Wheel alignment specs

[Howard]

Anyone having problems with there Aurion pulling to the left. Purchases vehicle 1 year ago and have had the problem from new. Need the wheel alignment specs on this vehicle to check if the wheel alignment is being done correctly.

[Soloman]

I too am having this problem.. I told them about it and they said they fixed it but its still there..

Its enough of a pull that if i let go of my wheel im in the next lane in under 5-8 seconds going @ 80kms

[theDefiant1]

Just reminding you that this is normal on a cambered road. Test either i nthe middle of road, or find a very flat one

[Howard]

This pulling to the left is not due to the camber in the road.

The vehicles moves left quickly, most vehicles will pull slightly to the left over some distance if the alignment is correct. This problem is not normal.

[Y-tRy]

This pulling to the left is not due to the camber in the road.

The vehicles moves left quickly, most vehicles will pull slightly to the left over some distance if the alignment is correct. This problem is not normal.

hey i'm having the same problem as well, i own an sx6 and it's pulling to left as u've described it, i had toyota service to take a look at it and all they came bak with was an adjustment of my steering wheel telling me that wen i was adjusting my steering wheel i had probably locked it in a setting which happens to pull the car more to the left. well sure it souded resonable but SIF 2 seconds on the road it was pulling left again so much for that 10 min talk!!! i might go to other mechanics to chek my allignment.

y-Try

[2008ZR6]

I bought a ZR6 about 2 months ago and I am having the same problem. I have been informed by a friend that it is a factory fault and not something that a simple wheel alignment can fix. It can only be fixed by Fulcrum Suspension using part number SPF2904K. Hopefully Toyota does a recall soon to fix this problem. Keeping going back to your Toyota dealer.

[dannywss]

DAMN FARKING SHXT!! no more australian made car!! fuk it! i thought i m the only one having all sort of problems... keep going back to toyota for the past 6 months.. and now, hv to wait another month for a spare part... hurray.. not sure if i can fix all the problems when i m selling the car... BUAHAHAHA!! :angry: :angry:

Edited March 12, 2008 by dannywss

[Danos]

*sigh* Yes I've noticed the same problem with my SX6. Had Toyota carry out a wheel alignment yesterday and noticed a little difference but so far I don't think it's perfect. Gotta check it on a perfectly flat road.

Perhaps we should all e-mail the same person at Toyota about the issue. If we all put in complaints then they should admit the factory fault and have something done about it. Trouble is they might not do a recall cause it's not a life threatening issue.

[2008ZR6]

*sigh* Yes I've noticed the same problem with my SX6. Had Toyota carry out a wheel alignment yesterday and noticed a little difference but so far I don't think it's perfect. Gotta check it on a perfectly flat road.

Perhaps we should all e-mail the same person at Toyota about the issue. If we all put in complaints then they should admit the factory fault and have something done about it. Trouble is they might not do a recall cause it's not a life threatening issue.

e-mailing Toyota sounds like a good idea. I will try to find out an email address and will post in ASAP. We have to do something about this.

[jacko16]

I have a Toyota Aurion Pesara 2007 model and from day 1 it was pulling to the left. I have been to Toyota dealers 5 times, and they where unable to fix it. I took the car to Fulcrum Sespention ant the problem got fixed 100%. My brother just bought a Toyota Aurion Sportive ZR6 and his car is doing the some thing, he took it to the Toyota dealer where he bought the car and they said an engenieer from Melbourne is coming to Brisbane and they said they have taken out a new kit to fix this problem as they had same problem with the TRD.

Edited March 14, 2008 by jacko16

[Danos]

Anyone know anyone in Sydney that can fix this problem ?

[jacko16]

*sigh* Yes I've noticed the same problem with my SX6. Had Toyota carry out a wheel alignment yesterday and noticed a little difference but so far I don't think it's perfect. Gotta check it on a perfectly flat road.

Perhaps we should all e-mail the same person at Toyota about the issue. If we all put in complaints then they should admit the factory fault and have something done about it. Trouble is they might not do a recall cause it's not a life threatening issue.

e-mailing Toyota sounds like a good idea. I will try to find out an email address and will post in ASAP. We have to do something about this.

try this e-mail. to toyota. Bree.Honeyman@toyota.com.au

[jacko16]

try this e-mail. to toyota. Bree.Honeyman@toyota.com.au

[v8toy]

has anyone checked their rear tyre pressures its a known fact that uneven pressures will cause it to steer of the road.

