Perfect alignment not possible

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K

kpassman

Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
17
Location
los angeles
Hi all,

Have a 21 HE that I got last year that I put 6k miles on. Ever since day 1, the steering wheel has never been perfect when driving down a road. Even took it in for a dealer alignment but the end result was the same, not str8. I work at a shop that has a Jim Beam aligner and everytime I align it, it doesn't come out perfect. Am I chasing the impossible? Thanks all
 
How does it drive? Is they only symptom the steering wheel being off-center? What are your alignment numbers?
 
Heckraiser said:
How does it drive? Is they only symptom the steering wheel being off-center? What are your alignment numbers?
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Hi Heck,

I aligned it last week to specs and afterwards, you had to tilt the steering wheel a couple degrees right in order to go straight.
Here are today's numbers. I took a brief test drive after todays alignment, I now have to tilt the wheel left to go straight.
Dam my $87,995 toyota!
 

Attachments

What type of driving do you do? I wonder if it’s a road crest symptom.

I find myself driving straight with minimal steering wheel input on the highway, but always have to turn the wheel a little to the right around town.
 
spazzyfry123 said:
What type of driving do you do? I wonder if it’s a road crest symptom.

I find myself driving straight with minimal steering wheel input on the highway, but always have to turn the wheel a little to the right around town.
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Hey Spaz,

All I do is mall crawl. :)
Do you think I should reset the steering angle sensor/yaw rate sensor, etc?
 
kpassman said:
Hey Spaz,

All I do is mall crawl. :)
Do you think I should reset the steering angle sensor/yaw rate sensor, etc?
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Hey I’m right there with you. My 200 is full of Cheerios and car seats. All mom duty.

While I’m not well versed in 200-specific specs, a lot of manufacturers have the crown of the road for water runoff factored into the alignment specs. I’m sure if that was countered, there’s potential to resolve your concerns. If someone on here knows more, I’d learn myself. Majority of our time is around town, so we’d benefit similarly to you.
 
So here's my take on alignment, but others will know much more.

The alignment of the wheels going down the road is what the numbers on the alignment equipment show. All the tech does is make sure all the numbers are green (within spec). The alignment of the steering wheel in relation to the front wheels is a matter of having the tech look at the steering wheel to make sure it's centered. Adjustments are made at the tie rod ends to center the steering wheel. Very few techs take the time to get that perfect. My new LC steering wheel was off from the factory and it took 3 (three!) trips to two different dealerships before I found a tech who was willing to take the extra time to correctly center the steering wheel after the alignment machine showed the front wheels all set up green. In fact, the tech who finally helped me said the front wheel alignment was almost certainly fine all along and the first 2 techs just saw green and walked away. So, go back to the alignment place and show the tech in person that the steering wheel is not centered and ask to have the tie rod ends adjusted to center it. Don't let them tell you the numbers are green so everything is perfect.
 
My 20 HE was perfect off of the dealer lot. After I lifted it I had two failed alignments by a shop that should have known better (off-road specialist). Had a different shop that specializes in alignments for lifted vehicles - 35s are considered small to these guys. After their alignment, vehicle drove straight and true as day one. Point I am making is that the right alignment shop is the answer.
 
Maybe it's possible you need just the steering wheel itself adjusted.
I had the chance to use an Autel scanner/programmer. there is an option to move the steering wheel itself even the smallest adjustment with out moving the front wheels.
 
gnob said:
Its super easy to just get under there and adjust the tierods until the wheel is straight.
Ive done this to my rig a number of times to save time on the alignment rack.
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Is this really that easy? I would tackle this...any tips? Write up anywhere? Thanks
 
Can anyone confirm the 2016+ LX alignment specs for me?
What im seeing is confusing me specially in regards to camber being 0.
I thought it was specified slightly in positive range for our AHC trucks...

@Taco2Cruiser is it alright if i drag you in here?

