2012 Alignment

I added LR upper control arms and have brand new Falken Wildpeak AT3W 265 x 70 x 17's.
I have taken my truck to Pep Boys (I know) twice in the last two weeks The truck pulls to the right all the time. after alignment. Any Ideas? Are they supposed to do anything with the LR upper control arms? The nut on top looks like it has never been touched.

 

On a stock tacoma the camber and caster adjustments are on the lower control arms and the toe adjustments are on the tie rods. Can you post a copy of the alignment printout that pep boys gave you after the alignment?

 

The tires they have listed are incorrect. The tires on the truck now are 265 x 70 x 17 Factory tires were 245 x 75 x 16

 

Tire size won't matter.

I don't see anything in those readings to indicate a pull. If anything you would have a pull to the left. Split is nearly identical before and after so if it pulls now it should have before as well.

Did they put those tires on and do the alignment? My guess would be a tire pull. Swap tires left to right.

 

You could ask them to try to get the caster more equal by dropping the left side of possible, but usally a difference greater than 5 degrees would create a pull. Road crown could be adding into it

 

Yes PepBoys put the tires on and balanced them and now three alignments in two weeks. If you let go of the wheel it travels straight then begins to turn right after a couple hundred feet.

 

I have tried different roads and banked left curves. Still wants to go rt.

 

Sounds like the road might have a slight crown which would cause you to drift to the right. If you can find a stretch of road that is straight and open with no other cars coming you could try very briefly driving on the other side of the road to see if the truck still pulls to the right.

 

Did it pull before? If not I would swap the front two tires.

Do you have the numbers from the first alignment still?

 

Also, you asked about the top bolt on the UCA's. That allows additional adjustments for camber. Take the instructions you got with them in next time.

If he stated that he couldn't get caster in without camber going out of tolerance that will help him get both within specs. Not sure of you suspension set up, ask him to set your caster equal, whatever number you prefer, then set camber with the additional adjustment on UCA.

 

The truck did pull to the right, but after 50 k on the tires. Pep Boys kept the other two alignment readouts.

 

it could be a tire pull, the only way to determine that would be to rotate the tires (may have to do this a few times) or to use a tire balance machine with road force and straight track.

if the tires are not causing the pull, i would set the alignment with a cross caster of 1 degree. I normally shoot for 0 degree camber on the left front and the right front. Then I will set the caster as high as possible on the right front 4 degrees? and then I would set the left front Caster to be 1 degree lower than the right font caster 3.0 degrees for this example. On some trucks I have had to use a cross caster closer to 1.5 degrees to reduce the pull.

 

Thx. I bring it back tomorrow and they now have the LR UCA instructions.

 

Well Pep boys did the alignment yesterday after giving the the directions on how to adjust the LR UCA's. They said it was perfect. Well it still veers to the right on any road both sides of the crown. Here is the latest alignment info.

 

I'd swap your tires side to side on the front. See if that makes it better or has it pulling to the left. If it still pulls right, rotate front to back.

Nothing in the alignment now should make it pull. Only alternative is to purposely create a caster pull left to compensate. I'd eliminate tire pull first.

Check your right front caliper slides and make sure it free spins. Make sure you don't have a drag issue creating the pull etc..