Also check camber, if one front or rear wheel has negative camber and the other front or rear wheel has positive camber it could steer as well it would only have to be a little combined with tyre pressures and spoke position (relation of steering wheel to wheel direction).

but i would also say i wouldnt bother taking it to the dealer take it to a good tyre joint and have them do it with a write up of the results etc and better yet watch them do it. yes its a little bit outa your pocket but these fellas do it day in day out and are much better at it (obviously).

Ive had wheels fitted and lowered mine and had wheel alignments and camber adjustments to suit etc and mine steers spoton and never had a prob, bought mine on jan 8 08 its now done 15000km's and not a problem but not to say u guys are lyin or somethin but just a couple of things to consider i think

[dsp26]

yep a proper test is a flat road like a highway/motorway with tyre pressures all round.

camber won't fix this issue.. it's TOE that need adjusting. but AFAIK no car comes factory set at 0/0.. whenever i get my cars aligned at tyre sussy shops i always ask for 0/0 Toe and -1.5 camber front and -1 rear.

ALWAYS ask for a before and after printout of alignment...

[dannywss]

i sent my car to toyota chadstone to fix my steering(hopefully it is really FIXED), and when picking up my car today, they let me know that they also did wheel alignment on the car. I was wondering, "why did he do that? and i didnt ask for it? if it is for free? why not?" drive home then~

reaching home, and quickly do a search on this forum... damn, so u guys had these problems? i didn't notice it on mine. But yea, i will try it on a straight flat freeway and let you guys know what i find. (hopefully didnt go worse? lolz)

[v8toy]

camber won't fix this issue.. it's TOE that need adjusting.

isnt toe when the wheels at the front edge are either adjusted in or out to prevent them from scrubbing or pushing and to run reasonably square to the car/steering.

I thought camber might have somethin to do with it thinking that the tyres are on a lesser surface area therefore creating the slightly erractic steering and less road holding of the car.

I had a quick read up on it and both appear to have an affect on the steering and road holding of the car prob a good idea to get both checked then

most people ask for a "wheel alignment" which to most tyre shops and dealers is just the steering wheel in relation to the wheels so really paying for no change, i usally get some sort of readout on it and try and watch what they do but i try to use the more "technical terms" when explaining it so the fella might get more of an understanding of what im after.

try this link this is were i read it from

http://www.ozebiz.com.au/racetech/theory/align.html

[jacko16]

I had the caster kit fitted by fulcrum and the car is ok.

Its the caster causing this problem.

Fulcrum QLD has the kit for the aurion and for the camery.

There is a fault with this models, Toyota do not want to know about it.

[mikesalim]

OMG...I thought it's the wheel alignment and after reading all this thread it seems that this is factory fault...

Anyone know where to fix in Sydney? Will it break the warranty?

[dsp26]

isnt toe when the wheels at the front edge are either adjusted in or out to prevent them from scrubbing or pushing and to run reasonably square to the car/steering.

I thought camber might have somethin to do with it thinking that the tyres are on a lesser surface area therefore creating the slightly erractic steering and less road holding of the car.

I had a quick read up on it and both appear to have an affect on the steering and road holding of the car prob a good idea to get both checked then

most people ask for a "wheel alignment" which to most tyre shops and dealers is just the steering wheel in relation to the wheels so really paying for no change, i usally get some sort of readout on it and try and watch what they do but i try to use the more "technical terms" when explaining it so the fella might get more of an understanding of what im after.

hey mate,

you are correct that it is all detrimental.

CAMBER

Is used to correct tyre wear... when a car is lowered the wheels shift vertically off the control arm/hub.. as in the top of the wheel goes further in the arch and the bottom of the wheel goes outwards hence why severely lowered rice cars get massive inside tyre wear. This causes reduced tyre footprint against the road. A bit of negative camber is OK your wheels generally goes positive on turn ins... this is where CASTOR comes in...

CASTOR

is a way of DYNAMICALLY shifting camber. Adding some sort of CASTOR devices changes your camber to certain degrees dependent on wheel turn in.

An example of this in motorsport is the following scenario.

- You don't want too much camber to prolong tyre life on cruising so you adjust for -1.5 static camber at the front.

- on incline/decline turn in, optimally you may want to have you car doing -2.5 or -3 as during turn the tyres maybe flatter on te road surface during said incline/decline

- CASTOR is a compromise in that its like a mathematical exponent... static camber stays as -1.5 when cruising straight, but the moment you turn in camber shifts to -2.5

TOE

you may have all heard of the term TOE IN or TOE out. it is simply that... think of you feet... when your toes are in, it points your feet inwards, and opposite when out. when your car is generally turning to the left automatically it maybe because the left front wheel suffered toe out misalignment as a result of very spririted driving.

CAMBER/CASTOR will NOT cause your car to turn into a direction, it is simply a function of TOE.