Getting some steering wobble that I cant correct. Never there until my last dealer rotation. Tried multiple things.
Im pretty sure my alignment isn't quite correct.
 
AnyMal said:
Can anyone confirm the 2016+ LX alignment specs for me?
What im seeing is confusing me specially in regards to camber being 0.
I thought it was specified slightly in positive range for our AHC trucks...

@Taco2Cruiser is it alright if i drag you in here?

Getting some steering wobble that I cant correct. Never there until my last dealer rotation. Tried multiple things.
Im pretty sure my alignment isn't quite correct.
Click to expand...
Did you check the lug nut torque? I had a similar vibration from a dealer rotation and found multiple finger tight.
 
spazzyfry123 said:
Did you check the lug nut torque? I had a similar vibration from a dealer rotation and found multiple finger tight.
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I have, and that had also happened to me before… Ive actually replaced the nuts as well with the wheel manufacturers own lug nuts. Im starting to think this is either some kind of failure or a botched alignment. I think i will take it to a different alignment specialist today or tomorrow. Kind of hate driving it right now.
 
spazzyfry123 said:
Did you check the lug nut torque? I had a similar vibration from a dealer rotation and found multiple finger tight.
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YIKES!
Not confidence inspiring.
When I got my "free" oil changes, I told them to just check my lug nut torque. I did the 5 tire rotation myself.
My warranty runs out in 100 miles, can't think of any reason to bring it in (yet anyway).
 
AnyMal said:
Can anyone confirm the 2016+ LX alignment specs for me?
What im seeing is confusing me specially in regards to camber being 0.
I thought it was specified slightly in positive range for our AHC trucks...

@Taco2Cruiser is it alright if i drag you in here?

Getting some steering wobble that I cant correct. Never there until my last dealer rotation. Tried multiple things.
Im pretty sure my alignment isn't quite correct.
Click to expand...
Always glad to help, but I’m out and about right now so bear with me.

At normal ride height setting, unloaded, with half fuel tank minimum, specs is +0.13 camber.

Steering issues are plentiful on a 200 series platform. The full time 4wheel drive is incredibly sensitive to the slightest of variances that can cause things to not feel right.

But I stand by this, a 200 can drive perfectly down the road, it just takes someone knowing what they are doing, not a kid at a Toyota dealership that got told, “make the red boxes green” and that’s all he knows.

When I get back, I’ve got another 200 build and that will be my 200th, 200 built by me personally. I fell it would help with a things I found thread. Not so much my opinion, just observations. In the mean time until I get all that wrote up, if you’re have a terrible time, shoot me a PM, and we’ll talk on the phone.
 
Taco2Cruiser said:
Always glad to help, but I’m out and about right now so bear with me.

At normal ride height setting, unloaded, with half fuel tank minimum, specs is +0.13 camber.

Steering issues are plentiful on a 200 series platform. The full time 4wheel drive is incredibly sensitive to the slightest of variances that can cause things to not feel right.

But I stand by this, a 200 can drive perfectly down the road, it just takes someone knowing what they are doing, not a kid at a Toyota dealership that got told, “make the red boxes green” and that’s all he knows.

When I get back, I’ve got another 200 build and that will be my 200th, 200 built by me personally. I fell it would help with a things I found thread. Not so much my opinion, just observations. In the mean time until I get all that wrote up, if you’re have a terrible time, shoot me a PM, and we’ll talk on the phone.
Click to expand...

Y'all are really awesome at what you do and while i have a great shop local to me (Bearden) they do not do alignments.
The truck place i had it "dialed in" is just trying to sell me an UCA which i do not need by every account I've read.
Now that i am learning more Ive come to realize the sensitivity of the 200, specially given AHC optioned.
I'm looking at my specs and I just don't think its setup well.
The FSM im looking at is saying 0 camber though. And im all sorts of confused now.

Any help at all is appreciated. Including a shop recommendation around Austin.
 
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