone have a pic or a good description?? i just changed my rear springs and getting some bad rattling in the back right, before i knew it was the swaybar bushings, but now there's a new noise.

thanks,
dan