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Setting up adjustable control arms
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 11:07 am
by DieselBoy
I have a set of upper adjustable control arms on my Safari. I have just reduced the size of my T.Case spacers to 10mm down from 20mm.
I flucked getting the adjustment right with the 20mm packers through trial and error, ie adjusting a bit, taking it for a road test, then a bit more, road test, adjusting them back again, road test. What a prick of a way to do it.
Now i have dropped the spacers down to 10mm i need to set them up again. Technically i should have to shorten them up a bit more to steepen the pinion UJ angle to match the now steeper angle of the T.Case UJ.
I have buggered around a bit, but the amount i have to adjust it must be bugger all, as i can't seem to get it right and I'm sick of adjusting, road testing over and over.
Is there a proper way to do adjust these??
I'm sure there must be, it would surly be a mattter of measureing the angle of one UJ and using the arms to match that angle at the other end.
So how/where the hell do i measure the angles??
Or is there another way??
I'm getting pissed off!!!!
...
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 4:02 pm
by JemmyBubbles
I roof tile and I have a little Pitch Measuring device. You rest it on a surface and it tells you the pitch of said surface in degrees. It looks like a clock with a flat bottom.
You could use something like this, measure both ends. And then adjust accordingly.
I think honestly it is mostly trial and error. The two outputs should be within 3 degrees opposing each other for no vibration free operation when a standard uni setup is being used.
Are the arms reverse thread ie; adjustable on car ?? Mine are... If you have to drop one end I understand that must be really annoying...
If it still vibrates after being set up accordingly with less spacers then maybe other problems exist. worn unis, angle too big.. or shart of that nature....
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:02 pm
by GQ TROL
As a starting point, a 4" lift in a SWB usually requires 35mm shortening of the top arms, and about 15-25mm shortening for a 2" lift.
I presume you've got the same adjustable arms from Mike Graham as I have?? The arms on my 2" lift have been shortened 15mm and still the vibration persists, even with 12mm gearbox packer, so it needs to be about another 5mm or so shorter.
Cheers
Mitch
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:21 pm
by DieselBoy
Yeah, they are the arms from mike with the reverse thread.
I have managed to find the best point i think, but i still have a slight vibration under acceleration around 30k's.
I'll have a measure up of my origional arms and see how much shorter I've gone.
I think i may need to replace the UJ's, as when i had the drive shaft off both had a steped feel to the movement.
Thanks for the usefull info.
Pete.
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:26 pm
by GQ TROL
No worries, I think original length is 400mm, centre of bush to centre of bush.
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:39 pm
by DieselBoy
Cheers, mine will be packed in a box some where.
I have a suspision i was to late with the reducing of the spacer size, i think i may have already killed one of my new engine mounts.
Hope fully they are universal between sides, as the old right hand one was still good, and i may be able to put it in the left side if it is broken.
Bugger it, gotta stop cutting corners.
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 6:53 am
by GQ TROL
I
think the engine mounts are side specific

. But Toyota Surf mounts are significantly bigger (the rubber block part) than GQ ones and can be altered to fit with a bit of effort. If you've got access to a drill press, just open out the bolt holes of the Surf mount to fit the GQ. They're much cheaper too!!!
GQ engine mounts are about $180 ea from Nissan.
Modify the mount to limit upward movement and they'll last a lot longer.
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:55 am
by DieselBoy
Hmm, Surf mounts aye.
Any particular engine?? 2.4L, 3L, V6??
Or are they all the same??
I may look into that, it would tip the engine back for more vibration curing!!!
I managed to source some aftermarket mounts for $115 each!!
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:02 am
by GQ TROL
The ones we used were 2.4L I think, and I'm not sure if any others would work?? They are fractionally higher, which helps vib problems, but the length and width of the rubber block is physically bigger than the GQ one also.
Aftermarket ones a certainly cheaper, but a few people on this board have found they don't last as long. I haven't tried them myself.
engine mounts
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:18 am
by mav
i have used kelpro mt8432 aftermarket engine mounts (the two bolt ones) they were cheap $60 each.
Re: engine mounts
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:33 pm
by turps
mav wrote:i have used kelpro mt8432 aftermarket engine mounts (the two bolt ones) they were cheap $60 each.
And how have they been going. As my shorty has been needing them for 3yrs now.
not too bad
Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 10:07 am
by mav
the mounts arn't too bad considering that the are about a third of the genuine price, they fit fine and i havent had any dramas with them.
Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 4:01 pm
by rlaxton
GQ TROL wrote:The ones we used were 2.4L I think, and I'm not sure if any others would work?? They are fractionally higher, which helps vib problems, but the length and width of the rubber block is physically bigger than the GQ one also.
Was this a replacement for the 4 bolt engine mounts or the 2 bolt? I am in the market for a set for my TD42 1991 GQ. What year would that be from so I can ask Toyota for the right item?
Richard.