Pulling to right but aligment in spec?

So do you think I should go to another shop first and try to get another alignment or should I adjust those plates first?

And I'm sure it's not just the roads. Even the mechanic knows that it's pulling.

 

First, try and get your $$$ back from first shop (slim chance, worth a try), second, adjust cam to "D" setting, third, take it to another shop and get it realigned....when you adjust the ball joint cam, as mentioned, your toe will change, so will the caster and camber, everything will need to be redone to get it right...

 

I would find another shop. one that you have confidence in. tell them to drive it before and after and the point is to remove the pull and align... not just align. Note my numbers for a 2.5 lift and 285's are camber around 0 and caster in the 1.5 range.... I do not have aftermarket UCA and infact they could not adjust caster on what side (frozen bolt)...

Make sure the next place is good and if possible a place that deals with lifts (if possible) and make sure they know you want the PULL TO THE RIGHT fixed.... that is what worked for me.

I still fight my truck from time to time but it is a different feeling... not a pull as much as a wander. probably caster and bigger tires. I am a picky SOB and I got used to it quickly. If it really bothered me my next step would be new UCA's.

Carl

 

i should say change caster setting on UCA then drive to alignment shop immediately but I drove mine for two days before taking to the alignment because I wanted to know the effects on my truck for my personal knowledge but it's your truck your decision.

I will add what the mechanic that fixed my alignment explained to me: "In a lifted truck with bigger tires, getting camber correct is really important - ideally 0.0 in my opinion, but you can have driver desired positive or negative - but both sides have to be precisely the same value to oppose the effect of the other tire. Think of a motorcycle tire leaning which causes the bike to turn. If your tires are cambered towards the same side, trucks going to move that way".

Which come to find out was my major problem, the minor was my caster was too low causing a light steering allowing the wheel to turn right easily.

That may all be a load of BS the mechanic told me but it makes sense and the truck doesn't pull right anymore.

 

Well I do notice that my wheels(passenger side more then the driver side) have the bottom leaning a little inwards and the top leaning a little out. What @EdinAthens said about the motorcycle tire would make sense because my outter tread would be gripping and making it it pull to the right.

Should I loosen up the spindle but that connects to the UCA and try to straighten the tire out myself? Or should the mechanic have done that?

 

I usually say try any tweak yourself so that you learn more how your truck works.

But in this case, if your not certain, I wouldn't. Drive to your alignment shop of choice. Demand to speak with the person that is going to do the alignment. Ask if they are familure and willing to make adjustments on the UCA (take instructions sheet and socket that fits - 1-1/4" IIRC) and explain what you want 0.0 camber. Caster 3+ and 0.0 Toe. Explain your right drift problem and why you want it to stop.

If they aren't willing to make adjustments to UCA and say they like to set camber or caster higher intentionally on the right to fight road crown, then say thank you and go somewhere else.

My 2 cents.

 

Move ball joint cam to "c" position, then go to alignment shop, don' t touch anything else..your settings should be as follows;
Camber. 0.
Caster. At least +2
Toe. 0

You will be happy once it is done to this spec, you can not do it yourself, expensive laser machines are needed, eyeballing does not get it...

 

Just called the shop that I've been to twice. They thought that I went mudding and were trying to make that the reason that my truck is pulling to the right. I told them that I had only went in soft sand and asked if that would affect my alignment. They said no. (Duh..)

I told them the reason that I think my truck is pulling is because my tires (more passenger then driver side) isn't sitting completely level and that maybe the outter tread is gripping more which is making it pull that way. I also told them that this couldn't be good for the health or longevity of the tire life.

They also said that they don't adjust the nut connecting the UCA to the spindle (is this a ball joint? -sorry my mechanical literacy isn't spot on) and that this wouldn't affect something. I don't remember exactly what he said because I was starting to get pissed.

So now I'm going in AGAIN today to see if they can't fix it. I'd rather not have to be an asshole but if they can't figure this out then I don't feel like I need to be paying for anything. And I'm gonna be asking for a refund.

 

Should I do this before I go back again today? I want everything on my part to be as it should so they can't point blame at me.

 

Change setting to "c", then go get an alignment...I am assuming you can do this, if not, tell the tech to do it....and verify he did it before they proceed with the third alignment attempt...


Frankly, you are beating a dead horse, I would find a better shop to do the work...if you insist on going back, give the alignment tech the specs I gave you, be firm, they can do it....if they can't, go to another shop...

Edit, now that I think about it, it would be best to leave the setting on "d" so they can't blame you for messing up their faulty alignment, just make sure they reset the cam to the "c" setting, then proceed to realign the sucker....

 

This is what I plan on doing. I don't know if they are gonna be willing to adjust that cam plate or not. I'll post back when I get done with them and share the results.

 

Sorry to thread jack, but what setting (c,d,etc) would it need to be at with a 3" coilover lift on a 05 Prerunner DCSB Tacoma. What should the alignment numbers come out to be for the camber, caster and toe?

 

If you want the JOB done right, with the right caster, then the cams have to be adjusted before the next alignment...Jesus, dude, you got to get this right or all you will doing is wasting your time and theirs too...and still have problems with your trucks tracking...

Get another alignment shop and get it done right....

 

Did you read anything in the last few posts, it is all there for you...I am outta here, it is a nut house...

 

0, +2, 0

I wasn't sure if it mattered if it was 3" v 2.5" of lift

 

no, it doesn't matter, you got the numbers to shoot for...

 

Ummmm so they're trying to correct camber with the LCA adjustments when they could dial it in perfectly fine with the UCA balljoint. Another fine example of lazy ass mechanics who don't care how well they do their job.

 

Not caring in some cases, in others not knowing. When I was in the automotive world, there were many who knew little about the off-road world, they were straight liners, circle jerks or ricers. Show them a TRUCK that had a tunable suspension and they were lost.

Those that did know anything about off-road were usually mud and bro truckers, very few knew anything of IFS tuning, let alone how to make a real car handle in a curve.

This was dealer on down to the fast food repair shops. Not saying there aren't some good ones out there, there are, but you have to look for them.

The fortunate part for the Toyota owners, the factory did pretty well setting these trucks up from the get go, they handle well in stock form, add a few enhancements and they get even better.

 

I wasn't able to make it back to the shop today. I'll probably reset the cams this weekend and go to a different shop next week some time.

 

Is caster adjustable to a stock UCA? I haven't taken that close of a look at mine.