alignment issues

[4Runnin Tahoe]

When I got new tires in October I got an alignment as well and I had the same thing. When going straight, the steering wheel was about at 1 o'clock and there was a little bit more play. I took it back THREE times and nothing changed. When I got my new rims, I took it to the same company but a different branch. I told them to just look at the alignment and see if there was nothing else they could do. They looked at it and fixed it, now it's completely normal. They said they couldn't understand why the other store couldn't fix it.

Conclusion: some "professionals" are not professionals.
Take it to a different branch [MENTION=96863]01thunder[/MENTION] . Maybe it'll be covered under the warranty, maybe they'll give you a discount.

 

[nevada]

if its not actually pulling, and the steering wheel is just off, then maybe you are asking the wrong question.

ask them to center the wheel.

which, as has been said above, they are SUPPOSED to do when they align it.

 

[01thunder]

i crawled under the truck and adjusted the tie rods and now the wheel is straight. maybe a 1/4 turn at most each and it runs way better now. the shop called me and told me to set up an appointment with one of their other shops to check it out, so another set of eyes can check. not decided though, on having them do it or not.

 

[IBallEngineer]

i crawled under the truck and adjusted the tie rods and now the wheel is straight. maybe a 1/4 turn at most each and it runs way better now. the shop called me and told me to set up an appointment with one of their other shops to check it out, so another set of eyes can check. not decided though, on having them do it or not.

If you are confident you moved both sides evenly, leave it be. If you have any doubt, have them check toe, and then you get under there and adjust it! LOL

:couch2:

 

[01thunder]

went to different location. they said is was way off so adjusted again. this time, 3 times on the rack and the tech took the caster on the right side and raised it! left is 2.5, right 3.5, no difference. i am going back to the starting shop to have them set it to the specs from 9/13 and ask for a refund and possibly get it. don't know what else to do. maybe take it to toyota. :wtf:

 

[01thunder]

ok, help here. i have driven several 4runners, with and without suspension/steering work/upgrades and they track/drive straight with straight/level steering wheel. after 7 attempts at 2 different shops, mine is still the same. now, the truck has never been wrecked, it was straight prior to new rims and tires, and straight when i upgraded all the steering and suspension. so is it the shops not know what to do or is it the truck?

 

[IBallEngineer]

so is it the shops not know what to do or is it the truck?

It is the shops, unless you are running out of threads on the tie rods when you set toe and thereby leaving you unable to center the wheel.

I sell alignment equipment for a living for a national company. If you would like I could contact someone in your area and have them recommend a shop that actually knows what they are doing. Just give me a zip code!

:lookout:

 

[01thunder]

it is the shops, unless you are running out of threads on the tie rods when you set toe and thereby leaving you unable to center the wheel.

I sell alignment equipment for a living for a national company. If you would like i could contact someone in your area and have them recommend a shop that actually knows what they are doing. Just give me a zip code!

:lookout:

33511

 

[nevada]

ok, help here. i have driven several 4runners, with and without suspension/steering work/upgrades and they track/drive straight with straight/level steering wheel. after 7 attempts at 2 different shops, mine is still the same. now, the truck has never been wrecked, it was straight prior to new rims and tires, and straight when i upgraded all the steering and suspension. so is it the shops not know what to do or is it the truck?

ok, so with a bit of detail, tell us again exactly what its doing.

 

[01thunder]

ok, so with a bit of detail, tell us again exactly what its doing.

as in the first post, the steering wheel is still crooked/not level/not straight after 7 attempts in 2 shops. before alignment and new tires, it was straight. even after i did all the suspension/steering upgrades. if i had a machine or someone would let me use theirs, i would do it my self.

 

[nevada]

as in the first post, the steering wheel is still crooked/not level/not straight after 7 attempts in 2 shops. before alignment and new tires, it was straight. even after i did all the suspension/steering upgrades. if i had a machine or someone would let me use theirs, i would do it my self.

it doesn't pull, right? drives straight, regardless of the steering wheel being off?

that's not a machine issue, but the tech. its a simple fix.

 

[01thunder]

it doesn't pull, right? drives straight, regardless of the steering wheel being off?

that's not a machine issue, but the tech. its a simple fix.

correct. doesn't pull. it tracks straight. granted, all the freakin roads in florida are crowned more than normal.

 

[awthorn]

Hey bud, not sure where you are on this. But where did you take it? I had poor luck with the Firestone off 60, they had it for 4 hours and didn't get it right, but had great luck with one off Bloomingdale, 30 minutes later they had it with in the tolerances for a lifted 4runner. Oh and firestone has a lifetime alignment, kind of pricy but with wheeling it could get off so better to pay a little more once then a little less a few times.

 

[01thunder]

Hey bud, not sure where you are on this. But where did you take it? I had poor luck with the Firestone off 60, they had it for 4 hours and didn't get it right, but had great luck with one off Bloomingdale, 30 minutes later they had it with in the tolerances for a lifted 4runner. Oh and firestone has a lifetime alignment, kind of pricy but with wheeling it could get off so better to pay a little more once then a little less a few times.

i went to 2 olin mott stores. where on bloomingdale did you go? how much?

 

[awthorn]

I went to the Firestone on Bloomingdale across from the Super Target, I think there is a home depot in the back of the Plaza. The lifetime alignment is like $145 I think.

