alignment with new coils? Why??

[topdown4runner]

I put new '99 tall coil springs on this weekend.
I have seen several people say that you should get an alignment after this is done. My question is why?
Nothing in the geometry of the truck has been dissassembled, like ball joints, steering arms, control arms, etc...

Why should we be getting re-aligned??

 

[JohnsD90]

That was a 1" lift, i don't know the speicifcs but i am told you should get an alignment. Plus it will prolly do it some good after atleast 100k miles without one.

 

[jsmarine]

The camber could be slightly different since the new coils are taller, that might be why you need an alignment.

 

[topdown4runner]

Oh, and by the way, just had an alignment a few months ago, less than 1K miles.

 

[theizzardking]

Oh, and by the way, just had an alignment a few months ago, less than 1K miles.

i could go in to a very long explanation on why you need an alignment using all sorts of mind boggling math, but it's just not worth it, you messed with the suspension you should get an alignment, should have waited till after the lift to get that done. i know i am been having a little shimmy for a month now.


you know you can do an alignment yourself pretty easily.

hopefully this write up will save you some cash and show why you need to do this when swapping springs.

driveway alignment write-up - YotaTech Forums

 

[brian2sun]

You need an alignment because the more your control arms are pushed downward (which is what happens when you put a longer coil in there), the more "tilted" outward the tops of the front tires become and the more tilted inward the bottom of the tires become (AKA positive camber). Not aligning it will cause a lot of premature wear on the outside edges of your tires.

 

[topdown4runner]

i could go in to a very long explanation on why you need an alignment using all sorts of mind boggling math, but it's just not worth it, you messed with the suspension you should get an alignment, should have waited till after the lift to get that done. i know i am been having a little shimmy for a month now.


you know you can do an alignment yourself pretty easily.

hopefully this write up will save you some cash and show why you need to do this when swapping springs.

driveway alignment write-up - YotaTech Forums

I have a lifetime alignment policy, so the cost is not an issue.
I was just wondering ...why?

I'll check out the link for an explanation. Thanks!

 

[topdown4runner]

You need an alignment because the more your control arms are pushed downward (which is what happens when you put a longer coil in there), the more "tilted" outward the tops of the front tires become and the more tilted inward the bottom of the tires become (AKA positive camber). Not aligning it will cause a lot of premature wear on the outside edges of your tires.

There you go!

That's the answer I was looking for :hatsoff:

 

[jsmarine]

haha, thats what I said, just fewer words!

 

[topdown4runner]

OK, here's a new twist.

Per yall's recomendation, I went ahead and got an alignment.

Before the alignment, it drove and tracked straight.
After the alignment, it still tracks straight, but now it follows the ruts in the road. It will slightly jerk the wheel in order to follow the rut. What's up with that?

 

[theizzardking]

OK, here's a new twist.

Per yall's recomendation, I went ahead and got an alignment.

Before the alignment, it drove and tracked straight.
After the alignment, it still tracks straight, but now it follows the ruts in the road. It will slightly jerk the wheel in order to follow the rut. What's up with that?

it wasn't tracking right before so the ruts in the road and the off camber of you tires worked together to make it drive straight, now that the camber is correct you can actually feel the ruts in the road , if you go to a good tire shop and live in a rainy area they tire guys will know to put a positive camber on the drivers side of the truck to offset the slopes in the road to clear rain.


hope that makes some sense.

 

[topdown4runner]

Hmmm...kinda makes sense, but...and there is always a but


it drove and tracked straight before the lift springs, with a fresh alignment, and no steering wheel pull to follow the ruts.

Now, new lift springs, fresh alignment ( same shop ) and it will pull to follow the ruts.

 

[theizzardking]

i'm not sure if i'm wrong on this one or not, but that sounds right it's a rut, that's what ruts do when your tires hit a rut, a little bit of pull down into the groove, right?


what do you guys think. that's just how it's always been with me.

if your concerned with it take it back and tell them it needs to be done again and tell them the problem and get them to set the camber to compensate

 

[JeremyH]

it drove and tracked straight before the lift springs, with a fresh alignment, and no steering wheel pull to follow the ruts.

Now, new lift springs, fresh alignment ( same shop ) and it will pull to follow the ruts.

Just because you "had it aligned" doesnt mean that the shop actually did any work or corrected any settings. They have a range of values that the check. If your vehicle falls in that range, then they dont touch anything.

Here's some good reading info:
Suspension (vehicle) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[topdown4runner]

Just because you "had it aligned" doesnt mean that the shop actually did any work or corrected any settings. They have a range of values that the check. If your vehicle falls in that range, then they dont touch anything.

Here's some good reading info:
Suspension (vehicle) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I do check up on the mechanics that work on my stuff.
They showed me the printout of what was out of alignment, castor, cambor, etc... but stupid me, in a rush, I did not get a copy.
That, and it did not follow the ruts as I drove it in for the alignment. These are not real deep ruts by the way. None of my other trucks pull to follow the ruts, same physical size tires on both my 87 4Runner & T100 ( but on a 15 inch rim )

I guess I will have to take it back to have the alignment re-checked when I get a chance.

 

[theizzardking]

I do check up on the mechanics that work on my stuff.
They showed me the printout of what was out of alignment, castor, cambor, etc... but stupid me, in a rush, I did not get a copy.
That, and it did not follow the ruts as I drove it in for the alignment. These are not real deep ruts by the way. None of my other trucks pull to follow the ruts, same physical size tires on both my 87 4Runner & T100 ( but on a 15 inch rim )

I guess I will have to take it back to have the alignment re-checked when I get a chance.

yeah if thats the case, get them todo it again

 

[JeremyH]

I do check up on the mechanics that work on my stuff.

Yeah, I wasnt saying that they did anything wrong....but unless it falls out of their range, they wont make any adjustments. Every alignment place does this...