Login to enhance your online experience. Login or Create an Account
Logo
Shopping Cart

Shopping Cart 0 Items (Empty)

Nissan Frontier Navara Terrano Hardbody D22 1997-2004 factory workshop and repair manual download

Below is a beginner-friendly, detailed guide to suspension alignment for a Nissan D22 family pickup (Frontier / Navara / Terrano / Hardbody). It explains why alignment is needed, how the suspension and steering geometry work, what every relevant component does, how to check and adjust alignment, common failures, and practical tips. Follow factory service manual specs where noted — I won’t guess exact torque or degree numbers because those depend on year/trim; get the factory values for final settings.

Quick orientation (very short):
- Front: independent suspension (upper & lower control arms), coil spring and shock, steering rack with inner & outer tie rods.
- Rear: solid axle on leaf springs with U-bolts and shackles.
- Alignment adjustments you will normally make: toe (front & rear/thrust), camber, caster. Rear axle centering is usually done with shims or shims at spring eyes.

Why alignment is needed — the theory (with analogies)
- Alignment sets the steering geometry so wheels sit and roll as the engineers intended. Think of each wheel as a skate on a skateboard truck: if the trucks lean the right way, the skateboard tracks straight and turns predictably. If the trucks are bent, the board wanders or scrubs.
- Toe (left/right pointing of the wheels) affects stability and scrub. Toe-in = wheels point slightly toward each other; toe-out = away from each other. Even a small toe error makes tires scrub across the road and wear quickly (feathering/tread wear).
- Camber (tilt of wheel top in or out) affects contact patch during cornering and wear down the inner or outer edges.
- Caster (forward/backward tilt of steering axis) influences steering feel and straight-line stability — positive caster helps the wheel self-center like the caster on a shopping cart wheel.
- Thrust angle / rear toe: rear axle must be centered so the car doesn’t track crooked — if the rear is off-center, the vehicle will “dog-track” and steering wheel will not be centered even with proper front toe.
- Alignment also ensures predictable handling, reduces tire wear, and minimizes rolling resistance (fuel economy).

Every relevant component and what it does (detailed)
- Wheel and tire: the contact surface. Check pressure and tread wear before measuring.
- Wheel hub/knuckle/steering spindle: the hub that the wheel mounts to; houses bearing and attaches to control arms and steering tie rod.
- Wheel bearing: lets wheel spin freely. Excess play will ruin alignment stability.
- Upper control arm (UCA): locates upper part of wheel knuckle; camber & caster often influenced here.
- Lower control arm (LCA): supports lower knuckle and carries load; bushings determine lateral compliance.
- Control arm bushings: rubber/urethane pieces that allow slight movement; worn bushings let alignment wander under load.
- Ball joints (upper & lower): pivot points where control arms meet the knuckle; free play affects toe and camber under load.
- Shock absorber/strut: damps motion and affects ride height; worn shocks can change effective alignment under load.
- Coil spring (front): sets ride height. Ride height change affects camber/caster geometry.
- Steering rack (rack-and-pinion): translates steering wheel input to tie rods; inner tie rods attach to rack.
- Inner tie rod and outer tie rod end: the two halves of the steering linkage; adjusting length changes toe.
- Tie-rod end threads and locking nuts: allow adjustment and lock it in place.
- Steering rack mounts & subframe bushings: if worn, rack can shift under load and change toe/steering centering.
- Sway bar end links & bushings: affect lateral control; play won’t usually affect static alignment much but can under load.
- Rear leaf springs: locate and support rear axle; shims between spring and axle or at spring eyes are used to center axle/thrust angle or change rear toe.
- U-bolts and spring plates: clamp axle to springs — loose or asymmetric U-bolts cause axle misalignment.
- Shackle and shackle bushings: change geometry of the leaf spring; worn shackles change wheel alignment.
- Alignment eccentric cams / cam bolts / cam washers: some control arm bolts pass through a cam-shaped washer; rotating adjusts camber/caster slightly.
- Frame/subframe: any damage or misalignment here will prevent correct alignment.
- Steering wheel/column: steering wheel centering is the reference for alignment.

What to check before you try to align (inspection and preparation)
- Tires: inflate to spec and inspect for uneven wear or damage. Replace if worn unevenly — alignment won’t fix badly worn tires.
- Wheels: ensure rims are not bent; spin wheels to feel bearings and brake drag.
- Wheel bearings, ball joints, tie rod ends: check for play. Any loose/worn part must be replaced before alignment.
- Control arm and other bushings: look for cracking/play.
- Shock absorbers: check for leaks and proper damping; worn shocks change dynamic alignment.
- Rear axle mounting: inspect U-bolts, spring seats and shackles. If axle is loose or springs are sagging you cannot align effectively.
- Ride height: vehicle should be at normal ride height (fuel/loads as usual) because alignment geometry depends on height.
- Steering wheel: it should be centered and straight before making final toe adjustments.
- Clean the vehicle and work area — alignment is precision work.

