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Alignment issues

9K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  usko99 
#1 ·
So im having problems Aligning my X after i lifted it, PRG basic lift kit, Spacers and AAL. I have had it aligned once without camber bolts, then i installed camber bolts and got it aligned again, but camper is still off, bad enough where i can see it when i look straight on, does anyone know what the new alignment specs should be or have some advice? thanks!
 
#4 ·
I'm actually in the midst of a battle with Firestone over this.

My X has the Daystar 2" spacers and shackles lift. I paid Firestone for the lifetime alignment and it seems they either never adjusted the cam bolts (my 2005 came with them) or adjusted them to whatever their factory spec manual said (which would no longer be applicable due to the lift).

I've tried taking it to 2 other Firestones for correct alignment, but they turned me away. It appears that their machines can't clamp onto the rim because my tires stick out too much. I'm actually dying to know how this one shop was able to do it in the first place.

Because of the bad camber angle, my front tires have worn on the outside with only 18,000 miles. The manager told me yesterday they would pro-rate the price of new tires for me; so I should get about 50% off the pair. Here's hoping he honors his phone promise when I get there today. AND that they get the camber angle right!.

I'll post up more details as the story unfolds.
 
#5 ·
I go to NTB. They dont have the clamp to reach around the tire either. But the chief mechanic there was smart enough to air the tires down, to pretty much nothing, and then the clamp can smash the tire in and grab the rim. Doing it this way works, but also have to watch, kuz if the tpms is at bottom at the time, it will damage them.

Hope that helps a little.
 
#8 ·
if they know what they are doing...they should be easily able to get it in alignment withing factory spec with that setup...esp with the camber bolts installed....if you get PRG UCA's with heim joints...it will allow them to get it in alignment much easier....but that is a very $$$ solution.....
 
#9 ·
greg emailed me back and this is what he said

"the alignment wont necessarily be back to factory specs. the caster will be a bit less, but the camber and tow should fall right into factory numbers. The numbers vary depending on who you talk to, but generally the tow should be set at 1/16" toe-in and camber between +.8degree to -.9. Set the caster to where both sides are the same, you will typically loose 1 degree, but this is not noticeable at all."
 
#10 ·
I spent nearly 3 hours at Firestone yesterday. They prorated the unevenly worn tires so I got them both for $290. I guess that's okay.

As far as the alignment goes, the manager explained that since my last visit, they had changed their machines. They now seem to have the same machine that the other Firestones said wouldn't fit on my wheels.

It took them quite a while to figure out how to mount the machines to the rims. They had to mount them on the inside of the lip (like from the center of the rim pushing out); using some cardboard to keep from scratching the rim. Then they spend another hour and a half trying to align it.

In the end the manager (who was doing most of the work) said that the camber is way better than before, but its definitely not perfect. They couldn't turn the cam bolt far enough. He recommended that I keep a close eye on the tire wear and take it to 4x4 specialty shop if I start to see it start to wear unevenly.

Visually, the camber is much better, though I can still see some camber on one wheel more than the other. But now I think I see a tiny bit of toe on the better cambered wheel. So I think I'll be calling a 4x4 shop...armed with this new advice from Greg (thanks for posting that).
 
#11 ·
dude DePingus!! your having similar issue from what I had with firestone..

I had basically purchased 4 Bridgestone revo's with lifetime warranty from them. After 35k miles I put on those tires, I complained to firestone because they were wearing out bad on the outside. then Firestone corporate gave me a full refund of my tires and alignment.

All this happened because either Firestone alignment machines suck or their techs suck bad... I Literallly went to probably over 10 different locations to get alignment correct but NONE of the firestone shops got my alignment correct not once. At the end, the results were bad wearing of tires so thats why FIrestone Changed my Revo's for NEW tires. I chose Firestone Destination AT this time.

Funny thing is that I would go to this one store, get the truck aligned with all specs GREEN, go take it for a spin, the wheel would be off center bad so I would drive back within an hour to get it re-aligned.. The machine would show the alignment way off... and this happened not only once but at several different Firestone shops.

At the end, I got the new tires, got life time alignment refunded so I went to a small mom/pops alignment shop where they did get it right!!!! and only charged me 50 bucks!!!!!
 
#12 ·
if your in the Los Angeles area, don't waste your money and time getting alignment done with Firestone... I've wasted 3 hours every weekend getting alignment done at all locations from Los Angeles and Orange County... NONE of the firestone shops did a correct alignment. Learned it the hard way man...

What was the worst part was that I had to wake up at 7 am on a weekend! and go sit 3 hours to get my alignment Fed up every other weekend...

And they BS me sooo many times telling me that my bushings are shot, telling me that my tires are badly inflated, telling me that its brake issues, telling me that the LCA's are crooked.. ****! they got me researching all over the net for NOTHING!
Simple! 1 time solution, go to a reputable Alignment only shop that is honest... ;)
 
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