Schooled by a Firestone Alignment Tech

Took my newly lifted truck into Firestone to get an alignment because they were the only ones in my area that had the alignment heads that won't scratch the wheels.
When done the truck pulled slightly to the right, so I took it back a week later. After fumbling with it for over an hour the tech brought me back to show me there was "no way he could get it any better." Then he proceeded to tell me that "Toyota spends billions of dollars on vehicle R&D and people (me) decide to screw them up with lifts."
Needless to say I'll never go back to Firestone ever again. Oh, and also it still pulls to the right
The numbers look okay to me, but love that I paid $100 for a tech to insult me.
Can anyone see anything from the alignment that would induce a pull?

 

Billions of dollars on R+D for a pickup truck would be a pretty low ROI :/

 

Doesn’t Firestone have lifetime alignments for 100? Keep going back hahaha

 

Right? What a Jackass. He also told me to take it back to the shop to have them remove the lift. He got quiet when I said I did it myself.

 

He's not wrong though. Numbers look good. Look at other things... Tie rods, bearings, brakes, etc.

 

I know how you feel. I had a really good alignment guy and I’m happy with the outcome. But he didn’t want to hear anything I had to say about the numbers I was looking to get. To be honest I really don’t know a whole lot I just brought him a print out of what many good guys around here recommend. My guy also didn’t give me an alignment sheet as his printer was down or something LOL. Either way my truck feels really good afterwards. But they do shut you down like you’re an idiot or something.

But at the same time I’m a plumber and I find it laughable when customers try to tell me how easy the job is going to be. Depending on their background is how I judge their input. I still try to be nice about it. Definitely don’t insult.

 

I got the 12 month plan but he's the one that did my truck both times and don't want him touching it again.

 

The thing is it can be aligned properly which it looks like you did get it in the green. But having someone like him tell you to remove the lift that millions of people don’t have a problem with on their trucks, is asinine. Of course leaving it stock is always the best. But having a lift means you can take that truck to new places. F him!

 

Yeah I think he was upset that I had brought those same numbers you must've had. Still didn't have to act like that.

 

Yeah most of those shops only want to go by Toyota spec or factory specs. Although once the lift is on the alignment starts to get custom so that it will behave properly. These guys just don’t want to hear it. They are all knowing as far as they are concerned. Hard to find those specialty shops that actually give a crap about mods.

 

What kind of lift?
UCA's? adjustable UCA's?

 

I guess I'll have to go to the local 4x4 shop, but they are even more cocky and probably will be pissed I didn't get the lift through them. Building it myself is more than half the fun though!

 

It's the bilstein 6112s on top setting, no shims, stock UCAs. I know it's close to needing UCAs but didn't want to do them yet.

 

Did it not pull before the alignment? Just curious what were the before values? What were you requesting as far specifications go? Your cross camber should make your truck want to track slightly right. Your caster should cause the truck to go left. Without knowing if the tech ran out of adjustment it is hard to say if he did a good job or not. If there is still adjustment there, by all means he should make an attempt to improve the cross camber. With the increased ride height without upper arms to correct geometry I think your lucky you got the numbers you got. Maybe the tech could have explained things a little better but if the alignment cams are maxed there is nothing else he could do.
Also did you add wheels and tires? If you did try to rule out a radial pull by rotating the wheels/ tires left to right.

 

Look at the front tires??? Broken bead/radial wire?? Sidewall?? That’s all I have, but it does sound like a tire issue or maybe a brake?? Best of luck.

 

you should have a slight pull to the right when you let go of the steering wheel. Is this what you have or do you have to actually hold the wheel or the ruck will pull right?

 

I can’t add anything different than what the tech said other than submit this form for you to fill out.

 

I have a suspension lift on my crewmax with camburg UCA's. Had my alignment done at my local Toyota dealership. The tech was familiar with the components I used (camburg UCA's, Fox Suspension) and aligned my truck with the custom setpoints due to the lift (changed geometry with UCA's) I was happy with the alignment. But I will say it took some getting used to from a stock ride. In the beginning I would of said I had a slight right pull as well. But the numbers were good on the alignment sheet when I went back to check with Toyota Tech. So I kept driving it and depending on the crown/angle of the road I would notice it pulling left or right, and on 3-4 lane flat Highway straight as an arrow. So I would now say that with the lift and larger tires your steering will feel different (similar to a pull) but most likely is just the change of geometry and centrifugal force you are feeling. But just my 2cents, hope it helps.

 

raise your passenger side caster .3-.5 more.

 

The right side should be
.5 higher than the left. Roads are not flat. A lift kit will effect your handling and ride not make it pull. The problem is all they know is what the machine says. Bottom line make them fix it.

 

With the bigger tires you will need more caster on the passenger side. Camber and tow look good. Also, just because it's in the green doesn't make it right.

 

I run a shop can't say what the name is but let's say I'm a little insulted most likely a radial tire pull from looking at the alignment report looks like a good alignment and all so most roads crown to the right for water drainage so most vehicles will slightly pull right if there is another Firestone in your area I would take in for a warranty alignment check and have them rotate the tire side to side in the front and see if the pool goes left

 

I tried to tell him to raise the right side caster .5 deg but that's when he flipped out. He said I'd never feel that much difference from .5

 

Yeah the cams are maxed out so I know that's probably the best I can get unless his machine is off calibration. I have the first before alignment numbers but that was directly after the lift and new tires/ wheels. To many variables in play here. I have been playing with psi but that's not helping, next I'll rotate right to left like you suggested to see what it does.

 

Make sure to rotate the rear as well. I have seen radial pulls on the rear axle as well.

 

So if the eccentrics are maxed out the tech tried to align it the best he could given the modified suspension? Would you be satisfied if he removed some caster out of the drivers side if that stopped it from pulling, or are you chasing a specific caster value?

 

I get Firestone's lifetime alignments on all my vehicles. Good at any Firestone shop.

 

I'm hoping to narrow it down with a full tire rotation, I just thought it was funny that the tech basically told me that modifying any vehicle was the worst thing you could possibly do in the world because the manufacturer was perfect. I did my research and picked the lift/ tires/ wheels to compliment this new truck.