Auto Repair & Tires - Riverview, FL 33578-3604 - 10135 Bloomingdale Ave | Firestone Complete Auto Care

 

[01thunder]

i went to the firestone on bloomingdale across from the super target, i think there is a home depot in the back of the plaza. The lifetime alignment is like $145 i think.

auto repair & tires - riverview, fl 33578-3604 - 10135 bloomingdale ave | firestone complete auto care

ok. That's a fairly new place. May have to check them out.

 

[01thunder]

more crap!

took the truck in to check alignment because the right front tire started feathering on outside. ok. told to get them rotated being that the cooper is an "aggressive" and needs to be rotated more often. they check alignment and the camber is a little off so it gets adjusted. all specs are damn near perfect, zero.
now the steering wheel is more off than when it went in. it gets put back on the rack and another guy comes over and does more checks and give me a print out showing the rearend is out of place from center by 36 degrees! and that that is what is causing the steering wheel to not be straight. wtf! they send me to a frame and axle shop to see what the problem is because there isn't anymore they can do. i am already pissed, so i'll have to cool off first and get under it and take measurements and inspect to see if perhaps there is a bent something somewhere causing this dilemma. in the meantime, anyone have suggestions as to why the rearend's thrust angle is off now? it wasn't when i pulled in this morning.

 

[IBallEngineer]

took the truck in to check alignment because the right front tire started feathering on outside. ok. told to get them rotated being that the cooper is an "aggressive" and needs to be rotated more often. they check alignment and the camber is a little off so it gets adjusted. all specs are damn near perfect, zero.
now the steering wheel is more off than when it went in. it gets put back on the rack and another guy comes over and does more checks and give me a print out showing the rearend is out of place from center by 36 degrees! and that that is what is causing the steering wheel to not be straight. wtf! they send me to a frame and axle shop to see what the problem is because there isn't anymore they can do. i am already pissed, so i'll have to cool off first and get under it and take measurements and inspect to see if perhaps there is a bent something somewhere causing this dilemma. in the meantime, anyone have suggestions as to why the rearend's thrust angle is off now? it wasn't when i pulled in this morning.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did we not already discuss finding a "good" alignment shop? I guarantee you if your thrust angle was off by 36 degrees you would see it very clearly, can you see it? Picture 90 degrees which would have your rear axle perpendicular to your truck, is it turned 1/3 that amount? I didn't think so. 3.6 is possible, not 36.

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

I just saw IBallsEnginner's post when I finally posted mine. As I said in my long drawn out post follow up with him. Maybe you could post a picture of your alignment print out? That would help tremendously.

36 degrees? No way not possible You would be dogtracking in the opposite lane. Maybe 3.6? Problem with machine if it is 36 degrees! Just like IballEngineer, I dealt with alignment machines and techs. Haven't been in the field for a while, but I'll tell you one thing, there's more bad alignment techs out there then good ones trust me. Most of the time they just "set the toe and let it go" They do it because it's the easiest thing to do and since toe is a the largest tire wearing angle it's generally considered the most critical. ( and the fastest one to be returned for a realignment)
Your original problem was simply a toe problem as several forum members have stated. Crooked steering wheels was THE biggest complaint I received as an alignment service tech for the machines I worked on. Once again, as others have stated, the shop your going to has to get your wheel straight. If they can't and claim bad, worn parts, ANY competent tech should be able to find the problem by doing a 4 wheel alignment, looking at all the angles and doing a physical inspection of the truck. Alignments aren't just adjustments they also find bad parts.
Why they are just looking at the rear now is kind of odd as that's always where you first adjust then you go to the front. Generally speaking, 4runners only need a 2 wheel alignment, but most modern alignment machines need input from all 4 wheel sensors to create proper track and cross toe angles. To see that bad rear, they must have done a 4 wheel alignment. What they are saying about the rear is true, and I guess it does need to be addressed but I honestly don't understand how this all the sudden happens after they aligned it, assuming nothing caused by you in between (accident, major 4 wheeling etc) If the frame is bent I would be VERY surprised. Any suspension component problems like control arms, ball joints, bushings, etc they should have been able to identify and rectify. Yea, sometimes it's not easy, but that's why we take our vehicles to professionals. You deserve better. Make sure to follow up with IBallengineer, he seems to have the right connections to get you in touch with a good shop.

 

[01thunder]

ok. after several phone calls, and finally having some free time at the shop, i ended up going to toyota to check/fix alignment. the wheels/tires weren't balanced properly either so i had them road force balance them. the service advisor gave a great deal on both so i had them done. i spoke to the master tech about what he did. he told me that the wheels/tires were good as far as road force is concerned but the balance was very bad producing a large amount of shimmy, which i already knew. the alignment was wayyy off as well and that surprised me as well as him. i told him that the last time i took it to the shop they told me that the thrust angle was off, causing the alignment problem. he didn't agree and said the rear was fine.
he showed me the screen after the adjustments and they are right on. he told me he drove it before and aft and it was night and day! he told me to go ahead and drive it and see how it felt. well, why i didn't go there from the beginning i don't know and doesn't matter now. but for $120, it is well worth it to me that the truck is the way it should be. mind you, the steering shaft has some play in it like most do, but it rides straight, the shimmy past 70 mph is gone and i don't even feel the tires nor hear them. it rides/drives like a car now. i have 30 days to complain about anything, if anything, so i am going to try and get the shaft welded and see what improvement i see/feel.