Suspension issue. Left front wheel seems more cambered in than right front.

[iLaugh]

Hello, my first real post on this forum.

I was lucky enough to buy a used Supra a couple months ago and put Burger Tuning spacers on it 13mm/15mm front/rear.

Upon installation, I noticed that the front left wheel looks more cambered in compared to the front right wheel. I took it to a shop who advised I get adjustable lower control arms. I bought the SPL LCA, had them installed and an alignment done. Unfortunately, nothing really changed and they assured me everything was "in spec."

It still looked extremely odd and so I took it to Toyota. They had wanted to change out my spring, strut, and steering knuckle for $2.5k as they said the previous owner may have hit a pothole or something big. I said no thank you and tried getting different opinions. However, any shop that I had went to said they had no idea why it's looking like this.

So I took it upon myself and replaced the spring and strut. Unfortunately, it looks exactly the same. I then took it to a local European specialty shop. They looked at the car and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I asked them to look for any frame damage and they said they could not find any. They said, by process of elimination, that the knuckle may be the culprit for this issue.

I'm kind of at my wit's end trying to diagnose this and so I'm posting this to get more knowledge.

Attached you will find some pics of the wheel and the last alignment that was performed.

Thank you all for your time.

Sponsored

 

[FLtrackdays]

The SPL LCAs bushings wear over time. Thus can loosen up, even after a fresh alignment with some heavy driving, like tracking. Are yours new? Assuming they are, I had alignments done by Toyota, BMW and an independent when I 1st got my car & SPL parts. I quickly realized they weren't going to cut it. All of them were off. I needed a place that was better versed in more advanced suspension setups.

Look around for places that track cars in your area or a bigger city close by. It helps when they specialize in the nuances of performance car alignments. Below is a local one in my area. The picture doesn’t help at all. I just like how they cram all the various track cars in there

 

[iLaugh]

Yeah I'm trying to do this myself if possible but I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue.

Also kinda wondering if anyone can find a video of disassembling the suspension for a Supra... I have had 0 luck.. It's all coil overs and such which helped me with the strut/spring change out but no videos on the knuckle at all

 

[downshift00]

Yeah I'm trying to do this myself if possible but I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue.

Also kinda wondering if anyone can find a video of disassembling the suspension for a Supra... I have had 0 luck.. It's all coil overs and such which helped me with the strut/spring change out but no videos on the knuckle at all

What type of video are you looking for on the knuckle?

 

[iLaugh]

What type of video are you looking for on the knuckle?

How to replace it and how to take off certain parts off of it. I just don't know, if I were to attempt it, how to disassemble it and reassemble it with the proper torque specs

 

[downshift00]

How to replace it and how to take off certain parts off of it

I just removed both front knuckles last week when I switched to MCS coilovers since the OEM shock does not just slide out easily. So I removed it all in one piece.

So you had already removed the shock when you replaced it. So this time just remove everything in one piece, leaving the shock in the knuckle. remove the caliper and rotor first and all the wire and sensors in the way.

Then just unbolt the 3 big nuts in the knuckle that go to the 2 arms and the tie rod. (3 nuts total)... then put a jack under the knuckle, loosen the top bolts and lower it down. There is no ball joints to try to push out. Once you loosen the 3 nuts, all the arms just pop out.

Or if you want to leave the shock in the car, just do what you did to remove the shock, but instead just slip the knuckle out from under the shock

 

[iLaugh]

I just removed both front knuckles last week when I switched to MCS coilovers since the OEM shock does not just slide out easily. So I removed it all in one piece.

So you had already removed the shock when you replaced it. So this time just remove everything in one piece, leaving the shock in the knuckle. remove the caliper and rotor first and all the wire and sensors in the way.

Then just unbolt the 3 big nuts in the knuckle that go to the 2 arms and the tie rod. (3 nuts total)... then put a jack under the knuckle, loosen the top bolts and lower it down. There is no ball joints to try to push out. Once you loosen the 3 nuts, all the arms just pop out.

Or if you want to leave the shock in the car, just do what you did to remove the shock, but instead just slip the knuckle out from under the shock

So then I looked at a picture of the knuckle and it looks like the wheel hub? idk whatever mates the wheel to the rotor (sorry I don't know all the correct terminology for everything) but is there anything that I have to pop out using some sort of hydraulic press or anything?

 

[downshift00]

So then I looked at a picture of the knuckle and it looks like the wheel hub? idk whatever mates the wheel to the rotor (sorry I don't know all the correct terminology for everything) but is there anything that I have to pop out using some sort of hydraulic press or anything?

Remove the calipers where the red circles are. The hub bolts can be seen inside the knuckle.. Probably do that first before removing the knuckle from the strut, so its easier to get leverage if they are a little tough to pull off the knuckle.

 

[iLaugh]

Remove the calipers where the red circles are. The hub bolts can be seen inside the knuckle.. Probably do that first before removing the knuckle from the strut, so its easier to get leverage if they are a little tough to pull off the knuckle.

So if you just remove the hub bolts, the wheel hub just falls out? Also, do you know the torque specs of everything attached?

Thank you so much for these pictures, they help so much!

 

[downshift00]

So if you just remove the hub bolts, the wheel hub just falls out? Also, do you know the torque specs of everything attached?

Thank you so much for these pictures, they help so much!

That I do not know. i dont see anything about any puller needed for it. Torque looks like 89 ft lbs for the hub bolts.

The torque for the 3 arm to the knuckle is like 122 or 129, see images below

 

[iLaugh]

Thank you so much, it really makes this look doable haha

 

[downshift00]

Thank you so much, it really makes this look doable haha

here is the workshop manual for anything you would need. This is where the images are from.

https://storage.googleapis.com/a90garbage/2020 Supra Workshop Manual.pdf

 

[iLaugh]

here is the workshop manual for anything you would need. This is where the images are from.

https://storage.googleapis.com/a90garbage/2020 Supra Workshop Manual.pdf

Oh I was going to ask you. Thank you so much for this! Seriously read my mind

 

[FLtrackdays]

Yeah I'm trying to do this myself if possible but I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue.

Even better!! Glad @downshift00 was able to describe exactly what was needed ?? Love it!!!

 

[iLaugh]

For those that may encounter the same issue,

It was the knuckle 100%

I took the old knuckle off and I couldn't see a thing whatsoever as to why my wheel ended up looking like that. There was no damage at all to the knuckle so something must have been barely bent as it was unnoticeable. I actually thought it wouldn't fix a thing but switching out the knuckle fixed it. Tire is perfectly flush with the fender. But I had a mechanic friend that told me millimeters make differences so idk...

Btw it was an absolute pain to take off the bolts that hold the wheel hub to the steering knuckle so I hope you have an impact gun or something as it will be impossible to take them off without one.

I hope that you can be rid of the problem too!

Though I forgot to take pictures... My friend and I were just trying to get it done and I completely forgot to take pictures so I apologize.

I found this post earlier and it sorta helped

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422985

Sponsored