Tools you need (basic to advanced)
- Wheel chocks, jack, jack stands or lift (use a lift for best results).
- Torque wrench.
- Regular hand tools: sockets, wrenches, pliers.
- Tie-rod adjusting sleeve or wrench for jam nuts.
- Camber gauge / digital inclinometer or an alignment rack. (An alignment rack/machine is ideal; inexpensive gauges or string/tape methods can be used but are less accurate.)
- Toe plates and tape measure or a toe gauge.
- Pry bars to align control arms when loosening mounting bolts.
- Shims (for rear axle/spring where required) and washers, cam washers for control arm bolts if needed.
- Replacement parts as needed (tie rod ends, ball joints, bushings).
- Penetrant and anti-seize for stubborn bolts; new cotter pins, locking nuts.

Basic alignment theory applied to each adjustment
- Toe: change tie-rod length equally on both sides to keep steering centered. For D22 front, turn the tie-rod (usually outer or adjuster sleeve) to lengthen/shorten the center distance between knuckles. Changing toe is like turning the toes of two skates in or out.
- Camber: adjust by moving the top or bottom of the wheel in or out relative to the body. On D22-style double wishbone setups, camber often changes by moving upper control arm mounting position (cam washers) or an eccentric at the control arm bolt.
- Caster: achieved by changing the fore-aft position of the upper or lower arm or via an eccentric washer. Adjusting caster often also changes camber — you must iterate.
- Thrust angle/rear toe (if applicable) and axle centering: shift the axle laterally using shims between spring and axle or at leaf spring eye. Changing shims on one side moves the axle and changes rear toe and thrust angle.

Step-by-step alignment procedure (beginner-friendly, detailed)
Note: Use factory specs for final numbers. This is structured for a basic shop with alignment rack or basic gauges.

1) Safety & setup
- Park on level surface or use alignment rack; chock rear wheels.
- Put vehicle at normal ride height (fuel and typical load).
- Check tire pressure and set to spec.
- Ensure steering wheel is centered. If not, turn wheel until centered and clamp with marker tape so you can see return.
- Lift vehicle and remove wheels only if needed to inspect components; alignment is done with wheels on vehicle.

2) Pre-alignment checks (do these first)
- Wiggle tie rods, inner tie rod, and outer tie rod, holding wheel at 3 & 9 o’clock and prying. Replace any with play.
- Check ball joints by prying wheel at top and bottom. Replace any with play.
- Inspect control arm bushings for tears, movement, or wetness (deterioration).
- Check shocks and springs. Replace if leaking or sagging.
- Inspect steering rack for play or torn boots.
- Check wheel bearings for play or roughness.
- Check rear leaf springs, shackles, and U-bolts. Tighten U-bolts to spec.
- If any components are replaced, tighten to torque and re-check wheel centring before starting.

3) Measuring current alignment
- Use alignment machine or camber gauge + toe plates. Record current camber, caster, toe for both front wheels and rear toe/thrust if possible.
- If you have no machine, use toe plates and tape measure left and right at front and rear of rims for toe; use a level/inclinometer for camber.

4) Adjust front camber & caster (if adjustable on your D22)
- On many D22s camber/caster are adjusted via eccentric/cam washers on upper (or lower) control arm mounting. Procedure:
a) Loosen the bolts that hold the control arm to the frame just enough to let the arm rotate on the eccentric cam or move in the slot.
b) Use a pry bar to shift the control arm in or out to change camber; fore/aft movement changes caster.
c) Rotate the cam washer as required to move the arm incrementally.
d) Tighten main bolts lightly (not final torque), re-measure camber and caster.
e) Iterate until both sides are within spec and steering wheel is centered (you may need to correct toe after). Then torque bolts to factory spec.
- Note: Adjusting caster typically also alters camber. Expect to go back and forth between camber/caster until both are within spec.

5) Adjust front toe
- With camber/caster set, set toe next.
- Procedure:
a) Center steering wheel.
b) Loosen the jam nuts on the tie-rod adjuster sleeves.
c) Turn the tie-rod adjuster to lengthen or shorten the tie rod assembly equally. If you turn one side only you will off-center the wheel.
d) For toe-in: shorten the distance between wheel centers; for toe-out: lengthen.
e) Re-measure both sides and adjust until both front wheels have the correct toe and steering wheel centered.
f) Tighten jam nuts to specified torque and re-check.

