Alignment question

Rear is a non-alignable axle. Shims are required to align it! This is the way I understand it.I would do the front only! Did you have tire wear with your old tires? Hal

 

If you think that your dealer's service dept might actually do something about your excessive rear toe-in, I suggest that you call and tell the service writer that you know the rear toe-in is excessive, and ask what the tech will do about it. If he is honest, he will say "nothing."

Since the rear alignment is way off, and we know that the Toyota dealer service dept will not take any remedial action (unless you are willing to pay to have a new rear beam axle installed), you would be better off finding a specialty alignment shop in your area that is willing to use shims to adjust the rear wheel alignment.

As a side benefit, you'll probably find that your mpg and handling will improve a little after the wheels are properly aligned.

 

I am sure. If you also wish to be sure, please call your dealer's service dept and ask the question that I suggested in my post above.

Don't expect chain stores to be able to do this. The use of shims is something that few alignment shops will do.

 

First Flight, I see you live in new jersey, most Good Year tire shops can do the rear alignment, had my alignment done today after a hitting a curb a few weeks ago and started notice that it was drifting to the right, only the front was off.

 

Interesting topic. I am approaching 150K miles on my 2005 Prius. Rear axle alignment is something I would like to check. Patrick, is it correct to say that shops that cannot or will not do the alignment, are still able or capable of actually measuring it? I am getting an average of 53 lately at 60 MPH on freeway, and I would be willing to pay a pro alignment shop if they could actually set it true straight tracking like it should be. As I approach the 150K mile club next month, I will be thinking of having that done with the money I have NOT spent on brake jobs in my Prius. Still good and original at last check.

 

Live with it, if you can't find a shop that will install shims. Or, pay relatively big $$$ to have a new rear beam axle installed, which is Toyota's service philosophy.

Yes, any shop with wheel alignment equipment should be able to measure four wheel alignment. However, not all shops are willing to take corrective action in terms of installing shims to correct rear beam axle alignment issues.

 

Lack of adjustment from the factory is a universal problem with twist beam rear axles and shimming the axles isn't rocket science. It doesn't take special tools unless wrenches are special tools

All you need is one alignment shop with one tech that knows how to shim the rear. Keep checking shops and you should eventually find one. You stand a better chance of finding a small independent shop that can do it than you do a big chain or a dealership.

When you are talking to the shop, ask how they align the rear wheels on a Prius. If they don't say shims, move along and try another shop.

 

FirstFlight:
If you have a couple used tires , install them on the rear until you have the issue addressed. At least that way you won't screw up your new tires! Hal

 

Monty Python could have made a nice skit out of that.

 

>Are you sure this is a cheese shop?

>>Oh yes sir, the finest cheese shop in the district.

 

If the tires have a directional tread pattern (usually these have an arrow on the sidewall to show the direction they must spin) then you can only rotate them front to back. If not directional then you can choose to cross rotate them (FL -> RR; FR -> RL; RL ->FL; RR -> FR).

I believe cross rotation is the preferred method.

 

My Prius was ok to drive, however I just went to local shop for alignment ''check'' -to be on the safe side, as the car was going for the car test. Technician used older machine to check alignment and I was told that rear is slightly ''out '' and the front is slightly ''out'' too. Since the car was already in the ramp technician offered me to try to align Front as the rear is not adjustable (so the front would be done at half of the cost €70/2). When I left the shop my sterring wheel was going to the right side, so I returned to complain. Technician adjusted Front and I went for the test drive, the sterring was going to the left side. I returned and asked Technician to use another Laser based 4 wheel alignment/computerized machine (which was shiny new-looking machine). During the process I asked to set all values at 0.00 (Green Area), I noticed that Rear wasn't out while looking at the screen (as the values were at Green area and no rear values showed Red area)- Technicial confirmed that Read is Ok (even no alignment done at Rear).

as a result: the car passed test on the alignment. However the alignment printout from the car test centre shows that the front isn't set to ideal @0.00.

I am left with guess which machine now is ''out'' 1st (this one was out) , 2nd (probobly ok) or 3rd (the one from the test centre)

I would strongly advise to visit the shop that uses quiet new laser machine and I would ask when was the last when the machine was properly calibrated.

The first machine used on my Prius was also laser based, but it was old looking machine (~10yrs old to my eyes). Wonder if your Rear is really out, or is it that the machine isn't calibrated and tells you that it's out..

me 2 €- cents