Help Needed: Rear Alignment Shim Info/Insight

In another thread, @The Critic used NAPA-numbered versions of (Spicer? NO -- MOOG!) alignment shims, heavier duty than the typical SPC shims for fixing rear alignment.

I'm needing to go down the same path, but running into roadblocks.

I found the NAPA P/N's:
* 2643055 "up to +/- 1/4 degree Camber & up to +/- 1/4 Degree Toe"
* 2643056 up to 1/2 degree
* 2643057 up to 3/4 degree
* 2643058 up to 1 degree

And now I know these are MOOG shims, P/N K6660-1 K6660-2 ...3 and ...4 . These are available from MANY sources. Home Depot can source for under US$7 with free shipping for example.

I can't find complete instructions online. Here at PriusChat I've found a portion of one or two instruction sheets / charts. But many people have commented that the charts often make no sense, and are not even consistent from one sample to the next. (See links below)

My main questions:

• Has anyone succeeded in using these Moog shims?
• Does anyone have a copy of the instructions / templates / calculation charts that actually works for Prius? (They "ought" to be compatible with Gen2 and Gen3.)

Links
Discussion incl some charts: Rear wheel alignment, need help with the shims | PriusChat
PDF of chart portions: https://attachments.priuschat.com/attachment-files/2019/08/172021_alignment_help.pdf

• The charts in these links are partly confusing b/c they refer to shim types 1 to 6, but only 1 to 4 are sold ?!!
• In addition, the above discussion has people who tried to use the templates and found they don't match at all. Bleah.

And finally, specific to my situation:

• My rear toe is currently way out on the right but close to right on the left.
• Am I correct in thinking I can adjust both a bit to obtain the needed total toe, and THAT is what actually matters for toe? (That's what I'm understanding as I read.)

THANKS HEAPS!

 

Problem(s) solved

• Picked up a K6660-2 (1/2 degree supposedly) shim at Advanced Auto. $8 incl tax. Then I returned it because it's actually too small (see below.) Picked up two -4 shims at NAPA. Paid a little extra to get it today and to support a locally stocking business.
• Scanned most of the charts.
• NONE of the key info is online.... until now
• Spoke with a tech expert at MOOG and got my remaining questions answered!

Either here now or through a future upload/link, I will provide the charts and templates needed for Prius rear alignment shims.

New Insights

1. The Make + Model table is completely bogus. Throw it away. (MOOG no longer has it internally either!)
2. Trust the (color) Template Sheets. Prius Gen 1 and 2 use Template "P". Prius Gen 3 uses Template "Q". (MOOG internally has an updated Template Sheet showing Q is for Prius 2010-2015, ie all of Gen 3.)
3. On the Toe & Camber chart, ignore the two "outer" curves that are for Shim #5 and Shim #6 -- those products do not exist.
4. Ignore ad copy / descriptions that say each shim handles up to N° toe and N° camber. It's actually one or the other... or a fractional combination of both in an asymmetrical curve. See below.

The full Toe & Camber chart shows that each shim version works for a sliding scale of Toe & Camber, and it isn't as simple as a certain range.

• #1: 1/4° camber shift at zero toe... to 0 camber at 1/4° toe
• #2: 1/2° camber at 0... to 0 camber at 1/2 toe
• #3: 3/4° camber @ 0 to 0 at 0.74° toe
• #4 1° camber @ 0 to 0 at 0.99° toe

BUT it is a curve and not symmetrical. For example

• #2 you can do +- 1/4° toe, and you'll get either +1/4 or -3/8 camber
• #3 you can do +- 1/2° toe, and get +3/8 or - 1/2 camber
• #4 +-0.74 toe gives +1/2 and -5/8 camber

 

MOOG (and NAPA) Rear Alignment Shim documentation: instructions, templates, toe & camber chart. Shared with permission from MOOG Tech Support.
(IGNORE Page 2, the Make/Model/Template table!)
(IGNORE #5 and #6 toe and chamber chart entries on p5-6!)

 

Here's part one of two of a VERY brief example showing the shim and installment:

Yes, yours is pretty good. Mine right now is
Left -1.0° Camber, -0.13° Toe
Right -0.6° Camber, -0.99° Toe (hit a curb last winter; this is the last remaining aspect needing a fix )

Remembering that Josh our PriusChat resident alignment expert (and others) emphasize that for Toe it's Total Toe that matters.

