Alignment shop can't get steering-wheel straight

Has anybody had alignment shops give them problems with aligning the steering wheel straight?

I went back twice, and the 2nd time the owner took it for a drive with me and said that it's as good as it's going to get. He told me it's because of my lift and that the settings were all maxed out. I also have a bad wheel bearing and they said that could also be the reason.

Should I accept this?

 

How about you post up an alignment printout.

 

No.

They should be able to get it spot on if nothing is worn out.

I did my own alignment and my steering wheel dead balls straight

 

If you have slop in any front end components its impossible.
If there is play you have to ride on one side of the slop or the other.
It can only be centered in the center of the slop but as soon as you start driving you have to go to one side of the other.
Different roads do different things as well.
Yes I think a bad wheel bearing can effect it.
But if one road you drive on has a large crown and another is mostly flat its going to be different.
Especially if you have worn out parts.

 

The only reason that the steering could not be set straight would be if someone had the steering intermediate shaft apart and put it together a few splines off and then when the shop aligned it, the threads bottomed out on 1 of the tie rods. Look at the tie rods. If there are at least a few threads showing on both sides, they are full of crap.

While I was typing this, you posted the printout. They're fuckin idiots!!!!

 

that tech sucks by the looks of your numbers

 

They should easily be able to get the steering wheel straight by releasing the steering wheel linkage to the steering rack at the rag joint and moving one or so teeth in the direction to compensate.

I find it hard to believe they’d get the steering wheel to be that out if they didn’t do try to move a tooth or two at the rag joint to begin with, generally if it went in there with it being straight and close to in spec for alignment it should leave there with the steering wheel straight.

Found this with a quick google search
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/steering-column-final-fix.277292/

 

Did you ever take the steering wheel off?

 

Do not adjust it by the rag joint spline, u have to turn both the tie rods the same direction until it centers, if ur rack is off center and u do the rag joint method, ur rack will still be off centered and will turn more in one direction than the other

 

Here's the facts to back up my opinion that they're fuckin idiots. They made no effort to correct the gross difference in caster between sides. They changed the camber .3 on the left and .4 on the right without affecting the caster even .1 of a degree. That's damn near impossible to do.

 

They are definitely idiots, how do they get a job they can't do

 

Yes I figured so, so I found a straight level road and it still pulled to one side.

The upper control arms are new, Total Chaos UCA from 2 years ago. The LCA came new with my replacement frame.

The wheel bearing is noticeable loud so I am hoping that is it, although I am not willing to tackle that myself and it will probably cost me $

 

Your steering wheel crooked to the right?

 

Not that I am aware of. Alignments in the past have made it straight.

Do those numbers look good for the tires? I am starting to not even care anymore. I am not willing to put any more money into my truck. I just put a set of new BFG AT KO2 265/75/16 and just want them to wear evenly.

Nope, although Toyota did replace my frame a couple of years ago.

 

Here's my suggestion. Ask on here for recomendations for an alignment in your area. Ask your local body shops where they get vehicles aligned. Once you pick a respected shop, take your truck there along with the alignment sheet you got. Explain to them that it's all screwed up and you need it fixed, with documention of everything. Take pics of all 4 alignment cams and both tie rod threads before and after. Then take all your documentation to the previous shop and demand your money back.

 

Can you post a pic of your outer tie rods?