2017 Tacoma Difficulty figuring swaying issue

Hey guys. I have a 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Off Road. I had a truck before and I don't remember it being anywhere near as much of a battle on the freeway. When I got it from the dealership they had PSI on tires ridiculously low like 22. Then at my 5000 mile tune up they had filled them to 37. I keep them around 30 psi (cold) as recommended by sidewall. The thing tho is no matter the PSI it seems to sway and drift on me a good bit and its a little bit of a battle. I don't drive it over 70 mph because its difficult to. i've got 7700 miles and done some very light 4x4'ing. Really almost none at all. Is it possible that having the PSI so wildly incorrect by the dealer could've affected it? I'm assuming an alignment wouldn't be necessary yet but I really don't know. I'm just sick of battling it on the freeway.

Edit: It's really quite possibly the alignment because if its flat it has a very slight drift right. Would dealership be responsible for this? Sorry for so many stupid questions.

 

Low PSI will certainly cause truck to blunder down the highway. 30psi sounds low, which tires did you get? If it’s the Goodyear Wrangler AT with Kevlar, you can go as high as 50PSI but you should fill to what it says on the side door sticker - 35PSI? Then reset your air pressure sensors.

Fill it up to the spec PSI on that door sticker, test it out, and take it to the dealer if it still happens. Yes as per warranty, you get comped for an alignment check and adjustment.

I have the same truck and could easily go 80mph straight and smoothly in Utah where it was legal.

 

mine were also 35psi, no issues.

 

Have you checked your alignment? It really sounds like your toe-in is off. When your toe isn't adjusted right the vehicle won't "track" correctly, it'll feel like a battle to keep it in the middle of the lane.

Just because your truck is new doesn't mean its doesn't need alignment! I had mine aligned at 500 miles and again at 5k and AGAIN at 10k (but I offroad hard and often)

Alignment is FREE for the first 1yr/12k miles so get it to the dealership before then

 

Also, there’s a section on tire inflation in the, you know...

 

Wrangler RT/S 265/70R16
Sidewall says recommended 30

 

I did not know it was free thank you sir. It’s definitely a battle so that sounds like you might be onto something there

 

The info in there is trash lol

 

Look up on

I meant “as high as”, not “recommended”:

Dang, need a new iPhone battery!

 

ahhh. I just found it interesting their wide variety of PSI. I'm going to have the dealership do an alignment.

 

Sidewalls on tires only show 'max pressure'

Read about what that means here.

Your operating pressure for your truck, your conditions is easy to determine.

Set the pressure to the number on the sticker in your door jamb.

Do a chalk test. Google it if you don't know how. Adjust the pressure up or down as required by the test results, 1# at a time.

Moving on to you question, my money says your problem will be solved by an alignment. Just because a vehicle is new does not guarantee proper alignment.

And remember. The geniuses at the dealership who dinked with your tire pressures are the same crowd who are performing your 'free' services. Not a feel good moment is it?

 

no sir its not. I meant to type side door earlier fyi. That's what says 30 PSI. Thank you for the recommendation on chalk test. Will check it out.

 

Hi voidofenigmas, have you taken your 2017 Tacoma TRD OR in for an alignment yet?
I just bought a 2017 Tacoma TRD Sport. Not a 4x4. I’ve had it one month now.
I had a 2016 TRD Sport and just traded for the 2017.
The steering on the 2017 is killing me. Will not stay in center of lane. While holding the steering wheel perfectly straight, the truck drifts/goes left. Driving me nuts!
I’m taking mine in Monday to have an alignment and praying they find that the alignment is off.
Just wondering what you found out with your truck.

 

Got an appointment friday morning.

 

Dont walk in and say you need an alignment bc they will just put it into factory tolerance which can be off. Tell them the exact toe, camber and caster that you want and you should get a read out.

 

thank you will do

 

Are those the OEM tire?
If not, what was?

 

its the standard for the TRD Off Road I believe

 

Curious...
Reason I ask is, the 2016 Tacomas have a 2,149-2,172lb inflation requirement for P-metric and ISO/ETRTO-metric tires. Regardless if it was the; P245/75/16/109SL @ 32 psi(2,172lbs)(SR/SR5), 265/70/16/112SL @ 30psi(2,149lbs)(Offroad) or P265/65/17/110SL @ 29psi(2,149)(Sport).

The 2016s offroads came with the Goodyear Adventure Kevlar ISO/ETRTO-metric 265/70/16/112SL with a tire placard of 30 psi.
Your Goodyear RTS is a P-metric P265/70/16/111SL with a tire placard of 30 psi, this gives a load rating of 2,216 lbs.

Either; you do not have the OEM tire or Toyota changed the load requirement.
If you do not have the OEM tire, the adjusted inflation for the RTS is 27 psi(2,142 lbs) to 28 psi(2,179 lbs)
If it is in fact the OEM tire and Toyota changed the load requirement, rock on with the 30 psi tire placard.

As far as steering/handling; you describe it as "sway". Are you maybe experiencing body roll with the softer Offroad suspension?
If not and it's alignment, it's not at all uncommon to be out of spec from the factory, or soon after, as suspension and steering components wear in.
You should be comped two free alignments.

 

Agree with the concept.

Very doubtful you'll gain that out of a dealership. Even if they outsource the work, it's doubtful they'd pass along your requested numbers.

For warranty purposes 'in spec' is good enough. And since Toyota is paying them X amount of time for the work, they sure aren't going to go over that dinking around with specific targets.