[mazatec]

Recently purchased new tires for my 2003 4x4 Tundra and proceeded for an alignment; my last tires didn't wear very well. Told the mechanic I wanted a printout of the existing alignment and a post printout of the new alignment using DJ's specs.; by the way, to DJ and others; thanks for for sharing your knowledge on this board; it's appreciated much. The one thing that came from the shop's work was the toe and total toe were done in inches so I'm not sure if they are close to DJ's specs. Anyway; here's the pre and post alignment numbers: Purchased Michelin LTX which are pricey; hopefully this alignment is correct. Does anyone know what the "inch" measurements convert to in "degrees"? Also, I noticed that my Tundra tends to drift to the right when I remove my hand; if I move over to the left lane it will drift slightly left; is this related to the " crown" of the road? Thanks for any help.

Pre: L caster 1.8 degs. R caster 1.5 degs.
L. camber -0.3 R camber -0.3
L. toe 5/32" R toe 1/16", total toe=3/16"
Rear L camber -0.2 R rear camber 0.1
Rear L toe -1/16" R rear toe 3/32"
Thrust angle -0.2 degs.

Post align: L caster 2.0 degs. R caster 2.0 degrs.
L camber 0.3 degs. R camber 0.3 degs.
L toe 1/32" R toe 1/32
Total toe 1/16"
Rear L camber -0.2 degs. Rear R camber 0.1 degs.
Rear L toe -1/16" Rear R toe 1/16"
Thrust angle -0.1 deg.

 

[integraGSR]

i talked to a Toyota MDT when i did my alignment and he says he has a tundra and sets his to:

Caster: +.02 - .04 on right side to compensate for the road crown.
Camber: -.03 both sides
Toe: L:0" R:0"
Total toe: 1/16"

rear angles are not adjustable.

 

[Diego]

I'm not sure about how to convert inches to degrees but everything else looks right. If you do a search there are quite a few threads about alignments and DJ's specs. According to some of the information here the Tundra does not require the road crown adjustment and runs better with both sides set equal. When I took mine in to get aligned to DJ's specs the guy did adjust for road crown and then my truck was wanting to pull very slightly to the left. I took it back and stated this and the guy gave me a hard time about it saying ALL vehicles NEED the road crown adjustment. I insisted I wanted it realigned to DJ's exact specs with NO road crown adj. Well he set it even both sides and then the truck tracked perfect. Now it tracks pretty much neutral and will eventually drift either right or left depending on the road or if there is any wind.

 

[rcmarty]

Post align: L caster 2.0 degs. R caster 2.0 degrs.
L camber 0.3 degs. R camber 0.3 degs.
L toe 1/32" R toe 1/32
Total toe 1/16"
Rear L camber -0.2 degs. Rear R camber 0.1 degs.
Rear L toe -1/16" Rear R toe 1/16"
Thrust angle -0.1 deg.


Are these the dj specs ?

I'm going to be doing ball joints soon on my 06dc and will get it set to dj's specs.

Martin

 

[mazatec]

I don't have my papers with me but I think DJ's specs were: Caster + 2.0
Camber + 0.25
Total toe + 0.08

 

[DW]

DJ's specifications are: Camber & Toe right-on specs. and Caster at the top positive end of specs. On caster & camber, both sides equal. The specifications to be used are the ones Toyota gives for your specific year and model Tundra.
On my '03 4WD V8 access-cab, for example, the top positive spec for caster is 2.3*. Mine is set @ front camber -0.1* Left & -0.1* Right. Caster left 2.2* & right 2.2* Total toe 0.10* (R @ 0.05* & L @ 0.05*).
I've never, in almost 50 years of driving pickups, had a vehicle drive any smoother or handle any better. It tracks straight down the road and the steering wheel is perfectly level. The tires are wearing very evenly, also.
Thanks, DJ!:ts:

 

[DJ]

DJ's specifications are: Camber & Toe right-on specs. and Caster at the top positive end of specs. On caster & camber, both sides equal. The specifications to be used are the ones Toyota gives for your specific year and model Tundra.

On my '03 4WD V8 access-cab, for example, the top positive spec for caster is 2.3*. Mine is set @ front camber -0.1* Left & -0.1* Right. Caster left 2.2* & right 2.2* Total toe 0.10* (R @ 0.05* & L @ 0.05*).
I've never, in almost 50 years of driving pickups, had a vehicle drive any smoother or handle any better. It tracks straight down the road and the steering wheel is perfectly level. The tires are wearing very evenly, also.
Thanks, DJ!:ts:

Happy to help, and you've said it quite well.

The notion of setting caster to correct for the crown in the road comes from stone age when driving was usually on roads with two lanes, one lane each direction. Such roads were crowned to shed rain to the sides. Now, with anywhere from two to six lanes each way, it's as common to drive in a lane that is sloped to the left as it is to drive on one that is sloped to the right. So, if you put more caster on the right to make it pull slightly to the left and so counter the crown of a two-lane road, it'll pull more than slightly to the left and into oncoming traffic if you're in the left lane. Some peoples' thinking changes with changing circumstances, other peoples' doesn't.

