bakerla's wife's no name 4Runner

bakerla

Man, Myth, Legend
I wanted to like that size but limited offerings and most or all weight about the same as a 285/75/17 I went with the bigger size. Also now it's a stock size for the Jeep Gladiator rubicon there are a good amount of offerings in C load range.
Yea, I'm seeing 275/70/17 is quite limited now. Falken Wildpeaks come in that size and load rating, but they are a heavy tire.
 

bakerla

Man, Myth, Legend
Neither, some other local shop. I went thru this same shit with my Tacoma. Took a half dozen or so tries after i lifted it,a took it to a shop 45 mins from home that was recommended.
 

tex

That's Mr Asshole to you
Someone that knows what they are doing with alignments is priceless. Make the drive
 

CowboyTaco

Well-Known Member
Alignments seems like such a basic thing, yet experience speaks volumes. I always ask how long the alignment tech has been doing alignments.

That's one thing I wish was easier to DIY....
 

Oswego

n00b
Neither, some other local shop. I went thru this same shit with my Tacoma. Took a half dozen or so tries after i lifted it,a took it to a shop 45 mins from home that was recommended.

Good luck man. I only ever found one shop that was a 2+ hr drive away that could do it right consistently. The drive sucked but worth it in the end.

I got lucky using Firestone but that was always my back up not primary. I also had Firestone flatten out my cam tabs and try to give it back to me like that. Same ding dongs who put the wrong valve stems and weights on my tires....

In the end it all comes down to the shop having at least one guy who knows whats up. This is not rocket science here.....
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Neither, some other local shop. I went thru this same shit with my Tacoma. Took a half dozen or so tries after i lifted it,a took it to a shop 45 mins from home that was recommended.
You can try this shop. I used to go first thing in the morning because they get REALLY busy. If you can't make it in the morning, I would call and schedule a time with them. But I haven't taken my Tacoma there because I have the lifetime alignment from Firestone. I have taken my stepdad's diesel to get aligned there and that's the only place he would go around town. My buddy uses them for his diesel truck and his dad's diesel truck as well.
Auto Service & Auto Repair in Pasadena | Axle and Wheel Aligning Co.
920 W Pasadena Freeway Frontage Rd, Pasadena, TX 77506
 

bakerla

Man, Myth, Legend
Firestone is only good for toe and go alignments. I have the lifetime alignment on my truck and use it on occasion. I have to tell them everytime, don't touch the caster. It's set really high and out of spec on purpose, but my truck drives straight.

What's worse than dealing with alignment stuff, is taking time off work to do it...
 

Silverback

Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Firestone is only good for toe and go alignments. I have the lifetime alignment on my truck and use it on occasion. I have to tell them everytime, don't touch the caster. It's set really high and out of spec on purpose, but my truck drives straight.

What's worse than dealing with alignment stuff, is taking time off work to do it...

^^
This!
 

Oswego

n00b
Last time I got a good alignment (I always check them with chalk on my tires) I wanted to weld some tacks on my cams to help them stay in place, but never looked into if that was a good or bad idea.
 

tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
Guess I got lucky with my alignment. I took the 4Runner to the dealership that @RichardB23 works at to get it done on a Saturday morning. I was in and out in around an hour with no issues at all. They even gave the rig a couple looks over to make sure nothing else was wrong/ could be a service work for them. @balakay had his Tacoma alignment done at the same dealership with the same results.
 

balakay

BabyMax
Guess I got lucky with my alignment. I took the 4Runner to the dealership that @RichardB23 works at to get it done on a Saturday morning. I was in and out in around an hour with no issues at all. They even gave the rig a couple looks over to make sure nothing else was wrong/ could be a service work for them. @balakay had his Tacoma alignment done at the same dealership with the same results.

Yep, well worth the drive up there and the $100. I have the Firestone lifetime alignment on the truck and it's nice when I do something and I need to get an alignment to hold me over until I can get up there and get a real alignment. But driving more than a few days on a Firestone alignment gets old fast.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Firestone is only good for toe and go alignments. I have the lifetime alignment on my truck and use it on occasion. I have to tell them everytime, don't touch the caster. It's set really high and out of spec on purpose, but my truck drives straight.

What's worse than dealing with alignment stuff, is taking time off work to do it...
I schedule my Firestone alignments for the first appointment on Saturday morning. That way I'm first in line and get it over with.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Last time I got a good alignment (I always check them with chalk on my tires) I wanted to weld some tacks on my cams to help them stay in place, but never looked into if that was a good or bad idea.
Bad idea. You don't want to weld onto that paper thin Tacoma frame if you can help it. It's also a bitch to get to the inside cams to grind with tools.
 

Oswego

n00b
I schedule my Firestone alignments for the first appointment on Saturday morning. That way I'm first in line and get it over with.


I do that with everything from car inspections at DMV to banking. Hit them first and early and hope they aren't still drunk from Friday night, or for car inspections - I hope they are hungover and miss stuff lol
 

bakerla

Man, Myth, Legend
You can try this shop. I used to go first thing in the morning because they get REALLY busy. If you can't make it in the morning, I would call and schedule a time with them. But I haven't taken my Tacoma there because I have the lifetime alignment from Firestone. I have taken my stepdad's diesel to get aligned there and that's the only place he would go around town. My buddy uses them for his diesel truck and his dad's diesel truck as well.
Auto Service & Auto Repair in Pasadena | Axle and Wheel Aligning Co.
920 W Pasadena Freeway Frontage Rd, Pasadena, TX 77506

I went here this morning and was out in 40 minutes. They corrected the alignment by splitting the caster even more. The tech said the alignment I came in with should have driving straight and on paper looked like it should be tire pull. The pull started after the lift and had no issues prior. He did the work anyways.
 

Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
I went here this morning and was out in 40 minutes. They corrected the alignment by splitting the caster even more. The tech said the alignment I came in with should have driving straight and on paper looked like it should be tire pull. The pull started after the lift and had no issues prior. He did the work anyways.

how does it drive now?
 

Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Sorry. I implied it drives straight but didn't come out and say it. It drives straight. Caster was maxed on passenger side so he dropped it on the driver said. Doubled the split from .8 to 1.6 degrees.

good deal!
 
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