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Alignment Accomplished!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Claudia, Sep 12, 2006.

  1. Claudia

    Claudia New Member

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    We had our month old 06 Prius at the dealer today for an alignment check, since I'm one of those folks complaining about the poor thing wandering all over the road, forcing me to constantly correct it! Got a printout, as some good folks here suggested. :)

    The initial printout before they did anything showed a toe of -.03 on the right front, and -0.00 on the left front. We asked for a toe in of +.05 on each side, and that's exactly what they did. They did not, however, seem to be aware either of the problems people have had with the Prius wandering syndrome or of the benefit obtained by the slight toe in.

    The benefit of having this done was remarkable! It doesn't drive nearly as much like a small car now - we took it on an 80 mile round trip up to the mountains this afternoon, got 52 mpg for the trip, and I didn't get exhausted from constant over-steering in order to keep the Prius on the road. More responsive to steering, tighter handling, much less steering correction needed. I think when I get a good set of tires on it, I'll be real happy with the way it handles. :)

    One thing I don't understand - on the initial printout, for the rear left, it reads .08 - when we got it back, it reads .11 - and the right rear went from .14 to .13. Would the rear readings change because they changed the toe on the front?

    Their specs for toe read -.06 to +.06, so the +.05 is close to the max.
    It really does make a difference - I owe you folks here a big "thanks" for the information on how to approach this problem!
     
    #1 Claudia, Sep 12, 2006
  2. ramarren

    ramarren New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Claudia @ Sep 12 2006, 04:18 PM) [snapback]318626[/snapback]</div>
    So a question ...

    I see people stating "+0.05 degrees" per wheel. Does this mean the toe-in is 0.05 degrees towards the centerline of the car, or 0.05 degress away from the centerline of the car, measured at the front of the wheel rim?

    IN other words, is "positive toe in" / \ or \ / if the front of the car is at the top?


    I just want to be sure I tell the alignment shop the right thing when I go back today..

    thanks!
    Godfrey
     
    #2 ramarren, Sep 15, 2006
  3. Claudia

    Claudia New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godfrey DiGiorgi @ Sep 15 2006, 12:02 PM) [snapback]320123[/snapback]</div>
    When you go to the shop, just be sure and tell them "toe in", and that it should be +.05 . . . a -.05 will make the car even more unstable. They should be able to take it from there.
     
    #3 Claudia, Sep 15, 2006
  4. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Toe in is always positive. If it was the other way it's called "toe out". Toe out is done, but only for stunting. Very difficult to control a car with toe out.

    I don't know what's going on at the Toyota factory, but there is really no excuse for an incorrectly aligned car leaving the plant. My fathers RAV4 was also way out. In fact the rear wheels were cambered opposite of what they should have been. I noticed it was noisy on the highway when I visited, and when I looked I could see the wheels leaning. Now THAT's an out of alignment situation! He had a shop correct it and the noise was gone.
     
    #4 David Beale, Sep 15, 2006
  5. ramarren

    ramarren New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Sep 15 2006, 01:23 PM) [snapback]320231[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks for the comments.

    Paradigms and metrics have changed over the past 30 years ... I was a racer and mechanic 25 years ago. At that time, toe was measured in mm or inch between the front and rear of the rims across the car, toe-in and toe-out were explicit because toe-in said the front measurement was smaller than the rear measurement, etc. It was the equivalent of total toe now and presumed you had the steering mechanism centered and all other adjustments done.

    Several front wheel drive cars of that time took a static toe measurement which was toed-out a small amount because in the dynamic situation of the road, the pieces deflected enough to produce a neutral to toe-in running condition.

    Now that they're doing measurements with laser alignment on a wheel at a time with degree measurements, it's more precise but I needed to know what the numbers meant! ;-)

    It is disturbing that the factory lets them out this way, and it's more disturbing that the shop at the dealers doesn't do anything by say 'hey, it's within the spec!' when it's obvious that "within the spec" and correctly set are two entirely different things. :-\

    Godfrey
     
    #5 ramarren, Sep 15, 2006
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Sep 15 2006, 04:23 PM) [snapback]320231[/snapback]</div>
    shipping tiedowns
     
    #6 galaxee, Sep 15, 2006
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