tundra alignment off?

[c5engineer]

Hi all. I've read many of the posts on alignment over the years and tried to use DJ's specs yesterday when I got an alignment. My question is: Has anyone ever looked at their alignment printout and seen their SAI out. Does anyone know if it's adjustable on the Tundra? I read a little about it and it said SAI can be out due to loose, worn suspension parts or frame damage. I've never had front end damage and my suspension looks brand new after 2 years and 50k. Has anyone seen their's out of specs? Are the specs my shop is using truly Toyota specs? According to what I read, SAI is not adjustable on most vehicles and the only suspension work I've had done was the ball joints last December. I went for an alignment because the passenger tire was wearing on the outside edge, but all other tires were fine. It turns out that toe on that side was 0.22 so that would make sense.

My specs came back as the following:

L/R

Camber -0.1, -0.2 (spec -0.5 -1.0)
Caster 2.2, 2.2 (1.3-2.8)
Toe 0.5, 0.3 or total 0.8 (-0.01-0.09)
SAI 9.6, 9.9, but the spec range is 10.7-13.7

[vmwerks]

Originally Posted by c5engineer

Hi all. I've read many of the posts on alignment over the years and tried to use DJ's specs yesterday when I got an alignment. My question is: Has anyone ever looked at their alignment printout and seen their SAI out. Does anyone know if it's adjustable on the Tundra? I read a little about it and it said SAI can be out due to loose, worn suspension parts or frame damage. I've never had front end damage and my suspension looks brand new after 2 years and 50k. Has anyone seen their's out of specs? Are the specs my shop is using truly Toyota specs? According to what I read, SAI is not adjustable on most vehicles and the only suspension work I've had done was the ball joints last December. I went for an alignment because the passenger tire was wearing on the outside edge, but all other tires were fine. It turns out that toe on that side was 0.22 so that would make sense.

My specs came back as the following:

L/R

Camber -0.1, -0.2 (spec -0.5 -1.0)
Caster 2.2, 2.2 (1.3-2.8)
Toe 0.5, 0.3 or total 0.8 (-0.01-0.09)
SAI 9.6, 9.9, but the spec range is 10.7-13.7

Your numbers look just fine... FWIW with caster and SAI it is more important to have angles that are close side to side than have them within spec as long as they are close... yours are close. If it doesn't pull which it should not, don't worry about it.


Not bragging but I am a highly qualified suspension and alignment technician. I own my own shop and alignment machine, we race cars and work with custom alignments all the time.

[c5engineer]

VMWERKS, thanks a lot!! I have searched many of the posts previously and one had DJ saying that the posters SAI and other numbers looked okay and his Toyota specs showed something similar to where my numbers are. I am curious to know if the alignment machine has preprogrammed specs in so all you have to do is select year, make and model and that's what it compares it to. Are 9.6 and 10.1 really close in the alignment world for SAI? I've read about it and as an engineer I'm aware that9.6 and 10.1 degrees aren't vastly different, but I am not a mechanical engineer so I don't know how that relates to overall tire performance. It never wore the tires out until right at the end and the alignment tech at my shop said that was the severe toe reading on the right tire. I just don't want it ruining my 180 dollar Revo tires!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again.

[vmwerks]

Originally Posted by c5engineer

VMWERKS, thanks a lot!! I have searched many of the posts previously and one had DJ saying that the posters SAI and other numbers looked okay and his Toyota specs showed something similar to where my numbers are. I am curious to know if the alignment machine has preprogrammed specs in so all you have to do is select year, make and model and that's what it compares it to. Are 9.6 and 10.1 really close in the alignment world for SAI? I've read about it and as an engineer I'm aware that9.6 and 10.1 degrees aren't vastly different, but I am not a mechanical engineer so I don't know how that relates to overall tire performance. It never wore the tires out until right at the end and the alignment tech at my shop said that was the severe toe reading on the right tire. I just don't want it ruining my 180 dollar Revo tires!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again.

Those numbers are degrees and it is fairly close. The machine is programmed with every spec for every car/truck in north America, it's cool to go through the list of vehicles covered.
During the alignment process you are asked for year make and model incl tire size options. The next part of the process is performing a rollout where you roll the car backwards so the alignment heads can be calibrated. Afterwards you perform a caster swing right to left then you're ready to make adjustments. Our machines have targets at the wheels and the electronics are all on the pillars.
All your numbers are good and it should not wear funny or pull. Luckily we have all 3 of our numbers are adjustable on the Tundra's.
We are primarily a BMW/Mini shop but we align all sorts of cars for our customers. We have a machine since other than the dealership you cannot get a BMW setup properly so we don't farm it out. We print out the results in black and white, the color printout will show red when something is out of spec but within tolerance like your SAI numbers. The red is only a hassle to explain to the customer that it is actually ok AND not adjustable.

[Tundra_Hick]

My numbers are a little different and the specified range is also different

Camber -.01, -.01 (-.06 0.9)
Caster 1.9 , 2.1 (0.8 2.3)
Toe .05, .03 (-0.7 0.13)
Sai 11.7, 10.9 (9.5 11.0) Note: I'm at 11.7 but the limit is 11.0. Problem?
Included Angle 11.6, 10.8 (8.9 11.9)

Cross Camber 0.0 (-.05 0.5)
Cross Caster -0.2 (-0.5 0.5)
Cross SAI 0.7 (-0.5 0.5) Note: again, I'm above the limit.
Total Toe 0.08 (-0.13 0.27)

The truck runs straighter, but it always seems to need a slight adjustment when I drive. If I"m in the right lane I need to slightly pull the wheel left, if I'm driving in the far left lane which slopes to the left, I need to slightly pull the wheel right.

I can't let go of the wheel for any length of time or it starts turning toward that side.

So in my case, the SAI is close to spec, but it does pull a little.

[vmwerks]

IMO your truck should be pulling left slightly due to the combined SAI and caster. I would have run less caster on the right than the left to make up for SAI. I am assuming that your front end / steering is still good.
It is normal for a car to follow to the road crown.. back in the day we used to drop caster on the left side to make up for road crown but it isn't done anymore, at least around here.
What does it do on a flat road or parking lot? Is the wheel straight? I ask since your total is good but the numbers are skewed a little but it could be due to the wheel being turned when they committed the specs and printed them out.

[Tundra_Hick]

Originally Posted by vmwerks

IMO your truck should be pulling left slightly due to the combined SAI and caster. I would have run less caster on the right than the left to make up for SAI. I am assuming that your front end / steering is still good.
It is normal for a car to follow to the road crown.. back in the day we used to drop caster on the left side to make up for road crown but it isn't done anymore, at least around here.
What does it do on a flat road or parking lot? Is the wheel straight? I ask since your total is good but the numbers are skewed a little but it could be due to the wheel being turned when they committed the specs and printed them out.

I will find a big parking lot and let you know.

[txtundra05]

VMWERKS,
got a 05 DC with TRD package, 36 k and drive mostly interstate hwy. has started pulling to the LEFT, no noticable tire wear yet, tire pressure equal at 34 lbs and usually driven around 68 mph, no high speed takeoffs or screeching stops. just need to know what to ask for to find a professional that knows his stuff to get it right. this truck is my baby and I pamper it and don't like having to fight to hold it in the road.

any thoughts??

[Big_Al1]

Go to the hunter alignment website and find a dealer near you with the hunter 9700 alignment go for it most toyoa dealers have them.