2007 Model Alignment issues

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 3 2007, 10:14 PM) [snapback]490400[/snapback]</div>

Yep, the dealer put it in to correct the LF camber. But they got different readings for the RF camber than the other 3 places that I have taken it to.


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I almost think that I should take the bolt out of the LF and switch it to the RF. Then push the RF toward negative and pull the LF toward positive. :blink:

 

Ok.

I've been staring at the service manual and trying to figure out what the dealer did.

They thought that the LF camber was -1.4° which is out of spec. 0.2° to -1.3° is the spec. If front camber was "perfect", the middle of the range would be -0.58°.

Since I originally had two bolts with no dots (factory installation) they looked at the chart and chose the combination (no dot and 2 dots) that would give a correction to the positive side (Chart 1) of 0°15' (.25°) to 0°30' (.50°). So the dealer chosen combo should have given LF camber value of -0.9° when installed.

But it didn't. It changed the camber by 1°, from -1.4° to -0.4°. This should have been the first clue that something wasn't right. Either the original measurement of -1.4° was incorrect (very likely) or the bolt installation was incorrect (verified, the bolts are in the wrong positions per the service manual).

The other piece of information that I have is that the RF camber reading is somewhere in the range of -1.0° to -1.2°. The dealer measured it as -0.8°, but the 3 other alignment checks have it more negative.

So, what I am now planning is to remove the camber bolt from the left side, install it on the right side in the bottom position per the service manual. That should change RF camber from -1.1° to somewhere between -0.8° to -0.6°. I will take the bolt from the right side and install it in the left side. This should return the setting to factory. If the reading from the GY tire shop was right, this should give -0.8° on the LF camber. If the Toyota dealer was correct, then I will be back at -1.4°. If this happens, then I will order another camber bolt and install it in the correct position .


Any body see any problems with this plan?

 

ah, yes. busy day yesterday and this morning too, so thanks for bumping the topic to remind me to reply.

DH has never had to install a camber bolt since working for the dealership, he's done it while working for another shop. we won't go into that issue. anyway.

sounds like it's worth giving a shot, since you don't have anyone else you can really rely on to do this. good luck, and let us know how it works.

 

Interim Update:

I swapped the bolts as I described above. Easy to do, but man those struts can move all over the place when the bolts are loose. I pulled the left side as far positive as I could. I pulled the right side out, but not all the way to the limit. I bolted everything back together with the bolts facing the same way as factory. Torque setting 113 ft-lbs.

I didn't swap any wheels because I wanted to see if it still pulled left.

It doesn't pull anymore. WOOHOO!

I will take it in later this week to make sure front toe is ok after the home alignment procedure.

Thanks again for the help, Galaxee and DH.

 

OMG what a nightmare.

My Pruis has pulled left upon braking since I bought it new. I feel it mostly as it goes from about 15mph to 3-4mph. I am afraid to take it to the dealer. I dont want to go through the same fiasco as you did.

When I take it in and will make sure that they do an alignment. If they resist, I will just pay for it. Of course, if they find it is out of alignment I will not pay for it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Winston @ Aug 8 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]492520[/snapback]</div>

If you are under 12K miles, I would take it to the dealer and have them check it. Surely not all dealers are as incompetent as the one I took my car to. <_<

Alternatively, you could take it to an independent shop to have the alignment checked. Most places around here want about $80 -90 for a 4 wheel alignment. But only the last place charged me for checking it (since none of them adjusted anything) and only charged $45 for the check.

The front alignment is pretty standard for a front wheel drive car. The back is the weird part because the only "official" fix is replacement of the rear axle.

I'm not getting the weird steering of the rear when hit by crosswinds after installing the shim on the rear.

I'm pretty happy with it right now; it doesn't pull to the left anymore like it did before. Apparently, the camber settings were the cause of the pull to the left. Your description sounds just like what I was experiencing.

I'm going to get it checked one more time to make sure I didn't screw up the front toe settings with my driveway alignment procedure and then call it good.

 

I have a 2007 Prius. I have read about aftermarket shim kits. I can't seem to find any. My Tire shop is willing to do the alignment, but they want to be sure to use the correct shims. Many Thanks

 

I bought a lifetime wheel alignment package from tire kingdom. So now I can go as often as I like and its free from now on.

 

The best rear shim kit I've seen is:

Specialty Products Company
EZ Shim - 75800
​

Bob Wilson

 

since we have a good collection of alignment shop idiocy in this thread, here's another:

i took my car in for a free alignment check today. i asked for a printout. they didn't give me the printout, and i was irritated. the sales guy shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but i insisted. i told him i like to keep the printouts for reference of suspension wear or damage.

he then tells me that suspension wear and damage has nothing to do with alignment. :lol: :tsk:

i couldn't help it, i laughed at him. then i called DH on the way home, after getting my printout, and told him what the guy said. DH laughed at him.

for the record, all is within spec. left rear toe was shimmed long ago, and is on the edge of within spec. may need to throw another shim in there eventually. we haven't put the car on an alignment rack in 1.5 years- over 25k miles. it was time for a check.

 

Seat of the pants feel says mine is still good a year later. I did another DIY front camber adjustment last fall using a digital level that reads out to 0.1°. I set the front camber at - 0.6 on each side.

Currently, I'm waiting for the OEM GY's to wear out on the front wheels, then I will get another pair of Michelin Destiny(s) to match the ones on the back (one of the OEM tires had an unrepairable nail puncture at 15k miles). Then I will get another alignment check.

I really would like to find a good DIY method for doing toe in. Then I would just check it myself every 15k or so.

 

the most important thing to a repeat concern is for you as a customer to road test with a Master tech or MDT (Master Diagnostic Technician) from your choice of dealer to make sure that your concern is duplicated. It is also a great idea to road test with that same tech after the repair is done to confirm a proper repair. Some adjustments can be done to correct certain condition not only bringing the vehicle alignment to the computer's specification so that all spec's on the alignment machine screen is green.

 

Unfortunately, at my dealer, the customer never gets to speak directly to the tech. You only get to speak to the service writer, the service writer then communicates (or perhaps not) with the tech. All the customer gets to see are the brief notes that the tech writes on the work order. If the service writer is an arrogant, incompetent jerk, then the customer is screwed.

Sometimes the customer just wants the car repaired, he/she doesn't want to fight with the SW or make multiple trips for the same problem.