1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Steering loose after aftermarket wheels??

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by SmokeyTacoAZ, Dec 30, 2019.

  1. Dec 30, 2019 at 8:20 AM
    #1
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    I searched for a couple of hours on this and came up with a few pieces of info but not much. Truck is stock with exception of tires and wheels.

    After new aftermarket wheels were installed I'm noticing steering is a little looser feeling. Here's the history. Installed 275/75r16 Goodyear Duratracs on stock truck and stock 16x7 OR wheels (25 mm offset). Got an alignment and no major issues although I perceived a very slight pull to the right. After two months I got aftermarket wheels: 16x8 SCS F5s with 0 mm offset. Same tires installed on new wheels. So two things changed being the offset and wider rims. I haven't had them long but I've noticed the pull to the right is gone but steering feels a little looser. The truck seems to drive straight but almost seems like there is slightly more play in the steering. The balance on the new setup feels good if not quite perfect. I didn't think an alignment would be necessary following new wheels since it was just done a month ago but wondering if I need more caster or something. I recall my caster is near the high end for Toyota spec.

    Is this somewhat normal due to the change in offset and rim width? I have a lifetime alignment at Firestone. But they would probably just follow Toyota spec and I'm not sure that would still apply with larger tire and different offset.

    I may be overly sensitive to a slight change because it's not extreme. The tire shop mentioned that they were glad I didn't have the -25 mm offset F5s because they installed a set of those on someone else's truck. They said they had to balance those 6 or 7 times bc the truck was wondering quite a bit. So many other factors it's hard to draw conclusions from that. Maybe I'm overthinking this but curious what experiences others may have had.
     
  2. Dec 30, 2019 at 8:24 AM
    #2
    su.b.rat

    su.b.rat broken truck

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2016
    Member:
    #193316
    Messages:
    9,874
    are you on new tires? how many miles on them if so?
     
  3. Dec 30, 2019 at 8:33 AM
    #3
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2014
    Member:
    #129450
    Messages:
    8,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Peoples Republic of Maryland (USA)
    Vehicle:
    Tacoma 2nd gen
    King's, Camburg UCA, Dirt King LCA, armor
    Could be tire pressure. Also a different tire will just feel different.
     
    Shellshock likes this.
  4. Dec 30, 2019 at 8:42 AM
    #4
    GreyBaldTaco

    GreyBaldTaco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2019
    Member:
    #286065
    Messages:
    4,144
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2019 F150 5.0
    upload_2019-12-30_10-42-41.jpg
     
  5. Dec 30, 2019 at 8:48 AM
    #5
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    About 2,500 miles on tires but 99% of those miles were on the stock wheel.
     
  6. Dec 30, 2019 at 9:27 AM
    #6
    Speedfreak

    Speedfreak Member in poor standing

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2017
    Member:
    #230756
    Messages:
    4,805
    First Name:
    Dave
    Canada Eh!
    Vehicle:
    2017 Tacoma TRD Sport DCSB 6MT, Blazing Blue Pearl
    Manual Mall Crawler
    Changing the offset can change the feel of the steering. The wheels turn on an arc. A smaller arc means more scrub and more turning resistance. A larger arc means less scrub and less resistance, the tire will roll more as it turns rather than pivot.
     
  7. Dec 30, 2019 at 10:13 AM
    #7
    su.b.rat

    su.b.rat broken truck

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2016
    Member:
    #193316
    Messages:
    9,874
    ah so you're the one who took my glasses today. (3 kids always trying to kill me)
     
    shakerhood likes this.
  8. Dec 30, 2019 at 10:34 AM
    #8
    splitbolt

    splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    Member:
    #32761
    Messages:
    7,873
    Gender:
    Male
    NW Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2016 TRD OFFROAD DCSB MGM
    Two things..
    1. Additional positive scrub will tramline more.

    2. You need more toe in to compensate for the 3/4" of additinal positive scrub.
    It may look fine on the rack, but that's a static measurement. It's your dynamic toe that is affected.

