Alignment settings wander

Been using the same Firestone lifetime alignment place for years. This last time my alignment won't stay set. It changes when I shift laterally, like a freeway cloverleaf, or making a U-turn. Once it shifts, it stays that way until I undo it via reversing the direction of the last lateral shift. It seems to have three positions: 11:00 (U-turn position), 12:00 (have not been able to figure that one out), and 1:00 (freeway cloverleaf position).

I haven't found anything out of the ordinary for my truck, nothing looser, nothing new visually.

The last changes I made were partly in response to this problem, but they haven't fixed it -- in fact, when I took it in after the last alignment and asked them to check tightness because it was changing, they found a bad ball joint (causing me to move up my planned LCA swap). Latest work: new steering rack (was reason for alignment), swapped stock LCAs with poly bushings and Moog balljoints for stock LCAs with poly bushings and Moog balljoints (removed ones were a trail install from a year ago), new Napa CVs both sides. Wheel bearings have probably around 20k.

I could go over my list of mods, but I would eventually find the interwebz character limit, and none of you have time to read through it all. 2011 DCLB 4x4 expo build. King, Camburg, spindle gussets, armor, not LT, 6,200 pounds empty, 255/85/17s on T4R wheels, T4R brakes. If you suspect some specific mod in terms of this issue, ask.

I need to figure out this and my forever-ongoing brake issue before the end of March when I take the family out to the Maze again. (Yes, solo. Yes, I've done it before. Yes, I know what I'm getting into. Yes, I'm prepared. No, I don't need any finger-wagging.)

 

Yeah, I suppose I should have mentioned that.

The usual suspects did their usual thing a while back. I didn't weld in any aftermarket gussets, but I did bend back the stock tabs and lay in a thick bead behind the three that flattened. They haven't been an issue since.

 

well i had this problem and it was a nightmare to diagnose until i found the right yota guy. can't say it's the same issue but i had a bad tech strip the driver rear LCA cam bolt threads. it would kinda tighten down, but not really. it would align on the rack and unalign as soon as it weight shifted on the road. back & forth as you describe. with a metallic noise when it would weight shift on the bolt.

i used 4 idiot shops who wouldn't go deep enough although i told them over & over it's not the alignment. but they preferred to beat heads against walls and attempt to align it for the umpteenth time.

get it on the rack and get down to those bolts and look for any kind of play at the bolts themselves. for me it was the actual bolt threads that stripped.

 

I've actually had the LCAs off since this started, put them back on myself. I can say for sure it's not a stripped alignment bolt. (Only known stripped bolt on my truck is one of the big front skid bolts)

 

another down, good luck.

 

Steering rack not set-up/adjusted correctly?

U-joint on the intermediate shaft?

Too much caster and/or improper toe? Can you post the alignment?

Not enough poke and/or too tall a tire giving negative scrub radius? Which 4runner wheel? Offset?

 

How are the cam tabs ? The stocks flatten over time and when cams are maxed it's a guarantee. Get the TC Gussets and itll hold a solid alignment. 36k since my last and it's still 0 toe, 0cam, 3.6 caster