6) Rear alignment / thrust angle and toe (solid axle leaf setup)
- Rear toe/thrust is usually set by shimming the leaf spring under the axle or between the spring & spring plate. Basic method:
a) Measure front toe of both sides; measure rear toe of both sides. Determine thrust angle (difference between average front toe and rear axle angle).
b) If rear axle is not centered, lift rear slightly and loosen U-bolts to shift axle if necessary.
c) Add or remove shims between axle spring plate and spring to move axle laterally. Adding shims under one side’s spring moves axle toward the other side.
d) Re-tighten U-bolts to torque, measure thrust angle until rear axle is aligned with vehicle centerline (zero thrust).
e) If the spring eye alignment allows, shims at the spring eye can affect toe; some shops use adjustable shims at spring eyes.
- Note: Shimming may require trial and error; never exceed recommended shim thickness or stack height without guidance.

7) Final checks and torqueing
- Recheck all angles (camber, caster, toe) after tightening all bolts to torque. Torqueing can shift geometry because bushings compress.
- Test-drive vehicle at low speed, check steering centering, feel for wandering.
- Re-check alignment after road test and after a short break (bushings relax), retighten if necessary.

Common things that go wrong and how they manifest
- Worn tie rod ends or ball joints: wandering, uneven tire wear, vague steering. Solution: replace worn parts before alignment.
- Collapsed/damaged bushings: geometry shifts under load — replace bushings.
- Bent control arm/knuckle or damaged frame: cannot achieve specs; requires straightening or replacement.
- Incorrect ride height (sagging springs): changes camber/caster; correct springs before aligning.
- U-bolts loose or incorrectly torqued: rear axle can shift after alignment — torque properly and recheck.
- Not centering steering wheel before toe: will result in off-center steering wheel with correct toe.
- Over-tightening or under-tightening jam nuts / bolts: can change settings when torqued or cause adjustments to move.
- Mixing new tires with worn tires or mismatched sizes: leads to odd wear and handling; match tires and pressures.
- Ignoring wheel bearing play: wheel bearing play makes alignment measurements inaccurate.

Tips, tricks, and beginner mistakes to avoid
- Always repair/replace worn components before aligning.
- Do not try to “make” a car drive straight by only adjusting front toe if the rear is misaligned. Fix the rear first if it’s off.
- Mark the steering wheel center and count turns when centering — helps reproduce.
- After adjustments, always torque bolts to factory specifications and re-check.
- If adjusting camber/caster via cam washers, mark the washers’ orientation before moving so you can reverse if needed.
- Use single-point measurements: measure both wheels, don’t trust one side only. Measure diagonals to check squareness.
- When in doubt, use a professional alignment rack. Manual methods are less accurate.

When you need special parts or full shop help
- If control arm bushings are dried/cracked or ball joints have play, replace them.
- If the frame is bent or your measurements are far outside spec on both sides, a frame machine may be required.
- If you lack shims for rear axle centering, a specialist can fabricate or order OEM shims.
- If alignment specs cannot be met despite parts being good, get a shop with a computerized alignment rack to diagnose underlying causes.

Example troubleshooting scenarios
- Symptom: vehicle pulls to one side at steady speed.
- Check for uneven tire pressure and tread wear first.
- Check toe and camber; if front toe is even but rear thrust angle off, the rear may be misaligned (axle not centered).
- Symptom: rapid inner tire wear on front.
- Likely excessive negative camber or too much toe-out; check upper control arm camber settings and tie rods.
- Symptom: steering wheel off-center but straight travel.
- Front toe or steering rack centered incorrectly or inner tie-rod lengths unequal; check steering wheel centering and toe adjustments.

Safety warnings (don’t skip)
- Never work under a car supported only by a jack. Use jack stands or a lift.
- Use proper torque for fasteners—over-torquing can strip bolts; under-torquing allows movement.
- If you are uncomfortable with suspension disassembly or if the vehicle has frame damage, seek a professional.

Quick summary checklist for a beginner
1. Inspect and fix worn components (tie rods, ball joints, bushings, shocks, springs).
2. Set correct tire pressure and ride height.
3. Center the steering wheel.
4. Measure camber/caster and adjust control arm cam bolts/cams until in spec.
5. Set front toe via tie-rods with steering wheel centered.
6. Center rear axle / set rear toe using shims as needed.
7. Torque everything, road test, and re-check.

End note
An alignment is only as good as the parts and measurements that go into it. Replace worn parts, measure carefully, and use the correct tools (or a professional alignment machine) for best results. If you need, I can write a step-by-step checklist you can print and take to the garage (no extra questions).
rteeqp73

You Might Also Like...

Kryptronic Internet Software Solutions