Toyota Tacoma 4WD Won't Stay In Alignment

[CrackyWainwright]

I actually just recently sold the truck, but I would like to solve this mystery. I had a 1998 Tacoma 4WD that rode/drove just fine, but it began to chew up the inside edge of the front tires.

I took it for a front-end alignment, and the shop said the toe was out. Rotated the non-damaged rear tires to the front and drove it some more. Then I noticed it was still wearing the front tires badly after the first alignment. Took the truck to ANOTHER alignment shop where the man promptly told me the toe was out. He aligned the Tacoma once again and said all the front-end components looked fine; nothing seemed worn out to him. Put a couple new tires on the front and . . . you guessed it! Still wearing the inside edge of each front tire with "feathering" (I think it's called).

This truck had about 200,000 miles on it. What would cause the toe to continually fall out of alignment?

 

[oil_abuser]

I have owned three Tacoms/4Runners of your vintage driving over 200K+. Have you ever replaced the inner/outer tie rods?

 

[Nick1994]

It had worn suspension/steering parts. They could have some play in them that you can't just visually see.

It could have been fine on an alignment rack but driving down the road have the tires towed out.

Or a worn out rack and pinion

 

[CrackyWainwright]

Originally Posted By: oil_abuser
I have owned three Tacoms/4Runners of your vintage driving over 200K+. Have you ever replaced the inner/outer tie rods?


No I had not. All the front suspension parts were original to my knowledge. Perhaps the front shocks had been replaced before I got the truck.

Are tie rods connected to ball joints? Or are those separate parts that would need to be replaced?

 

[ARB1977]

Is it lifted? Anything over 1.5" and the dealer won't be able to adjust toe. They will get it close but it still shows up in the red when you get the sheet. Aftermarket upper control arms will allow you to get toe back in spec.

 

[CrackyWainwright]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
It had worn suspension/steering parts. They could have some play in them that you can't just visually see.

It could have been fine on an alignment rack but driving down the road have the tires towed out.

Or a worn out rack and pinion


Are there mechanics good enough with front ends to accurately diagnose which parts need repair before just swapping out parts again and again which would run into BIG $$$ ?

 

[CrackyWainwright]

Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Is it lifted? Anything over 1.5" and the dealer won't be able to adjust toe. They will get it close but it still shows up in the red when you get the sheet. Aftermarket upper control arms will allow you to get toe back in spec.


Again, I don't own the truck any longer, but it was not lifted and didn't have any aftermarket parts.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: CrackyWainwright
Originally Posted By: oil_abuser
I have owned three Tacoms/4Runners of your vintage driving over 200K+. Have you ever replaced the inner/outer tie rods?


No I had not. All the front suspension parts were original to my knowledge. Perhaps the front shocks had been replaced before I got the truck.

Are tie rods connected to ball joints? Or are those separate parts that would need to be replaced?

Inner/outer tie rods are separate. They connect to each other. Lower ball joints bolt to the spindle with a big nut mounted to the lower control arm.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: CrackyWainwright
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Is it lifted? Anything over 1.5" and the dealer won't be able to adjust toe. They will get it close but it still shows up in the red when you get the sheet. Aftermarket upper control arms will allow you to get toe back in spec.


Again, I don't own the truck any longer, but it was not lifted and didn't have any aftermarket parts.

Since the truck is sold I wouldn't worry about it. Customer bought it as is.

 

[Ethan1]

It needed suspension parts replaced, and the alignment technicians involved were hacks. The alignments performed only lasted until the truck was backed off the alignment rack because the front end was loose.

 

[Chris142]

ball joints

 

[Nick1994]

17-18 years old, 200k miles, tires wearing unevenly, I would have replaced the tie rods, control arm bushings, and ball joints regardless. Then seen if it wore tires weird afterwards.

 

[Traction]

You probably just ended up at a couple of shops, that just
"set the toe, and collect the doe"