Alignment problem

[MATRDguy]

Has anyone had a problem w/ getting their Tundra aligned after putting in a lift kit?? I just put in a Revteck kit and got some bigger tires..only one size bigger.. i told the to do an alignmet, they did and they showed me the before and after alignment...HOWEVER ..after i drove away..the truck pulls../ drifts radicaly to the left. I took it back and they said that they had to keep it all day to do an alignmet..they said alot of toyotas have this problem...is that true?? I just had the dealership put in a new rack and pinion ...

can anyone give me some advice?? thanks

[student's tundra]

I don't know if it helps but I can give you personal experience. I had the Revtek 2.5 spacer lift insalled on my 03 Tundra and installed some 285's and the shop had no problems w/ the alignment on my truck, took maybe an hour or less. I can's speak about the alignment you had your truck at. However in the past I had problems with my chevy after installing a lift with trying to get rid of the negative camber I had. Just my experiences .

[cupidstoy]

there are a lot of posts regarding alignment issues. if it's purely an alignment problem, then it boils down to this:

- make sure the shop is using hunter equipment and knows how to use the CAMM adjustment feature

- use DJ's specs and take them to the shop (post the before and after here and that you have now and let the members take a look)

- don't let them get away with charging you for extra alignments if they havn't done it right the first time

but, since you mentioned them putting a new rack and pinion in, that may also be suspect so i would post the alignment info first to see what dj or others have to say.

you also put on new tires and rims so there's potentially a problem with one of the tires. sometimes a bad tire (usually a belt inside) will cause strange behavior.

toyota tundras that are propertly aligned do not have a problem pulling to either side.

[MOREPOWER]

take to the dealer for an alignment have them set it to DJ's spec.

[TundrastruckDave]

I have to agree with (MOREPOWER) on this one.

The VERY first thing you need to do is... NOT... carry your truck back to the same alignment shop!!! If they've gotta' keep it all day... then... they're just guessing!!! PERIOD!!

Here's the thing...
According to DJ... and I trust him btw ... Tundras are a horse of a different color, when it comes to alignment. To start... they use dual cams on the control arms to set camber and caster, and according to what DJ has said... this can make for a NIGHTMARE, when trying to get a "correct" alignment. And it can be... pretty much... next to impossible, without using the "best" alignment equipment, which means using the Hunter alignment machine. Since you didn't mention "what" type of equipment or alignment machine the shop used in aligning your truck... this would be the first place I'd start. If they DIDN'T use the Hunter alignment machine, unfortunately, you may never get it right, by continuing to take your truck back to this particular shop. Believe me... I've been there!

The KEY to the Hunter alignment machine's magic... as told to me by DJ... is it's software pkg. It uses a software program known as CAMM, which is "designed" to handle dual cams. If a tech KNOWS... I repeat... KNOWS... how to use this software, he can make the job of getting a Tundra... or ANY vehicle with dual cams... aligned VERY easy. As a matter of fact, DJ once told me...

Originally Posted by DJ

If the alignment tech ever used the CAMM feature to align a Tundra, or to align any vehicle which uses dual cams on the control arms to set camber and caster, he would NEVER try to align one without using it. It is difficult to align this kind of suspension, which has two cams for one wheel each changing both camber and caster, and this can make it quite difficult to get both camber and caster correct. The CAMM software, makes it quite easy.

Since your truck "is" pulling to the left... it's possible that the alignment tech set camber at the expense of caster. If caster is higher on the right than on the left, it will tend to make the vehicle pull to the left. However, without actually "seeing" the alignment numbers, I'm just guessing here, so keep that in mind. Unfortunately, it ain't gonna' get no better, unless he uses the CAMM software.

I don't know how "much" lift you achived from the Revteck kit, but I suspect it was at least 2.5". I used the Wheeler's coils to lift my DC a minimal 2", just so I could go one tire size larger (i.e. 265/75/16) like you're planning to do. I had done quite a bit of research here at TS.com and picked many a brain (including DJ's), before I carried my truck in for the re-alignment.

I actually chose a shop, which I'd used exclusively, for more than a few years now. I took several print-outs from different threads here at TS.com; not to mention DJ's specs, to SHOW the alignment tech, EXACTLY what I was after. He "said" he knew of the Tundra's alignment issues and I had to believe the guy, since one of his co-workers had a Tundra. I did ask this alignment tech... IF... he knew how to use the CAMM software, and the replay I got was... "Yeah, I know about it, but I've never used it". Hind sight being what it is... I shoud have cut-n-run, right then-n-there, but unfortunately for me... I didn't!

