Your opinions, re: crap centre tracking

J

Jambsi

New member
I am on a mission to replace my 04 Pathfinder with a new truck & sure could use some experienced opinions.

My requirements include some medium tough off-road. I rarely off-road just for the fun of it, but I often off-road to get to streams, lakes etc. (fisherman). The Pfinder has been fine, so I'm thinking the base 4R will be fine.

On paper (websites) I chose the 5thGen 4Runner over the latest Pfinder and the Jeep GC. These are the only 3 that made it to the shortlist based on my needs.

Then I went for test drives starting with a new 2011 SR5 base. Most of the characteristics of the 4R met my expecations, except the steering. The sucker wouldn't go in a straight line. I'm calling it poor "centre tracking", (I don't know if this characteristic has a proper name) there was just no natural tendency for the truck to go straight. If I took my eyes of the road for 2 seconds it just wandered off. Surely this would drive everybody nuts, but I don't see it mentioned in this forum anywhere?

I suspect it may be crap OEM tires (Bridgestone Dueler H/T 265/70-17) but....... if that's the case, didn't anybody from Toyota try driving this thing?

I'd love to get the dealer to swap off the tires (I am a big LTX M/S2 fan) and try another drive but it would be like pulling teeth to get them to swap out the tires upon purchase - let alone for a test drive.

I'd sure like to hear some of your takes on this observation.

Thanks
 
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Yep, I agree that it floats around a little bit and others have pointed this out. I didn't like it either but got used to it and have now replaced the stock tires which helps. I put on BFG KM2's but no doubt there are options that will improve handling much more so.
 
Jambsi said:
I'd sure like to hear some of your takes on this observation.

Thanks
Click to expand...

My SR5 drives 'straight as an arrow'! I know what you experienced because I have driven Dodge's & Ford's that seem to have the issue, but I don't have it with the new 4R. What tires were on the one you drove, if you happened to notice?
 
I got that too first too weeks, then tire pressure light went on. I measured pressure and it was from 25 to 26.5 psi on all tires. After I brought it to normal 32psi my truck goes dead straight.
 
My '03 4Runner had horrible tracking when I first bought it. After I replaced the OEM Dunlop tires with Michelin CrossTerrains, it got better. Not great, but a lot better.
 
Replacing the stock tires went a long way to making it track straighter. Still not as good as I would like it but I think i am getting used to it pretty quickly.
 
What tires were on the one you drove, if you happened to notice?[/QUOTE]

I have updated the original post: Bridgestone Dueler H/T 265/70-17
 
Poll results

Thank you all for your input. I'll let you know what I eventually buy.

With a huge 5 sample:
20% don't have this issue
80% recognize the issue

of the 80%
100% experienced improvement with better tires
0% completely solved the issue with tires.
 
I'd say this issue like others depends on your habbits and on what you were driving before. I guess you'll have to give it a good test drive, but check tire pressure just in case.
 
I've got the Bridgestones. Tracks great...when I'm not touching the wheel:) I've always thought the steering is too light around the center to be the issue. Maybe adding a little toe-in could help. I don't know what the specs are.
 
I thought I was crazy when I started driving the vehicle, but I guess I'm not the only one. It's still on the stock 20s with the Bridgestones. Driving on the road, not even at highway speeds, the vehicle tends to either shift to the left or right. The other vehicles I drove prior to this drove straight like an arrow.
 
I had the tracking issue as well when I first started driving it. However I put some BFG A/T KO's on it which was a noticeable improvement. While it still doesn't track as straight as I would like, I have gotten used to it and I don't even notice it now. Hope this helps you.
 
Jambsi said:
Thank you all for your input. I'll let you know what I eventually buy.

With a huge 5 sample:
20% don't have this issue
80% recognize the issue

of the 80%
100% experienced improvement with better tires
0% completely solved the issue with tires.
Click to expand...
i can't speak to stock performance b/c my Duratracs were installed pre-delivery but my TE tracks dead-on straight. like a tank... in a good way.
 
Perfectly straight here also. Had the dealer install some LTX M/S2 tires prior to picking it up.
 
Mine tracks straight without any problems unless it's windy, but I don't have stock tires. Roof rack fairing seemed to help. Also, even tire pressure between all the tires makes a difference.
 
Egstyle said:
Mine tracks straight without any problems unless it's windy, but I don't have stock tires. Roof rack fairing seemed to help. Also, even tire pressure between all the tires makes a difference.
Click to expand...
i agree: high winds + 4Runner = :eek:
i definitely need to slap on a fairing.
 
Yep! I complained about the vehicle just "wandering around" at an interstate speed when I took it in for the new 5K checkup. I asked that the toe-in be checked as someone else noted in this thread and was told that the alignment was "within spec". Although I really like this truck, it is a pain and just flat out tiresome to drive at highway speeds. When there is a little cross-wind, I can't take my mind off "driving" this truck or I could end up out of my lane. It seems to just float like a boat.
 
Froglips said:
Yep! I complained about the vehicle just "wandering around" at an interstate speed when I took it in for the new 5K checkup. I asked that the toe-in be checked as someone else noted in this thread and was told that the alignment was "within spec". Although I really like this truck, it is a pain and just flat out tiresome to drive at highway speeds. When there is a little cross-wind, I can't take my mind off "driving" this truck or I could end up out of my lane. It seems to just float like a boat.
Click to expand...

Actually this is the exact feeling that I have! I just didn't seem to explain it as well as you did.
 
to be clear, i specifically meant high winds. in "a little cross-wind" i don't experience the wandering you're describing, Froglips.
 
In my opinion, it is like Toyota has the front-end just a little too "straight down the road" to eek out a little more miles per gallon probably akin to going to the 0W20 oil. The steering just does not feel right. Around town -- it is just fine.
 
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