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Checking Suspension Components

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by SB6, Jun 27, 2019.

  1. SB6

    SB6 Member

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    Yeah, I just realized that the caster isn't supposed to be blank like it is on all my reports.im going to have to talk to the shop tomorrow.

    About the brake caliper sticking like you had mentioned, what's the easiest way I can check that?
     
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    "About the brake caliper sticking like you had mentioned, what's the easiest way I can check that?"

    The way I do it is raise the car and rotate the wheels. If its hard, the caliper may be sticking.
    If you have someone to sit in the car and press and release the pedal. Sometimes it only happens when they get hot.
    So after driving the car you have to check it fast so you have everything set up and ready.
    Compare with the other wheel. If on side spins freely after releasing the brake pedal and the other one
    doesn't, it's probably sticking.

    Since the pads last a long time, the pucks don't move much and could become stuck. So I will press the
    shoe back, which moves the puck back. The press the peddle to firm them up. I will do a few times.

    Depending on your DIY skills, you can take them apart and clean them. Or get a rebuild kit, they are fiarly inexpensive.
    I use real fine steel wool to smooth out the caliper bore where the seal was sticking.
     
  3. SB6

    SB6 Member

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    I was able to speak with the alignment shop. In their words, they usually don't measure caster as the manufacturer does not provide a way to adjust caster. According to the shop, I would have to go to a mechanic to adjust caster.

    They did offer to measure it for me, however, and here is the report. According to them, the measurements seem fine.

    Here is the updated album of alignment reports.


    I have been noticing another issue as well, no idea how related it is. In the morning, after my car has been parked overnight on my sloped driveway (with parking brake on), once I release my parking brake and begin to reverse out of my driveway, I hear a single loud clunk sound. Any ideas? I'm starting to feel a bit discouraged by all the issues that keep coming up...
     
  4. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Perhaps the clunking noise is the pad braking away from the rotor.
    They may be sticking to the rotor. How many miles do you have on those pads/rotors?
    The problem we have in Florida, like Texas (I was stationed in Ft. Hood) is the humidity and/or rain.
    The brakes are hot, even though they are cooled by the rain, they get surface rust on them.
    When everything cools, the pads "sticks" to the rotor.
    If it's bad enough, you can either replace the pads if they are getting low, or do a figure eight on the concrete
    to rough them up. Or use some medium grit sandpaper to get the top layer cleaned off. Then also clean the rotors.
    Both sides. You're basically cleaning off the glaze. I do that when I replace the pads anyways.
    If they car is not driven a lot, or has sat a while, the rotor can start to pit and you'll feel it when you apply the peddle
    lightly, a pulsing. Most of the time, depending on how bad it is, the sanding will clean it up and normal driving will
    keep it clear.

    Looking at the photo you sent, the caster is nearly a full degree off! If they even out the camber and toe, it will likely
    bring the caster closer to normal.
    The left/rear toe is off also, a lot.
    Ideally, you want all those numbers matching.
    I don't know what the specks are for the Prius. But if the camber calls for "-.2", then both should read that.
    If the caster calls for "+5.9", then BOTH sides should read that.
    And I'm guessing the toe would be "0" or "-1"

    The best I can see from my 2010 Prius is there is no camber, caster, or toe adjustment. It is fixed.
    so if it is off, then something is bent, or a bushing is worn, which may not show on an alignment, but you'll
    feel it driving. But the left/rear toe is way off. I would suspect something is bent, slightly, bushing or wheel bearing.
    Or combination of the three. There is a bushing on each side for the whole axel assembly for the rear wheels. I forget what they
    call the whole thing though, brain fart! :)

    You said you hit something and damaged the right rims. I suppose you might have damaged the steering rack, and/or
    tie rod ends. But if the steering seems smooth left to right I doubt that it's bad. It is electric, and it might of gotten knocked
    out of sync and the computer is trying to correct it, maybe getting a false reading.
    You would see a lot of play if the bushing were bad, harder to see all the bushings in the rear though
    ======
    Judging by the 2nd photo, which is a very strange way to do it, it looks like the got the front set okay,
    But it changed the rear. Notice the left rear toe was way off but is now centered. And the right was centered,
    but is now off. But did you notice it WAS centered, then afterward it's off to the right?
    I'm thinking if you hit something hard enough to damage both rims, you could have damaged the wheel bearings, front and/or rear.
    It is hard to diagnose over chat. You have to jack it up or put it on a lift and start muscling around the wheel.
    It should NOT move.

    I'm not sure where it is, but there is a supposedly a very good hybrid shop in Texas. Someone here knows it and hopefully
    will let you know where it is. And you are close.


     
  5. SB6

    SB6 Member

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    I'm not sure how many miles are on the pads. I bought the car private sale at 129k miles, and currently am at 140k miles. Just looking at the pads without taking off the wheel, it seems like I need to do the front brakes soon, so I was already planning on that. I am trying to take the car to get the rotors checked tomorrow, and will also have the calipers checked at the same time.


    I did notice the numbers on the alignment report seemed off. However, the technician I was speaking with told me they were within normal ranges so I just left it at that, since I don't know too much about it myself. They did tell me something about how they are unable to adjust the rear, and a mechanic would have to do it with shims.

    Like you mentioned, I did notice that the rear toe seems to have been changing on its own. Like I said, this shop told me they are unable to adjust the rear, so it must be changing on its own, right?

    None of the shops I've been to mentioned anything about the wheel bearings, but I guess it's very possible those were damaged.

    Is the shop you were talking about called HometownHybrids? I have previously tried to contact them when I was having brake booster issues, but they seem to only work on hybrid batteries now. I was also unable to find a shop location; it looks like they come to you by appointment now. Am I mistaken?
     
  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I know nothing about that company so can't help their.
    Someone had mentioned it in the past week and I don't remember where or who. Sorry :(

    I don't think the rear has any adjustments, unless a frame shop does it.
    It's kinda weird that after the front was set, the rear changed so much.
    You did mention the toe kept going out. Which would say maybe the tie rod ends, both inner and outer.
    Again, hard to give better answer with out inspection. You may just have to take it to Toyota and explain
    to them what's happening and hopefully they can find the problem.
     
  7. SB6

    SB6 Member

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    Yeah... It kinda sucks cause I did go to them in the middle of all these suspension/alignment issues, when the brake booster issue popped up, as I had thought I would be covered under the brake booster recall. Unfortunately, I was not covered and they made me pay a $150 diagnostic fee, and they didn't tell me anything except that I would need to do the brake booster replacement. Now if I decide to go back to them then I'll have to pay up again... :(
     
  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Sorry, I wished I could help you more.