I gave the guy a chance... and of course... as suspected... he got it wrong!!! After showing the print-out numbers of the alignment to DJ, it was obvious, the tech had basically done the exact same thing to my DC, as was done to your truck. He set camber at the expense of caster, and without using the CAMM software... he certainly wasn't EVER going to get it right! Knowing that, I had to accept the fact, that I was about to learn a painfully EXPENSIVE lesson!

After talking with DJ... through several PM's... it became painfully obvious, that there was little need to return to this alignment shop and complain, because, the tech was never going to get it right WITHOUT using the "proper" software to handle the job. Thus, I had now pissed away $45 and was faced with the task, of finding a shop who could do it right. Not to mention having to accept the fact, I was going to have to part with yet another $40+!

That too... turned out to be a real PITA. Not a single shop, which I called in my local area, "knew" how to use the CAMM software! Not a one! I ultimately turned to the internet and went to Hunter's website, to get the phone number for a local rep, who could hopefully steer me in the right direction. Unfortunately, he was of no help either, as I was told, many of the "techs" in my area had been trained the "old fashion way" and they wouldn't use the CAMM software! What REALLY surprised me about this was... this Hunter rep actually DEFENDED this practice! WTF?!

Anyway, after MANY more phone calls... even one to a local Toyota dealer... who said their Hunter alignment machine was so old, it didn't even use the CAMM software ... I finally found one shop about 18 miles from the house... in another city... who actually said, they knew how to use the CAMM software. Long-story-short... they got right on the first try! Although now, my total alignment cost was over $90! Like I said... a painfully expensive lesson to have to learn!

So, my advice would be...
1st) make sure the shop you're using, has a VERY up-to-date Hunter alignment machine.
2nd) if they do... the VERY next question you should ask is... DO THEY KNOW HOW TO "USE" THE CAMM SOFTWARE.

Hope this helps...

[tempetom]

You guys just convinced me to leave my truck alone for now. I was going to use the 1" Daystars on the front.

[MOREPOWER]

by all means do the lift i have no problem mines lifted 2" just get a good shop to align it.

[student's tundra]

Originally Posted by MOREPOWER

by all means do the lift i have no problem mines lifted 2" just get a good shop to align it.

Exactly I have a 2.5 in lift on my tundra and have no problems . Its all about the tech working on your truck. I would rather have an experienced tech thats working w/ old equipment than a young guy using new equipment he isn't exactly how it works.

[MATRDguy]

i went to another firestone dealer today and he wanted to ADD some parts..he said there id a 14 pg TSB on alignment problems w/ tundras. anyway an older tech came out and WAS using a hunter machine, but he said the cambr was maxed out...it's better than it was but now it pulls to the Right a little and the steering wheel doesnt return to center...it is still cocked about 7-8 degrees to the right (as opposed to the 15 degrees it was yesterday)...i think i'll call around a little or i just may take it back to my dealer...he has an older tech who does a good job (has so far)...so...that;s all i know to do..i dont want to ruin my new tires.

BTW the STORE MGR of the place where i bought the tires & alignment told me (after i called him & said the alignment was out after driving for 5 min) " well they r new tires and that's what is causing them to go out of line..let them break in a little"...folks that IS in fact what he told me verbatim!!

well i'll try toyota next unless someone knows of a reputable place in CT or MA...thanks all...

is there any truth to the TSB??

[cupidstoy]

i know you're having a hard time with this and it's frustrating. from your posts it sounds like you are running form place to place trying to solve your problem without getting to the bottom of what's going on and spending money at each stop. it's really hard to help you if you don't get before and after printouts from the alignment shops and post them on the site. i really believe that is the place to start. also, did you try changing the tires left to right to see if that changes anything?

tires do have a break in period. the cords and rubber adjust to performing on your truck based on the setting of the alignment, different vehicles, driving style, etc. this usually takes from 10 to up to a hundred or so miles. you might notice after an alignment and keeping the same tires that they are a little squirelly right after the alignment. that's due to them settling in to the new position. in this case, it's unlikey they would cause the type of pulling you describe unless there was a problem. swap left to right to rule this out.

i don't think you need to ADD any parts. you need to get the parts you have working correctly. there is a solution here and it is best solved taking a logical, systemmatic approach. rule one thing out at a time and move to the next. the last remaining explantion, regardless how unlikely, must be the cause. (it's usually the simplest thing, though) ;-)

you wrote that you changed four things: lift kit, new tires, alignment, rack and pinion. since you didn't explain the details, i'm guessing you did the lift kit, drove to the store with your old tires and then had them put new tires on and do an alignment. somewhere in there the dealer did a rack and pinion install. once you left the alignment shop, you noticed the problem. that narrows it down to the alignment and tires. if it had been drifting and pulling after the lift kit or the rack and pinion, you would have noticed it right away.

let us know if you can provide more info....