Les Schwab Renton Highlands - I am disappoint NO LONGER! Redemption...

Update in last post, Les Schwab comes through!

I guess they aren't so much about "Doing the Right Thing since 1952" as "getting the rack cleared as soon as possible".

Here's the story. YZF450Moe helped me install my OME lift a few weeks back. (In reality, I helped HIM, I think he did most of the work!) As is the case after installing a lift, it needs an alignment. Well, I decided to wait a few hundred miles to get that done so that things would have a chance to settle a little. As since I'm still on the Rugged Fails, accelerated tire wear isn't exactly a bad thing.

So today I finally had a break in my schedule so I could get the alignment done. I called the local Firestone shop here in the Renton Highlands, but I didn't exactly get a "warm and fuzzy" when talking with the guy on the phone. I asked about lifted trucks, and he said they rarely see them. So even the "sale" price on the Lifetime Alignment of $160 wasn't enough to convince me.

Now almost right across the street is a Les Schwab, which also happens to be an ARB/OME authorized retailer. And since I see a lot of lifted trucks with Toyo tires near me, I figured they'd know what they are doing.

Stop by at 8AM this morning and get it done, taking about 45 minutes. I get the spec sheet, glance at briefly because I need to get to work and say "thanks." Obviously I just saw some green numbers and hauled ass out of there (my own fault there.)

This afternoon after things at work calmed down, I finally had a chance to look at the numbers. FUCKING SHIT!!!! They did a god damn "toe and go" on me. The Caster and Camber numbers are IDENTICAL on the before and after, and just the Toe was adjusted. Lazy ass tech just saw all the "green" numbers, fixed the one "red" number and called it good.

The "before" numbers were still in the green, but just barely. And the "ideal range" numbers seem way off from what I've seen here. So instead of taking the time to actually try and get the numbers in the middle of the range, they took the "easy" way out.

Tomorrow morning I'm heading back there and asking them if this is the type of work they want to do. Just "Good enough"? When the back of their form says "Doing the Right Thing since 1952", I expect better. Hell, I had even toyed with the idea of getting the LT255/85R16 Toyo M/T's, even though they are 50% more expensive than the BFG KM2's.

I figure I'm more likely to get a better response standing in their store than calling them on the phone.

Here is the print out. I'd like to point out the "Modified Specification" comment near the top, as well as the Caster ranges that seem to be well below "Factory" specs.

 

Schwab is no longer what they used to be. They aren't competitive on tire prices anymore either.

 

Their ranges aren't even close to what the factory says is acceptable. Toyota FSM says the range is 1.34* to 2.84*, but LS is showing 0.3* to 1.8*. Those aren't even close. So having the caster at 0.3* or 0.6* isn't even in the ballpark according to factory specs.

Also, I want the maximum adjusted caster so that I can determine if I need UCAs or not.

And finally, yes the green means it is the acceptable range, but the numbers are at the extremes. The FSM says to aim for middle values.

But I'm here now, they are working on it, and I even spoke with the technician myself. After that discussion I think it is clear I'm one of the "unlucky" ones who will need UCAs to get spec caster with the OME lift.

 

Here is the latest. Notice that the ranges are now different and match the factory specs. Caster came up to 0.8* and 0.9*, and all the "cross" measurements are much closer now. Even though the name is different on both sheets, the alignment was done by the same technician, Marty.



Basically this means I need UCAs with built-in caster, so I'm going to order some Light Racing UCA's which add up to 2* of caster, which will allow for proper caster alignment. This will also likely compound my tire choice, as I'm almost certainly going to need a CMC (cab mount chop) to fit 33's.

At least for now, she tracks and drives straight (did before), but with a little less "nervousness" at freeway speeds.

I will say that I am impressed with how Jeff and Marty at Les Schwab handled by concerns today. They got me in as soon as they could when it was convenient for me, and they worked hard to make things as right as could be. Now if only their tire options were more affordable, as I'd say they did well to earn my business. The Toyo M/T 255/85r16's and Toyo A/T 285/75r16's are a full 50% more expensive than the BFG KM2's in 255/85r16 or Goodyear Duratracs in 285/75r16 from Discount Tire.....

