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Rear wheel camber adjustment on prime keeps getting off

Discussion in 'Prime Technical Discussion' started by mczouav, Sep 6, 2018.

  1. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    On the 10k and 15k garage visits, the rear wheel camber test failed. Off by ca. 2 degrees. Every time, the garage asks for 100$. I d like to know which bolt needs to be adjusted. Since i have the tools, i might as well try to get it fixed myself before going to the garage next time (if it was the toe that get off, i would not even try). It already looks off again by the same angle as before. Any idea where to find the info is welcome. I believe a new bolt might be needed too. It is a double wishbone suspension. Cheerios, max

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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    is this at an authorized toyota repair facility?
     
  3. burnout8488

    burnout8488 Member

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    Two degrees would be noticeable. Are they pulling your leg, or can you actually tell from looking at both rear wheels? -2º should be some pretty obvious inward tilt if the other wheel is closer to 0º.

    There's no reason it wouldn't hold unless they aren't tightening the camber bolt properly, or you're hitting some nasty bumps with the same wheel.

    Also, I don't think alignment check is part of the ToyotaCare checks, are they doing this as a courtesy? (Or a money grab?)
     
  4. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    It s at a toyota dealer. They systematically check it. The tolerance is 2 degrees, but it s kind of visible and with a right angle tool on the ground, its noticeable. This is not part of the toyota care. Paying 100$ every time i go to the garage is not my cup of tea when it should not happen... I can see a bolt under the car but i am not 100% sure its for camber. It is holding the bottom suspension arm. ( We live in memphis area, the roads are not that bad. )

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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what do they say when you ask them?
     
  6. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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  7. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    #7 padroo, Sep 6, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2018
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  8. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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  9. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    That it needs adjusting or tires will last longer and car is less stable at high speed.

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  10. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    Tires will last less ' of course ;)

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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i'm no expert, but i think you're being played. you can either adjust the suspension or you can't.

    if nothing is broken, it shouldn't go out of adjustment in 5,000 miles, unless you're off roading.
     
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  12. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Memphis, Tennessee in the USA? What's "BE"? Not Belgium? It helps to know location man. :confused:

    Do you know the camber spec. You say it's out by 2 degrees, but from what baseline. The spec probably is a bit of camber, ie: the wheels should splay out slightly at the bottom, for more stability when cornering.

    Also, per @bisco: if it was off, and they adjusted it, why would it go off again??

    Maybe get a short Toyota Tech Info subscription and search it up (as my grandson says :)).

    Is that third gen, what book? Fourth gen may be adjustable, having independent rear suspension.
     
    #13 Mendel Leisk, Sep 7, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2018
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  14. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    Yes that is a strange situation. The garage check can t be failed 2x on the same wheel without an underlying problem. Cheerios.


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  15. mczouav

    mczouav Member

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    Thanks, let s say i travel a lot between continents. But the prius primes are all the same regardless of location, made in japan...so far.
    The wheel alignment tool might be a good investment if this misalignment keeps happening... I was going to do it with a large right angle tool ruler. Can t go too wrong if i do it before going to the garage and they check it anyways with their fancy alignment devices.

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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah a carpenter's square would do the trick. Do you know the camber spec?

    I believe this is rear camber spec for third gen. The Repair Manual is poorly written, doesn't specifically say rear, but a few pages back talks about the (adjustable) front camber adjustment, so just connecting the dots:

    upload_2018-9-7_9-13-4.png
     
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  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You can do a little trigonometry if you have the spec'd camber angle: set one leg of the angle on the slab, push it in till it touches the rubber at six o'clock, measure the corresponding gap to the rubber at 12 o'clock, measure the distance between those two contact points, and those two measurements are legs of right angle triangle, the shorter leg divided by the longer leg is the "tan" of the angle.

    Following that, I'm getting 0.5"/19.5" (right side) and 0.25"/19.5" (left side), which equate roughly to (degree) angles of 1.3 and (right) and 0.7 left. Left side is not pulling it's load, but meh: the tires are wearing fine, so I leave it be. Third gen is not easily adjustable, requires heroics with shims, too much hassle.

    IMG_9331.JPG
    (Rim protector edge on our 17" make for crisp measure.)
     
    #17 Mendel Leisk, Sep 7, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2018
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  18. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    If Toyota can't please you I would take it to a frame and axle shop and see what they say. They are used to seeing all kind of oddball alignment problems and are probably have better equipment than a Toyota dealer. You would have to pay for it out of your own pocket.
     
  19. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

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    As someone else pointed out, the Gen 4 uses a different rear suspension design. Through Gen 3, when the Prius used a torsion beam, adjustments were made with shims. The Prime, like the current Prius, uses upper and lower control arms, with a trailing arm and locating link, all bolted to a knuckle, for an independent rear suspension setup. I haven't looked at one in person, only the diagram, but if one of the bolts on the lower link is eccentric it could be used for toe adjustment; my last car, a 2005 Civic, used a design like this.

    However, I don't know of any cars outside of some exotics that have adjustable camber, especially in the rear. It's fixed by the lengths of the arms by design, although adjustable length control arms are available for popular models (like my aforementioned Civic). If the OP's camber is off by that much in just 5,000 miles, there's something wrong.
     
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    This is not something you'd do on a whim though. Aren't those shims installed behind everything, even the bearing, which is a royal bear to remove, once it's rusted in there for a few years. If the tires look fine and you're not noticing anything, say when cornering, I would just leave it be.
     
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