874runnersr5

Alright, so i bought my 4runner a couple months ago. When my dad was driving it home when we first bought it everything was good as i recall. Well right before i started driving i took it to my uncles shop, he is very well known as a good mechanic as he works on high end sports cars.. He did my inspection and everything went well, only thing he said was i need a alignment soon. Anyways, present day situation.. I had 32" tires on it now and it pulls to the left a bit. So one of my buddy's said to bring it to his shop and he'll do an alignment for me. So i though great, alignment for cheap.. woohoo right?

So i take it to my friends shop, and while he's putting on all the things on the wheels, everything is being a pain in the a$$, the alignment tools that go on the tires wouldnt stay on, one of the sensors wouldn't get recognized.. so on so on. Mean time, i was helping my friend on his 4runner to. Anyways, they start to do the alignment and they call me over, and say, The back end is messed, something is out of line. They cant do anything about it to fix it or anything. So, this was me - - - > then and then finally . I felt sick to my stomach, i couldnt get the image out of my mind to think that what if my frame was bent.. But, what would cause this to happen? I dont wheel hard, i havent broken any parts.. I treat my truck with respect..
They said it could be anything, my first idea was my leafs.. They are shot, and so are the bushing.. Maybe even the shackles are messed.. Who knows. Anyways, i dont have tones of money to take it to a body shop right away to see if the frame is wacked, but ill probley end up taking to my uncles shop tuesday if all else fails. Is there anything i can do to check from a bent frame in the back? like any measurements? or anything?

Thanks guys,

jason191918

Download the FSM. There should be measurements in there.

874runnersr5

Ah, yeah ill read that.

Thanks man

Matt16

If I were in your shoes, I would find an old alignment shop with some old grizzled mechanic that has knowledge beyond how to use a computerized alignment jig and take it to them. it's almost always the case that this route is cheaper because they understand aligment well.

drew303

Before spending any money

get under there with a flash light and look up and down the frame rails.

I had a bent frame, I found it in my garage with a flash light. I couldnt align it, spent a year fudging with the front end till I just happened to shine the light on the front left frame rail just right. Bam, bent and rolled in... friggen pos had been an accident, i got sold a lemon. I went back to the seller and talked to the father he told me the story. I wasn't upset just been nice if they'd been honest up front.... truck was still a steal at the price i bought it for even with the effed frame. I later restored a doner matching frame and swapped the truck over.

Anyway... rear-end out of alignment could just be the leafs/shackles.

874runnersr5

Thanks guys... youve put me at ease.
yeah, ive been under my truck tones of time, i've never seen anything that made me go.. hmm that shouldnt be bent. But then again, who am i to kid? im 18 and been starting to work on trucks for a year or so. So by far i am no expert, but i really. really really hope its the leafs/bushings or something along the lines of that.

Thanks guy, thanks alot.

874runnersr5

ah wow,
to make my day even friggin worse
my frined in his yota slid into me, drivers door is done so is the pannel between the door and rear wheel.
GREAT!
im about to cry