 

885x. No armor, just a lightbar and 3 HIDs. Truck runs "heavy" though at 4700 lbs* with me in the driver seat and a full tank of gas. That's "pre-lift" weight too, the OME components are much heavier than the OEM ones, probably added another 50 to 75 lbs to the truck after the swap.

I didn't take "before" measurements so I'm not sure how much lift I got from the front, but the "hub to fender" sits at 23.0" on the right and 22.25" on the left.

 

A few things to consider:
1.) I've already ordered the LR UCAs from Headstrong
2.) Headstrong was really damn speedy, and I got the ship notice barely hours later! They're inbound already.
3.) Not all with 885x coils are able to get factory alignment specs with stock UCAs
4.) After looking at my adjustment cams (both rear cams are at "max long"), I don't think my particular truck will align without UCAs anyway.

So I'm looking at a UCA install in the near future. Too bad I'm out of town part of next week, so maybe next weekend. Or whenever the next Mod Day is at BoatRacer's "to die for shop"....

I plan to have new upper control arm bolts and nuts too, since that is how my luck has been running. If I have them, the current ones will come out without issue. If I don't, then they'll be jammed up tight and only removable by cutting them......

 

Yeah, just bloody expensive. The quote for 5 Toyo M/Ts in 255/85r16 is $1,842......

Discount Tire quoted me $1,333 for the BFG KM2s in the same size. $500 is a lot of cheddah (about 100 rounds of 22LR these days.....) Discount Tire even offered to do a free "test mount and fit" on both the 255/85 and 285/75 to see which ones would work better.

 

I've gotten over 50k on my Toyo MT's and there's still a good 25% left,that's pretty impressive for an MT. Firestone didn't do any better by me. For an alignment Beavis0076's recommendation of Michaels Toyota in Bellevue is a good one if you can swing it for an alignment.

 

They look like bad-ass tires, that's for sure. 4WheelParts website shows the same tire cheaper by $47/each, which saves about $235. I don't know how much 4WP charges for everything else though (mount/balance/etc.). And then I'd have to let 4WP touch my truck eek, as well as drive either to Lynnwood or Tacoma. At least going with Discount or LS gets me a lot of locations should I need tire service in a hurry.

I could ask LS to price match 4WP. But I won't bother with that until I'm actually ready to throw down the scratch.

As for Michael's, that is where I bought the truck. Also, one of my daughter's friend's dad works there in the Service Dept, so I do trust them (he's a great guy.)

 

Yesterday I had time to install the Light Racing Upper Control arms. I did it in my driveway, even with the decent amount of slope it has, with few issues. I didn't even have to cut the upper control arm bolts, I was able to get the originals out intact. The right side did require me to reinstall the bolt from the rear, so I may drill and safety-wire that one. Toyota installs them from the front so that if the nut should happen to come loose/off, the bolt will not fall out due to gravity. With the head of the bolt in the back now though, it could happen (although I suspect that is extremely rare.....)

Anyway, since the LR UCA's are adjustable for both caster and camber, the truck definitely needed another alignment. I guessed on the camber setting for the upper balljoint, and set the caster to "+2*". Scheduled an appointment with Les Schwab this morning at 8 AM to get it taken care of.

Before numbers:
Camber Left: 0.3* Right: 0.4* (Damn, I'm good!)
Caster Left: 2.9* Right 3.1* (Sweet!)
Toe Left: -0.7* Right -0.66* (way off)

Toe seems to wander on these trucks pretty good I've noticed.

I spoke with the Tech about the adjustments available in the UCAs, and that I wanted to keep the lower rear cams in the "max long" position. This creates the most clearance at the rear for larger tires. So while I would have liked to dial the 3.1* of caster down a bit, I said to leave it.

Tech adjusted the Toe and the final specs are:
Camber Left: 0.3* Right: 0.3*
Caster Left: 2.9* Right 3.1*
Toe Left: 0.01* Right 0.00*

Now, I fully expected to pay for the realignment. I swapped out parts, so any changes to the alignment were a result of that. However, the guys at Les Schwab said "It's within 30 days, no charge." Even when I explained that I had swapped parts and expected to pay, they still said "no charge."

So Les Schwab Renton Highlands, well done! I might go with those Toyo's afterall.....

 

I know that pain on the bolt not wanting to come out. i had to order new strut and rear shock bolts today for my suspension cause they were all rusted on the bushings, not even a sludge hammer would lossen them up