But you guys are right, most vehicles even performance/sports ones do not come with camber/castor adjustability from factory hence the aftermarket parts available. TOE is adjustable on any car and is the only thing correctable when you take your car for wheel alignment. it is adjusted through a shaft that connects the hub to the steering rack.

Most people who pay the ~$70 to get an alignment are wasting money.. someone coming in asking for "an alignment" doesn;t sound very knowledgable and very easy to scam money from. WHEN you do go for an alignment, be specific as to what you require and ALWAYS ask for a before/after printout of their laser calibration. Be specific when you ask for an alignment... I want this much toe and this much camber, etc....

Hope that helps...

Edited April 8, 2008 by dsp26

[dsp26]

the above physics is also the reason i prefer FWD over RWD...

FWD from factory is designed to understeer for n00bs but with FWD, you have the option of creating more/less under/oversteer through minor suspension tweaks...

I like FWD becasue of the option of control it gives me as a driver depending on situation. I do not have an Aurion YET, but with all it's traction/safety features drivability will be very manageable.

RWD on the other will always oversteer and is ahrd to get it to understeer unless you have a severely crap selection of tyres... 'drifiting' and letting the wheels skid/bounce on a surface is the rwd method of managing over/understeer..

example on FWD, if you oversteer, you step on brake to reduce it... on RWD, you step on your brakes during oversteer and your dead... you have to let it 'drift'.. this is why n00bs ALWAYS hit poles...

on a side note of hitting poles, for those who know of Anthony Robbins, what he said in one of his seminars was correct and is what they also teach you in motorsport... if your about to hit something you will always hit it... if you know your about to hit a certain object.. LOOK to where you need to be. It explains why RWD drivers ALWAYS oversteer the rear side of their cars into a pole

[dannywss]

regarding this problem, i didnt really had it BEFORE any wheel alignment done, but AFTER yesterday(the alignment done for first time), i found the car is seriously moving to the left in very short time along straight road, and it is scary that i was only driving at 50-60. Cant imagine if i m on the freeway... i quickly called toyota again, and they booked in for tomorrow...

Anyone tried sending the car back to toyota with the problem fixed? or do we have to get it done by other mechs?

[2008ZR6]

I have had the same problem since I picked up my ZR6. The dealer did wheel alignment twice and then they agreed that it was a problem. I just got my car back after 3 days. They changed Control Arm Bushes and installed a kit - SPF2904K. I am 100% sure that Toyota have no clue at all what they are doing. It has not fixed the problem. They told me that I would be very happy with the car after the new parts are installed. The car pulls left even if I am on the extreme right hand lane of a 4 lane high way.

I asked the dealer if the TRDs had the same problem and he said yes, but it was not really a problem as it only happens on Queensland roads - BULLS**T.

A friend of mine works for Toyota and she told me that Toyota knows about this issue and the only thing they are doing is wheel alignment. They don't even want to know about it unless you keep going to them.

We were looking at buying more Aurions for the company directors, but have bought Holden Calais instead - much better car. No problems at all.

Whenever I meet an Aurion driver, I tell him about the problem and they thought that it was only with their car.

Please keep spreading this information so that Toyota does something about it.

p.s. the fix from Fulcrum does void the warranty and you will always have to go to Fulcrum for wheel alignment as only they know the right specs for it.

[Speedz]

Bah...

I had the same issues too...

Instead my steering was shaking on the freeway so need to get aligment and front tyre balancing done... that got rid of the problem...

now I also have that 'steering towards the left' on the freeway... i was thinking its a fault, but unless Toyota does a recall I cant see myself going to another dealer trying to get them fixing the problem...

Cheers

[jacko16]

TOYOTA HAS PROBLEM. THIS PART kit - SPF2904K, IS FROM Fulcrum. AS THIS SAME PART IS FITTED IN MY CAR BY Fulcrum AND MY CAR IS 100% OK AS THEY ALSO DID A W/A. TOYOTA IS NOW USEING THIS PART BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO A CORRECT W/A.

EVEY ONE MUST E-MAIL TO TOYOTA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOPE THEY WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM.

WHEN I GOT MY CAR IN 2007 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA SAID THIS IS NORMAL. SO I TOOK MY CAR TO RACQ AND THEY SAID THERE IS A W/A PROBLEM CAUSING IT TO PULL TO THE LEFT. I TOOK THIS LETTER TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID YOU CAR IS OK.

SO I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, THEY WHERE VERY HELP FULL AND THEY PAID Fulcrum TO GET MY CAR FIXED. TOYOTA WAS NOT HELP FULL AT ALL.

Edited May 24, 2008 by jacko16