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Alignment from sears?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Zombie Runner, Dec 3, 2009.

  1. Dec 4, 2009 at 7:43 AM
    #21
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner [OP] Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    I dropped it off at the dealer this morning, they just called and said its ready! So Ill pick it up at lunch and post up the numbers I got. They lady said it was like 70 bucks
     
  2. Dec 4, 2009 at 9:22 AM
    #22
    Fmsvandal

    Fmsvandal Well-Known Member

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    I installed a 3" OME lift with the LR UCA's and went to firestone to get my alignment done. They were not able to get the camber anywhere close to what it should be, but better than not touching it at all......


    Has anybody had this same problem? If so, whats the fix?
     
  3. Dec 4, 2009 at 9:51 AM
    #23
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner [OP] Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    ^thats wierd, camber should be at 0*
    what is it now? maybe you had a rookie working on your truck
     
  4. Dec 4, 2009 at 3:07 PM
    #24
    DDD

    DDD Shine bright like a hymen

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    I took my truck to sears for alignment and Tire balance. I will never go there again...

    I told the employee that the steering wheel is shaking at speeds over 40 and it pulls to the right when I let go of the steering wheel. They tell me it will be $25 for balance and $65 for alignment. After an hour they told me it was ready. I asked them for a print out and he looked at me like I was crazy. Then he asked the mechanic for a print out. The mechanic said they just balanced the tires and that should fix the problem. I told them a 2nd time that it was also pulling to the right.
    So, they take it back into the shop. 2 hours later they said that everything was fine, they hand me a print out showing poss. camber and Toe off by a little. I told them that camber and Toe should be 0*. They said that its in the green so they can't get it any better. They agreed to adjust the Toe to 0* but not the camber.

    I feel that they agreed to fix the toe because its easy to fix, just adjust the tie rod ends (I can do that in my garage). But, the camber is tougher to fix and the mechanic was lazy so he would not adjust it to 0*.

    It was a waste of time. I will never go back there again. I drove home with the tire balance still off, and truck still pulling to the right. Maybe they did fix everything and since my wallet was $90 lighter it threw off the alignment off again... :rolleyes:
     
  5. Dec 4, 2009 at 3:19 PM
    #25
    roy826

    roy826 Well-Known Member

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    RUN, run very fast out of there. Sears Sucks!!! I bought a set of tires from them on my '02 Tacoma. The thing shook like hell. I took it back had the tires re-balanced many times to no avail. I finally decided it was the tire brand. Gave them another $200 bucks for some Michelins, same damn issue. Come to find out after my nice aluminum wheels were beat to death that they were using used wheel weights to balance. I noticed I kept loosing weights. Short story is Sears sucks I will never step foot in there again. I would not trust them to line up my riding mower.:D
     
  6. Dec 4, 2009 at 3:25 PM
    #26
    BirdTRD

    BirdTRD Unsuspectingly striking from above

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    Caster is the angle the wheels turn in relation to the ground. At 0*, the wheels would turn l or r parallel to the ground. + and - settings would turn the wheels either slightly left and up or left and down.
     
  7. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM
    #27
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    To add:
    Link
    Caster angle is the angular displacement from the vertical axis of the suspension of a steered wheel in a car, bicycle or other vehicle, measured in the longitudinal direction. It is the angle between the pivot line (in a car - an imaginary line that runs through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint) and vertical. Car racers sometimes adjust caster angle to optimize their car's handling characteristics in particular driving situations.

    The pivot points of the steering are angled such that a line drawn through them intersects the road surface slightly ahead of the contact point of the wheel. The purpose of this is to provide a degree of self-centering for the steering - the wheel casters around so as to trail behind the axis of steering. This makes a car easier to drive and improves its directional stability (reducing its tendency to wander).
     
  8. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM
    #28
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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  9. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:34 PM
    #29
    c-slak

    c-slak Well-Known Member

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    Probably a stupid question but does positive caster put the wheel in front of the vertical axis (towards front bumper) or behind it? Logic tells me behind it however I always see people using a motorcycle as an example of caster with the wheel in front of the axis.
     
  10. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:39 PM
    #30
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    Posative caster puts the wheel behind.
     
  11. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:42 PM
    #31
    c-slak

    c-slak Well-Known Member

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    Makes sense. Thanks!
     
  12. Dec 4, 2009 at 4:51 PM
    #32
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    its a copy/paste....I thought I put the link at the top, and I see I didnt. I'll fix it. And the purpose of Caster is exactly what I posted.
     
  13. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
    #33
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    To add: If you had negative caster, the imaginary line thru the pivot points would intersect the surface behind the wheel, leading to a very difficult to drive vehicle.
     
  14. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:12 PM
    #34
    BirdTRD

    BirdTRD Unsuspectingly striking from above

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    Perhaps my description was not very good.

    Here is another try. Imagine bike forks perpendicular to the ground (vertical), that would be 0* caster. If the forks were pressed forward the caster would be negative. Bikes are built with positive caster (the forks pressed backward). This helps the bike track straight. Caster also affects camber during a turn. Again, imagine your bike. When you turn the wheel to the left, the top of the wheel tips a little to the left also. Vice versa going right.
     
  15. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM
    #35
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    I see what your saying. However, the caster on a bike has no affect on how far it leans in a turn. It does have a direct relation as to how "hard" or how much input it takes from the rider to get it to turn in. Just like a car/truck. Too much caster is hard to steer, or hard on the steering components (rack), too little and it turns easilly, but is less stable in a straight line. Yes, during a turn, Camber is affected, but this is more of a result of the geometry of the vehicle, as opposed to the caster. Some vehicles may have 11* of Caster, yet the camber may only be affected less than a degree when turning, while others may have 3* Caster and in a turn, the camber may very 3* or so. really depends on the vehicle geometry.
     
  16. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
    #36
    red taco

    red taco Well-Known Member

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    TRDBoy are you seriously trying to start a fight with Chris? Seriously the guy does nothing but help people on this forum. Fucking pick your fights guy
     
  17. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:29 PM
    #37
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    Hes not starting a fight. :) just a little back and forth sharing of minds. Its how everyone learns ;)
     
  18. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:33 PM
    #38
    BirdTRD

    BirdTRD Unsuspectingly striking from above

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    Yes it does. If you go turn your bike tire to the right while holding the frame vertical. Not only will the front tire turn right, the top of the tire will also tip to the right. Essentially a change in camber. This is easier to visualize on a chopper with long forks. They can't turn very sharp because when they turn, the wheel tips over nearly as much as it actually steers. Even more extreme, 90* caster would not steer at all. The tire would just flip back and forth as a true camber adjustment. Everything else in the text that I quoted was spot on.
     
  19. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
    #39
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    AH! OK....IM seeing what you are saying now. Whne you mentioned "Chopper", I was able to picture it. ;)
     
  20. Dec 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
    #40
    BirdTRD

    BirdTRD Unsuspectingly striking from above

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    Goodness no! I know Chris4x4 is well respected and very helpful. I'm just defending that what I said is correct even though he said it wasn't.:)
     

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