I just bought a 94 4runner SR5 3.0 and when I bought it I noticed the boots on the cv axles were busted but it's a fairly cheap fix to just replace the whole cv axles. But before I replace the tires and cv axles then have to buy new tires again I wanted to cheek with yall. Itso been aligned by several shops by PO who I guess thought that was the problem since the tires were bought (I got all maintenance records with it)
The problem: my left front tire is worn inside bad so is the rear right tire. It vibrates while driving just in the front left and varies with speed (not rpm). I know the left cv axle is bad and it clanks when I turn and in 4wd.
The question: can a bad cv axle cause the tires mentioned above to wear like that?
Thanks

 

No.

Check the ball joints (see the manual for procedure). Presumably, the camber (and the toe) has been checked multiple times.

 

No, a bad CV will not mess up the alignment. My guess it the bad rear tire is a front tire that was rotated to the back. Check the front left wheel bearing and ball joints. Does the tire look crooked?

 

Checked the records (theyre disorganized) and found a recent tire rotation that makes sense. It doesnt look crooked to me, Ill add a picture tomorrow. Sometimes it does look like the front left is drooping or sitting lower than the other side from the front.
Thanks, this is the first IFS Ive ever dealt with and I'm lost.

 

Read the FSM for the specifics but here is the simplified version. Jack up that wheel so it is just off the ground. Grab the top and bottom and rock the tire back and forth. If there is play its probably a ball joint.

It would be a good idea to have someone look at the ball joint to confirm movement while you move the wheel. There should be no movement or play.

 

I've heard that method plenty of times, but the FSM has a rather different procedure. http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...28balljoin.pdf

I think the point is to unload the ball joints one at a time to check for travel. The weight of the wheel on the ball joints may be enough to mask looseness.

 

I'll check it next time I go home or get somewhere with a jack. I may just get it inspected by a shop because I'm living in hotels for my job. Any shops that'll do this inspection for free? for area specific I'm currently in Meridian, MS. I'm not familiar with this area or national shop chains, I normally do all this myself when I'm home.

Again though, a bad ball joint will cause alignment problems or inside tire wear?

Thanks

 

I would say a bad ball joint is a classic cause of inside tire wear (it can also cause outside tire wear, but that's an unusual suspension setup.)

But to be clear, this really ought to show up as camber out-of-spec. You say that the alignment has been checked, but you didn't say when, and you didn't say how many times someone has clobbered a curb since the alignment was done. In other words, even if the alignment was checked a month ago, someone could have broken a ball joint (or just hit a curb) and been riding on the inside of the tire for the last xx,000 miles.

 

Ahh, I don't know those things. I guess those are the problems you run into when you first buy a vehicle. Thanks I'll get my ball joints inspected if I can't get home to do it myself in the next week

 

That was it. Thanks for the help. Changed ball joints and got an alignment. Fixed.