Was the '05 Prius manufactured with shims in place, or were shims emplaced as needed in the factory, in order to align properly the rear wheels, which have no ability to be adjusted directly?
that's my point, toyota suggests pounding sand. if you search carefully, you might find bob wilson's thread on shimming, or maybe there's a youtube.
Here's the fuller story and questions that I have based upon my readings on the subject. Recently, my son sideswiped a storm drain that sticks out from a curb. The result was that my steering wheel was off-kilter and a rim was fractured. A mechanic inspected the car and found that components of the rear suspension had to be replaced, too (incidental or consequent, I do not know). Upon his installation of them, including a used solid beam axle, I brought the car to a shop to have the tire on the affected side mounted onto a new wheel and to have the alignment measured. The rear camber (?and toe) is/are well out of spec.. This is clear even to me as the negative camber is visible. I have seen online recommendations from knowledgeable-seeming car owners that for the alignment to be within specs. is insufficient. Also, I don't know what to do about the misalignment: whether the next step should be to have the frame pulled (it's hard for me to imagine that the low-to-the-ground road hazard incident could have bent the frame in any serious way; but that's Toyota's routine advice, even w/o their mechanic's seeing it) or whether I should have wheel shims installed to align the wheels (my usual shop doesn't do alignments; the technician in the shop in which the alignment's been measured has told me about shims, but isn't allowed by his boss to install them); or, whether to have aftermarket rear adjustable camber links (if there be such a thing for this car) installed to solve the problem. Would adjustable links be better or worse than shims? less or more expensive? And, I don't know whether I should hold responsible in any way the mechanic who's replaced the rear suspension and axle. Thanks for detailed replies and advice.
So front is now in within specifications? Was the axle beam that was fitted new or used? From accident damaged car? Rear angles are pretty much just digitated by axle beam. And because there was no “frame” damage (causing doors not to fit etc.) new axle beam just has to be bad (or theoretically miss fitting of bearings onto the axle beam) (or it’s measured wrong). Only way to fix rear axle is to use shims, replace axle beam, (or bend the rear axle beam).
Thank you, valde3. I have seen online recommendations from knowledgeable car owners that for the alignment to be within specs. is insufficient. Any advice on what alignment measurements I should specify when I'll have it re-aligned?
Does anyone disagree w/valde3 (above)? Should I have aftermarket rear adjustable camber links (if there be such a thing for this car) installed to solve the problem? Would adjustable links be better or worse than shims? less or more expensive? Which cure, including the ones that valde3 has suggested, above, would be the safest? Finally, I have read recommendations from knowledgeable car owners that for the alignment to be within specs. is insufficient. Any advice on what alignment measurements I should specify when I'll have this '05 Prius re-aligned?
There is no adjustable camber links for rear. Only way to fix rear alignment is either use shims or replace the axle beam. Bending the axle isn’t a good option. Was the axle beam that was fitted used one? If it was out of accident damaged car you should just replace it with non-damaged one.
a good alignment shop will be able to determine how far out the rear axle is. when you get the alignment checked, get a printout showing before and after alignment specs. if its out just a small amount, shims are a good solution, despite Toyota's bs. if its way off spec, then your mechanic installed a bent axle beam and it needs to be replaced again.
How about aftermarket adjustable rear camber links<http://www.google.com/search?q="adjustable+rear+camber+links"+"2005"+"toyota+prius&num=100&safe=active&source=lnms&tbm=shop>? Do adjustable camber links work by bending the axle?
There are no adjustable camber links for rear suspension on gen 2 Prius. You can’t use them on twist beam axle suspension.