    Did you mean LT265/75/16? I'm not seeing a 275/75/16 for those tires.
    What's your psi?
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2019
    Boghog1 and SmokeyTacoAZ[OP] like this.
  9. Dec 30, 2019 at 11:14 AM
    #9
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Oops. Yes 265/75. Thanks for the info. I'll probably try an alignment via my lifetime deal and if Firestone can't get it take it to a dedicated alignment shop.

    31 psi now. Need to chalk test again altho that looked good before
     
  10. Dec 30, 2019 at 11:24 AM
    #10
    splitbolt

    splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    Member:
    #32761
    Messages:
    7,873
    Gender:
    Male
    NW Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2016 TRD OFFROAD DCSB MGM
    LTs right? Try 37 psi before you take it in.
     
  11. Dec 30, 2019 at 11:36 AM
    #11
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Sorry, yeah. LTs. I'll make sure to test that. Otherwise I'm thinking I'd need a good alignment shop to help me dial in the toe. I assume that's adjustable with the stock setup. Thanks again
     
  12. Dec 30, 2019 at 11:43 AM
    #12
    splitbolt

    splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    Member:
    #32761
    Messages:
    7,873
    Gender:
    Male
    NW Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2016 TRD OFFROAD DCSB MGM
    Make sure to grab before and after measurements. If the alignment is not to your liking, it'll help figure things out.
     
  13. Dec 30, 2019 at 11:47 AM
    #13
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Thanks. It's only barely noticeable, but I'll see what I can do. Someone new to the truck may not notice.
     
  14. Jan 6, 2020 at 5:54 PM
    #14
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Been running at 38 psi. Definitely better, but steering still loose/floaty feeling at hwy speeds even if it is responsive. I'm surprised how much more psi is needed just due to a wider wheel (same tire). A chalk test showed 38 psi to have nice even wear across the tread now where before it would have been all in the center with old wheel. Maybe I could even go higher. Thanks for the suggestions.

    I'll take it to a reputable alignment shop here at some point. Looking at my last Firestone alignment this thing has almost no positive toe...even slightly negative on one side, which their numbers indicate is in "spec".

    Thanks again
     
  15. Jan 6, 2020 at 6:17 PM
    #15
    Tbgreen89

    Tbgreen89 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Member:
    #282505
    Messages:
    116
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2019 DCLB TRD-Off Road
    I'm on stock TRD OR wheels and Cooper ATPs 265/75s. When I first got them installed on my brand new 19 they were very floaty at highway speeds. PSI was around 35 I believe. Hated them for awhile. But after a couple thousand miles they rode like a dream.

    Maybe you just need to break them new tires in 1000 miles or more.
     
  16. Jan 6, 2020 at 7:53 PM
    #16
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Maybe they need a few more miles but the tires had 2500 miles when I got the new wheels. On the old TRD OR wheels the tires felt fine.
     
  17. Jan 6, 2020 at 9:32 PM
    #17
    Ronzio

    Ronzio Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2018
    Member:
    #245114
    Messages:
    2,720
    Gender:
    Male
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    17 DCSB TRDOR
    You need more caster
     
    beergeek likes this.
  18. Jan 7, 2020 at 1:26 AM
    #18
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Hope not because my UCAs are not adjustable. If I figure it out I'll post here in case it helps someone else. I'm hoping it's just the toe since it seems to be worse at higher speed.
     
  19. Jan 7, 2020 at 4:24 AM
    #19
    splitbolt

    splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    Member:
    #32761
    Messages:
    7,873
    Gender:
    Male
    NW Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2016 TRD OFFROAD DCSB MGM
    Shoot for +0.05 toe.
     
  20. Jan 7, 2020 at 6:10 AM
    #20
    SmokeyTacoAZ

    SmokeyTacoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2019
    Member:
    #295680
    Messages:
    156
    Vehicle:
    2018 DCSB TRD 4x4 OR
    Right now it's -0.01 on the left and 0.05 on the right. Not super hopeful more toe will make it much better. I must be really sensitive to the change. If it doesn't anyone want my F5s.... :rofl:
     

Products Discussed in

To Top