Alignment issue

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some help. I recently put 35’s on my truck and went to get an alignment, the shop told me that they couldn’t do it because I had a bad rack and pinion. I have changed that racked and pinion since and got alignment done. My problem is that the right front wheel keeps getting unaligned. Only the front right. No matter how many times I’ve aligned it. Does anybody know what might be the problem.

 

Curious to hear replies. My wife’s 2017 Sienna (purchase 2+ years ago) has been out of alignment 3 times in the past year! She has been driving for over 3 decades and alignments have always been rare. She isn’t driving differently, hitting excessive pot holes, etc. Never had an issue with any vehicle (Toyota or other) continually doing this.

 

There's more to an alignment than the steering rack.. but each time you take it back to the shop for an alignment, do they tell you what was out of alignment? Doesn't exactly sound like you're putting your hands on the wrenches, so it would better to ask the people that are.

 

no I’ve been doing, string alignment, a couple of times because I need to be able to drive the truck but I just can’t figure out why it’s coming out of alignment. That’s why I’m asking. Because the people just said it was the steering rack at the shop

 

Alright, if you're doing a string alignment, what are you adjusting to realign it? Sorry, I should have asked more questions. Are you just talking about Toe, or are you measuring Camber and Caster as well?

Something is moving- start making paint pen match marks on the alignment cams, and the lock nuts on the tie rods.

 

I’m just adjusting the toe just because I don’t really wanna mess up the camber anymore right now, I was gonna leave that for the shop. Do you think that could be it?

 

Had the same issue. Ended up being the eccentrics would move even when they were tight. Paint mark all your adjusters and see what moves.

 

If any help to you
Told to adjust Camber 1st
Then Toe 2nd
(Car in question had no castor adjustment)

 

it doesn’t look like they didn’t do any castor adjustment, do you think that could be a part of the problem?

 

Not too many vehicles have castor adjustment……unless AM add on’s involved (race car)

I think other members nailed it by marking eccentric bolts….align….inspect after tank or two of fuel
See if marks moved

 

Yeah seen the problem is I wouldn’t even be able to drive a tank or two, because this happens about right away, one minute I’ll be driving straight, and the next the wheel will be turned.

 

Whoa
That’s serious

I think next step
Post some pix of RF suspension
Something has failed
Try to get all rubber portions/connection points in your pix

Lots of members here will point you in right direction

 

Be sure to post yr/model/how many miles to

 

While you are under the truck observing, have a mate rotate the steering wheel in the full range of movement. The truck should be running so do this safely. If you can, make a video. You are observing the movement of the steering rack in it's mount and the tie rods (inner and outer) on the side that keeps changing. You might also look for movement of the lower control arm where it mounts to the frame.

 

So for anyone wondering, I have found the issue! I started looking around under the truck and was looking at the lower control arm, trying to check for and play or any cracks in the subframe. The issue was not there, instead it was the lower ball joint, it had so much play that it would move the wheel back and fourth. Hope this helps anyone who might encounter this issue.

 

Count yourself lucky and go buy a lotto ticket. Also change out the other side as well. New bolts.

Not me but what could've been.

 

This should be an every other oil change check… takes longer to get the floor jack out than to do the check.

 

Whoah yeah lucky . . . . what really gripes me is why the alignment shop didn't see this and alert you right away. If it's that loose it's no longer a performance issue, it's a safety issue. Go OEM on the ball joints and replace both of them, many threads here about why.