New Wheel Alignment. Any good?

[propain]

Just had new tires installed and they provided a wheel alignment. I still see red.

Any good? They said they couldnt correct the right front because Toyota dont give the recommended value. What do you think?

Why is the left side green but the right side red?

Suspension = OME BP51
Tires = Firestone M/T2 (285/70/17)

I do not have KDSS.

 

[Hans Moleman]

It seems like the tech that did the alignment is lazy and just did a toe n go alignment. Is your vehicle pulling to the right? Your low caster on the right tells me it will make it pull to the right. Caster on the right should be set slightly higher (~0.3 degrees higher) to compensate for road crown.

 

[propain]

It seems like the tech that did the alignment is lazy and just did a toe n go alignment. Is your vehicle pulling to the right? Your low caster on the right tells me it will make it pull to the right. Caster on the right should be set slightly higher (~0.3 degrees higher) to compensate for road crown.

Yes, i noticed the steering wheel was was going towards the right, 4runner leaning towards the right. So i guess i need to go back and tell them the Caster on the right should be set slightly higher (~0.3 degrees higher) to compensate for road crown?

My next question is, what if they tell me they "cant" get it slightly higher?

 

[Dillusion]

Yes, i noticed the steering wheel was was going towards the right, 4runner leaning towards the right. So i guess i need to go back and tell them the Caster on the right should be set slightly higher (~0.3 degrees higher) to compensate for road crown?

My next question is, what if they tell me they "cant" get it slightly higher?

If your suspension is stock they are full of shit.

Doesn't even look like they attempted to adjust it at all.

 

[propain]

Before getting my new tires I had Nitto Trail Grapplers 285/70/17. 4Runner was perfectly aligned.

Today I got Firestone M/T2's 285/70/17 installed. Road force balanced and a wheel alignment. Now the 4 runner pulls to the right. I will check front tire pressure tomorrow morning to see if they are equal. If they are I will bring 4 runner back to have them correct the alignment. Nothing is wrong with my aftermarket suspension (BP51), Camburg Balljoint UCA, cause the truck was riding perfect before the new tires and alignment were installed/performed.

Can never catch a break. It's always something. Why is it nobody does the right thing anymore.

Thanks.

 

[propain]

It seems like the tech that did the alignment is lazy and just did a toe n go alignment. Is your vehicle pulling to the right? Your low caster on the right tells me it will make it pull to the right. Caster on the right should be set slightly higher (~0.3 degrees higher) to compensate for road crown.

I printed out your comment and handed it to the boss here @ Firestone tires. He was like who wrote this, I said a friend who knows how to do the right wheel alignments the first time. He made a face. I

I'm back here at Firestone telling them to redo the alignment because the steering wheel and 4runner is pulling to the right. Let's see if they do the right thing.

I will ask for the.read out after they complete it.

Thanks Hans Moleman

 

[DaddySteve]

This is not uncommon problem. Laziness, Time and $$$ are the reasons. Heres a link below that explains more. The adjustment they are making are micro. When the tech gets the adjustments correct and re torques the specs usually go out of range. A good tech knows how to correct for this and when the final torque is done its perfect. This take alot of time and effort. Its tedious work. Here is a pic of my alignment. Your caster will not be as high do to stock UCAs.



Alignment Issues? Can't get your rig aligned after a lift? Info... - YotaTech Forums

 

[patkelly4370]

Many years (decades) ago I was a tire-buster.
Our "alignment tech" moved to sales & they hired a replacement.
His first 2 days had 50% comebacks. I had the opportunity to discreetly observe (spy) on him "working". This was in 1981 so the alignment was all bubbles, no lasers or computers.
He'd hook up the heads, turn the wheels, fiddle with the heads, go under the car, occasionally bang on various components with a wrench to simulate work (tuning the suspension?), turn the wheels, and done. No work actually done.
I suggested the manager observe too. The "mechanic" was immediately fired.
Then the manager asked me to do it. Umm... I had a little knowledge from assisting, but no experience. The manager had never even watched a car being aligned.
I gave it my best shot, and it came out correctly done.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[badattitude]

Firestone is not great at alignments in my experience. I did use them years ago. Last time I needed an alignment I had to pay (Elmhurst Toyota) twice to get it right. Alignment was fine but the tie rod threads were short on one side and extra long on the other. Not acceptable to me. It is hard to get a good alignment on these cars. Try someplace else, establish expectations before they start.

 

[propain]

So I went back to Firestone they did the re-alignment and FAiLED again.

So I took it down the block to a tire place i usually go to and paid for the re-alignment there and bingo we have a winner. Perfectly straight!!!

I would of bought the tires there but they were more expensive. So is their wheel alignment which cost me $136.00 for (1) alignment, but they got it right the first time. So i'm not complaining.

All GREEN.

Here is the tire. They ride better then the Nitto's.

My ride with the new M/T2's.

Upon inspection from the 2nd tire guy, they found that 1 of my BP51's Front "DRivers side" shock is leaking a little. So im gonna have to call ARB USA to see if they will be so kind to replace it under warranty. I bought & installed the 2017.

 

[badattitude]

Another BP51 leak

OME BP51 Suspension Damage?

 

[propain]

Another BP51 leak

OME BP51 Suspension Damage?

That's my post. :thumb3:

 

[badattitude]

:embarassed:

 

[Hans Moleman]

So I went back to Firestone they did the re-alignment and FAiLED again.

So I took it down the block to a tire place i usually go to and paid for the re-alignment there and bingo we have a winner. Perfectly straight!!!

I would of bought the tires there but they were more expensive. So is their wheel alignment which cost me $136.00 for (1) alignment, but they got it right the first time. So i'm not complaining.

All GREEN.

Here is the tire. They ride better then the Nitto's.

My ride with the new M/T2's.

Upon inspection from the 2nd tire guy, they found that 1 of my BP51's Front "DRivers side" shock is leaking a little. So im gonna have to call ARB USA to see if they will be so kind to replace it under warranty. I bought & installed the 2017.

I'm glad it worked out for you. I've had Firestone alignments on other cars in the past and generally they were not very good. For my lifted Tacoma I've had the best alignments from independent shops when they let me pick my alignments settings. Firestone only use factory settings even on lifted trucks.

Toyota dealers are just as bad as Firestone on alignments. They tend do "toe n go" alignments if camber and caster are green even if they are not ideal. When my T4R was new it pulled to the right on the freeway so I had the dealer take care of it. The 1st time they aligned it, they only adjusted the toe and the caster was still 0.5 degrees lower on the right side although still within the spec (green). Before I even drove away, I knew it was still going to pull right on the freeway and I was right. I went back the 2nd time and let the service advisor know about it still pulling to the right and that the low caster on the right is causing it. The dealer had a more senior tech redo the alignment and he added more caster on the right side. After that it tracked straight on the freeway.

Since yours if lifted you should shoot for 4.5 degrees of positive caster when you get an alignment next time. 4.5 degrees will be out of spec per Toyota factory specs but it will track nicely on the freeway.