Total Toe spec is +0.29° +- 0.30° but right now mine is -1.12°.

Interestingly, similar to the video, my (Firestone lifetime) alignment place printed out a couple of recommended templates from their system. Their recommendation uses the NAPA SPC EZ shims which I don't want to use (too thin/squishable -- see elsewhere here.) Their suggested shim adjustments are:

Left Camber -0.5°, Toe +0.30°
Right Camber -0.8°, Toe +1.15°

Producing a final result of

Left Camber -1.5°, Toe +0.17°
Right Camber -1.4°, Toe +0.14°
Total Toe +0.31°

Nice... but the MOOG shims can't do that big adjustment on the right side. However, I can get there.

Here's my calculations... and more observations about the difference between EZ Shim and MOOG:

EZ Shim (and templates) have 40 sections in the 360° circle, ie 9° per section.
MOOG (and templates) have 60 sections in the circle, ie 6° per section. Finer resolution means better accuracy in theory....
EZ Shim have two elements in the circle that slide past each other. This means they are VERY thin.
MOOG is a single solid piece. Thicker, obviously more stable.

What I can do with two -4 shims:
Left Camber -0.5°, Toe +0.83° (Left/In marker at 304°)
Right Camber -.88°, Toe +0.57° (Right/In marker at 35°)

Result
Left Camber -1.5°, Toe +0.70°
Right Camber -1.48°, Toe -0.42°
Total Toe +0.28° (presumably the imbalance will self even-out.)

I've picked up a loaner large torque wrench from AutoZone for this little project... I think I'll start a separate thread to describe the adventure of installing the shims.

 

Found a nice YT video showing replacing the hub -- the 4 hub bolts are what hold the shim in place...

 

@xliderider I don't know. You could call MOOG tech support and ask! They have more info. (1-800-325-8886 and punch numbers to get to MOOG. Lots of brands there.)

Here is the complete compatibility list from the included templates:

Buick (all) - U
Cadillac (all) - U
Chrysler 200 - T
Honda Fit (07-13) - U
Hyundai Accent (06-11) - O
Kia Forte, Soul - S; Rio - O
Nissan Cube, Versa - O
Oldsmobile (all) - U
Pontiac VIbe - S
Scion xA, xB - O; iQ - P; tC, xD - Q
Toyota Corolla (03-08) - S, (09-13) - U;
Toyota Echo - O; Matrix - S;
Toyota Prius Gen1,2 (01-09) - P, Gen3 (10-15) - Q;
Toyota Yaris - P
Volkswagen Passat (98-10) - T

 

Thanks! I read about something like this... seems it ought to be doable without so much effort.

I'll try to feel my way through your description when I go after it tomorrow...

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE for future readers:

1. The "real" product source is Northstar Products. Northstar Manufacturing :: Our History
2. A link to full product documentation. This link has the current list of supported vehicles (click on the expander to get them all.) Northstar Manufacturing ::
3. Top right of the page in #2 has links to the current PDF template file, and the PDF camber/toe lookup table PDF.
   1. Camber / Toe lookup as of today: https://www.northstarmfg.com/userfiles/files/95-035%20Standard%20Shim%20Chart(19899).pdf
   2. Template PDF today: https://www.northstarmfg.com/userfiles/files/95-288-0613%20Black(19917).pdf
4. The Gen 3 Prius template is wrong, period. NONE of the templates are correct.

Tech support explained that most shop techs don't bother with a template. Instead, do this:

1. Use the toe/camber chart to get the angle you need to dial in. Place the shim on ANY template with the zero notch up, then mark the angle you need. (To correct for the axle-drop angle, you can SUBTRACT 4 for left side, and ADD 4 for right side. See below.)
2. Do the disassembly
3. Hold the shim up, with the mark straight up. Mark location of the four bolts, and knock out those sections.
4. Assemble.

NOTE: Axle-drop angle is real. The impact on adjusted camber/toe is small (about 0,1 degree max). For perfect accuracy, use a separate jack to raise the axle while installing/placing the shim. Or just factor it into the angle