Total toe is measured by the measuring instruments as an angle, not a distance. Long ago, before the advent of electronic alignment instruments, total toe was measured with either a scribe bar or with tape measures, the measurement being the difference in track width, measured in inches, between the leading edge and trailing edge of the tread of the front tires. In Europe, it was measured as the difference in track width, measured in millimeters, between the leading edge and trailing edge of the front wheels.

The "standard American conversion" between toe in inches and toe in degrees is

two degrees of toe = one inch of toe
​

This conversion is dead on if the tire diameter is 28.648 inches, and so that is how the conversion became standard. In Europe, the conversion requires the diameter of the wheel at the rim, which is keyed into the alignment machine as needed.

In Mazatec's example, the printout reports 1/16" of total toe. To convert that to degrees is

1/16" = 1/8 degree = 0.125 degree
​

But, look at the lack of precision in reporting it in inches using a fractional format. The resolution is +/-1/32", which is +/-1/16 degree, which is +/-0.063 degree. So, his total toe is

0.125 +/-0.063 degrees
​

which could be as high as +0.19 or as low as +0.06, to two decimal places.

That's why I prefer to use degrees and display it in digital format to two decimal places.

 

[mazatec]

Thanks DW and DJ for the great information. My Tundra is a 2003 4wdV8; I asked for those specific specs ( DJ's ) when I had the alignment done. Seeing your specs DW; do you guys think I should go back and use DW's specs. or are mine good enough? I see your point about the total toe DJ; would have been nice if it had been measured in degrees; that's some latitude in my total toe based on inches to degrees; any recommendations on that? Thanks for your help!

 

[feb]

can you tell me what in the alignment makes your tires wear out early?:ts:

 

[DW]

Thanks DW and DJ for the great information. My Tundra is a 2003 4wdV8; I asked for those specific specs ( DJ's ) when I had the alignment done. Seeing your specs DW; do you guys think I should go back and use DW's specs. or are mine good enough? I see your point about the total toe DJ; would have been nice if it had been measured in degrees; that's some latitude in my total toe based on inches to degrees; any recommendations on that? Thanks for your help!

DJ's the expert here. Not me. I'm just a good student who listens well. However, since out vehicles are the same--assuming your Tundra is an Access-cab NON TRD model, I DO know the specification ranges:
For total toe: -0.10* to 0.30*. This obviously means 0.10 degress is 'slap-dab' in the middle.
Using DJ's calculations for converting inches to degrees of toe, your total toe (0.06* to 0.19*) is well within Toyota's range. In fact it's in the positive range, which is good. However, as he states, 0.06 to 0.19 degrees is a fair amount of difference.

So...ask yourself these questions: On a flat, level (non-crowned) road, on a day when there is NO wind, is your steering wheel perfectly level and does the pickup track straight down the highway without any right or left pulling?
In fact, if it's totally right, given the above conditions, you can literally take your hands off the steering wheel and the vehicle will travel straight down the road.

If so, your individual toe settings are almost sure to be correct, and you're good to go!

Your settings of Camber +0.3* R & L and Caster +2.0* R & L are certainly okay for your particular Tundra.

 

[mazatec]

DW,Thanks so much for the info. One thing I forgot to ask the alignment center was, was the steering wheel centered when they did their work. Tomorrow I'll find a flat road and see what happens when I take my hands off the steering wheel and see if it goes straight. Thanks to you and DJ for sharing your knowledge.

 

[DJ]

can you tell me what in the alignment makes your tires wear out early?:ts:

The biggest wear factor with most alignments is the loose nut on the steering wheel, throttle, and brake pedal. But, I digress.

If total toe is incorrect, then the steerable wheels have to scrub sideways a bit as the tire rolls down the road, and that can cause VERY fast tire wear.

You can check for this problem yourself. Just lay your hand flat on the top of the tire and slide it over the tread, toward the vehicle and then away from the vehicle. In effect, you are feeling the edges of the sides of the tread lugs. If the tires have to scrub sideways, then one side will be slightly rounded and the other side will be slightly sharp. If the effect is extreme, the sharp edge will even be feathered. If the error is "toe in" too much, then the outside edge will be rounded and the inside edge will be sharp. If the error is "toe out" too much, then the inside edge will be rounded and the outside edge will be sharp.

 

[rcmarty]

Are the post spec in the first post the same specs for a 06 dc ltd ?

Going to get the balljoints soon , will do the before and after readouts as i like how it drives now.

 

[hank75]

I was really concerned about my alignment as well. After installing a lift and new tires on the truck I had it aligned. First try not so good and didn't get a printout. Second try truck seemed to track pretty straight but according to the responses I got about my prinout it's a piss poor alignment. Third attempt I was told alignment was good and no changes were made, and mysteriously as he was working on the truck the printer crapped out so no prinout from him. I've been driving the wifes car until I can get the truck back into a different shop. Unfortunately my free time is limited so it may take a while, hopefully next week. Anywho here's a printout of it.