I just picked up a 05 4runner that drifts to the right, not badly, but you always have to hold the steering wheel and fight it - if you let go of the steering wheel it just naturally wants to drive to the right.

I just had it aligned and all wheels balanced - sears said it had no issues, everything aligned and balanced perfect. The 4runner steel feels exactly the same though, vibrations and pointing right.

EDIT: Update, I switched the front two wheels with each other and now it drifts to the LEFT - so this is great news, I think it may just be a warped/defective tire...

 

The alignment would not pick up bad tires.

But the balancing sure should have .

You did check the air pressure was equal??

 

Thanks, yes I checked air pressure last night it was 32psi across the board.

I thought I had it figured out last night, but today more bad news.. I had a set of 4 brand new tires put on the 4runner, balanced etc. - I hopped in to drive off and the pulling right was back!!!

I am completely pissed and perplexed now; I can't understand how this is logically possible - considering last night it was pulling right, so I switched front wheels and it then pulled left - basically narrowing it down to the wheels/tires. But now I have brand new tires!

I had a different shop do the work today and they checked the alignment and said the drivers front tire was toe-in .20 I believe, which is off - but Sears alignment print out said it was within spec and toe out.. so I dont get it. I also have no idea if toe can cause a pull?

All I can think right now is that there must be a bent rim causing the pull; however, is it possible that two different shops could balance my tires and not find/see that the rim is bent?

 

Depending on just how sharp the techs were it is possible you have worn front end parts causing this they missed.

Another thing some roads are pitched in different ways that will cause a vehicle to do this .

It all comes down to how bad it is any vehicle you leave go of the wheel it will more then likely go one way or the other.

Just how many miles ??

Any added lift to the vehicle?/

Ever in any front end accidents??

 

Thanks for following up; I had a chance to drive it more today, the high speed vibrations are less now with the new tires, but oddly it still has a little high speed 60+ mph vibration that comes and goes; I have brand new brakes - plus turned rotors, new tires, sears alignment... the truck also feels a little twitchy on potholes and stuff, which I think is a symptom of alignment.

I used to be a low level mechanic at GM, I know cars - but I do not know suspension at all or alignments and stuff; I drive an 01 4runner a lot on the same roads and it has no pulling - so its definitely not the roads or my sensitivity to them.

When I was young and dumb I wrecked a few cars, both drivers side front wheel type smashes - I patched both cars together and they always felt horrible after - this 4runner is very similar, just not as bad. I do see the 4runner has a new inner plastic wheel well on drivers front - so I suspect that wheel could have been hit, BUT the carfax is clean - and I see no new metal parts or paint marred where recent adjustments have been done or anything, all suspension parts look worn to its age. The 4runner has 80K miles. If there was an accident, is it possible that two alignments miss that and show only a tiny toe-in issue?

As mentioned before Sears says alignment is clean, Firestones free alignment check shows .20 toe in off on drivers front - which is very small, i cant imagine that causes a moderate enough pull that I have to turn my steering wheel 1/2 to 3/4 an inch to the left to keep the car straight! So I am truly dumbfounded.

considering it still has a minor high speed vibration that comes and goes, I also wonder about the idea of a bent rim... but everything I read online says a bent rim does not cause pull - is this true? It does seem like a bent rim could cause the alignment discrepancies though..

 

Is it you have to hold the wheel or was the wheel never centered??

I had one the wheel was about 45 Degrees off center.

That was just where the steering was centered .

Then accidents not turned into insurance most likely never show up on car fax.

At 80,000 miles it should not have any real front end wear like at 200,000 miles plus.

As far as techs missing things I see it every day so who can say.

 

Go to an alignment specialty shop. There is a place here in washington called truline. They don't just look at it and if its within spec they leave it alone. They actually zero it all out and make sure it drives straight after.

 

Like Wyoming said ^^^.

If you want it done right, do it yourself.

Put it up on jack stands, use senses to troubleshoot - See, hear, feel, listen. Got play or excessive wear on front end suspension and steering parts?