Alignment PSA

I don't disagree.

However, $30-$40k is the new plebian price bracket.

So it's the same o same o on the dealer prep end.

 

Man some of you have no idea how your own vehicles work. Alignments should be done multiple times a year (I suggest you buy a 5 year program from a tire kingdom/NTB or lifetime from a Firestone depending on what’s closest to you). They are a wear item because your tie rods, ball joints, shocks, springs, and bushings are all wear items and those are the things that control your alignment. Especially on new vehicles when everything is still settling, your truck probably left the factory in perfect condition but as the shocks settled it may have changed your camber and that caused a slight pull. Or it could be that the technician centered your steering wheel slightly off, or the machine had enough built in slop to allow it to be slightly off, or a combination of everything I’ve mentioned and more. It’s just the way vehicles work and if you’re not willing to get your alignments done then most likely your tires are gonna wear unevenly and you can get robbed of thousands of miles worth of good tread because the tire is perfect on one side but bald on the other.

 

Front suspension lower mounts are unreasonably thin.

I wouldn’t be surprised if even the lightest off-roading caused deflection of the lower mounts and alignment changes.

Edit, and yes lots of things leave the factory off, but overall Toyota does pretty good. My Dodge has one metric and one SAE bolt holding the front bumper on (but it has a Cummins, so I ignore how poorly the rest is put together).

 

Wow.

Unless you know a tech, or the manager, personally, I'd never use a big box store for alignments.

Unless you're satisfied with 'in the green' results and frequent pitches for new parts.

Happy Friday.

Before anyone spins up on this, reread the disclaimer in my 2nd sentence.

 

The warranty kind of infers the necessity...

 

The only reasons a vehicle would require multiple alignments a year are faulty/failing parts, a TON of miles, hitting curbs, brutal roads, getting banged around off-road, etc. Ball joints and tie rods should not be wearing out so fast that the vehicle needs multiple alignments per year. If they are, that's a bigger issue.

 

Not a bad disclaimer, I work in this industry so I know for a fact there are lots of lazy technicians. Should’ve clarified to make sure you have a good technician, most will ignore the lower control arm cam bolts and only adjust the toe. If you think the technicians are pitching you parts you don’t need then let them show you the parts, if you catch them with their pants down they tend to get very honest very quickly.

 

Preach baby!!

 

Also, Every time my alignment is due , I ask them if they are charging me for a 4wheel or 2wheel alignment. They usually shrug , say “oh yeah” , and then lower the price on my ticket. Don’t blindly pay for a 4wheel alignment on a Tacoma because they aint doing one.

 

I've never understood this, I've been a tech for 20 years almost and it's always been called 4 wheel alignment on all models. I've never heard it called 2 wheel alignment.

There's 4 sensors and you check the non-adjustable wheels for spec.

I can adjust a Venza with front and rear toe faster than I can adjust a tacoma with eccentrics. So why should we charge less for tacoma?

It's a flat rate, all vehicles charge the same, some shops charge more for modified.

 

That’s what mine does, same price for every stock vehicle, lifted and lowered get charged like $20-30 more because you’re usually operating outside factory specifications so the process is a little more in depth.