Alignment Dilemma

When I first installed my lift I took it a tire shop to get it aligned. They did it with no problems and they actually got lined up really good. That was back in June

In december I knocked my truck out of alignment when I was off roading, so i took it back to the same shop but yesterday they're mechanic was out of town so he sent me to their other shop to get it done.

I dropped it off there and like 2 hours later they called me back and told me both my inner tie rods were bent and thus they couldn't align it.

I figured I must have bent them when I knocked it out of alignment.

So today I took of those rubber covers to look and see how bad it was, but i couldn't see anything wrong with them. They steering turns them smooth and I doubt they are bent.

But upon closer inspection it looks like some little tabs on each tire rod are bent over. could it be that these little tabs are what the shop needs to use to align them, but since they are bent over, the shop cant get it?

Could these little tabs get bent from wheeling? or is it most likely that, that last shop bent the tabs and didn't tell me about it?

I'll have pictures in a little bit

 

pictures of said tabs. there are two on each inner tie rod and all of them are bent like this

 

I'm going snowboarding, so i won't be on till later.....when i get back i expect this thread to be full of useful information

ohh and when the i went to pick up my truck they gave me a quote for how much it would be to fix the inner tie rods and do an alignment on it.....something around 580$

 

No, those dented clips are not related to why they can't align your truck. If I'm not mistaken they have to be slid out of the way anyhow to loosen the nut underneath. By bet is the last mechanic bent them when forcing them back over the nuts they cover... no big deal.

To be honest I really can not tell from the photo you took if your front end components are bent, and even with better pics I probably couldn't unless I was there... my advise is to take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion.

BTW- I purchased a lifetime alignment at Firestone. It's a great deal (costs about as much as two alignments) but since it's a nationwide chain and since we own off-raod vehicles that need more frequent alignments it's worked out really well. Only downside is that usually the people working in Firestone are pretty stupid.. but then I feel that way about most shops.

Well, hope you had a great day boarding? Get a 2nd opinion on the alignment.. if it comes out the same then you probably do need what they say you do.. and whether you screwed up the parts off-roading or the last mechanic did you'll get to pay for it.. gotta love mechanics - plausible deniability!

Here is a PDF excerpt of a 2003 Tacoma service manual: alignment steps.

 

are you referring to that last page for the tie rod nuts?

 

Yes, it was that last page I was really referring to, but on a 2nd read see how it doesn't really show what I had hoped to show you.. so I have included a few photos from my 2003 Tacoma inner tie rod R&R.

Of course the major problem with all this is that my manual, photos, and experience are with a first gen Taco. Sure, I've got a 2nd Gen now but just haven't had the opportunity yet to bend my inner tie rods again...

Oh well, it's the best I can offer up. I will say that I'd never do the work myself next time. The rods cost me around $150 each if I recall and require a special socket wrench or else have to pull the power steering pump to make room for a standard one.. etc. Pretty much a big job in the end. Best wishes. -dw

 

I had my truck in the shop for a bad bearing and i asked them to check out the inner tie rods for a second opinion. they took it to their parter shop and had it aligned, no bent tie rods.

so i'm glad i didn't blindly listen to the first shop

 

What shop did you end up going to.

 

I took my truck to Dan's Toy shop. they specialize in toyota/scion/lexus....so they're basically a toyota shop

thats the only place i've taken my truck cuz they usually have the lowest prices.

when i asked about getting the bearing checked out toyota quoted me about 60$ just to look at it. and Dan's was just over 40$