Alignments with tires over 37"

[Bird Dog Off Road]

I'm being told that you can't get an alignment done with tires over 37 inches due to the lasers not be capable. Anyone else have this issue? My tires are 38x12.5r17s and this is the first I've heard of that.

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[userdude]

Sort've. I went to Firestone to get a tire alignment and they actually claimed they wouldn't do anything out of spec with OEM. I was actually wondering what others did for 37/38's.

 

[Bird Dog Off Road]

Sort've. I went to Firestone to get a tire alignment and they actually claimed they wouldn't do anything out of spec with OEM. I was actually wondering what others did for 37/38's.

That's definitely not correct. They just didn't want to.

 

[userdude]

That's definitely not correct. They just didn't want to.

Wouldn't versus couldn't. People got 'em bigger, just wondering how they get aligned. I want 38's eventually, so interested to know.

 

[Tye]

I would recommend going to a 4x4 shop that is versed in alignments. Had no issues doing an alignment with 39s.

 

[e34john]

Go to an old school guy. Best alignment person I had just used strings and weights

 

[RagnarKon]

Definitely ran into that issue before.

As other have said, 4x4 shops are typically able to do alignments on larger tires.

Those are rare where I live, but luckily my dealership is able to do it. They do a lot of fleet sales/service with the larger F-550/650/750 trucks, and therefore have an alignment rack capable of aligning larger vehicles. So if all else fails give a diesel shop a try.

 

[Snacktime]

I eye ball it and set it by feel. I need upper control arms to get back within spec.

 

[Rkgzx9leftcoast]

Ive had mine aligned with 37s no problem. Not sure about bigger sizes though.

 

[Twister22]

What lift did you use! My lift came with recommendations for the alignment shop.

 

[Bird Dog Off Road]

What lift did you use! My lift came with recommendations for the alignment shop.

It's not about what specs to use. They are saying the alignment machine will not work with tires that large.

 

[Twister22]

It's not about what specs to use. They are saying the alignment machine will not work with tires that large.

Always good to have recommended specs. ,need somewhere to start. Sounds like he needs a better alignment shop!

 

[Bmadda]

37s are the largest tire my alignment machine can handle. The sensor beams are blocked by anything larger. The newer "camera" style alignment machines don't have this limitation, but the mounts for the wheels only expand to a certain size...they can't be made for unlimited sizes. Reccomend keeping a set of smaller wheels/tires mounted and ready as a "tire down" option if you are going above 37. Bolt those on, do alignment, then put the monster meats back on when done.

 

[userdude]

37s are the largest tire my alignment machine can handle. The sensor beams are blocked by anything larger. The newer "camera" style alignment machines don't have this limitation, but the mounts for the wheels only expand to a certain size...they can't be made for unlimited sizes. Reccomend keeping a set of smaller wheels/tires mounted and ready as a "tire down" option if you are going above 37. Bolt those on, do alignment, then put the monster meats back on when done.

So you're sayin' yer gonna need a bigger stirrup? lol

 

[BAUS67]

I work in one of those 4X4 shops and was just about to post what Bmadda did. It does depend on the machine, we get trucks we can't do, but I have found MOST of the time it is because they just don't want to deal with it. They think there is some kind of voodoo magic to aligning a 4X4 with a lift or big tires. We would get customers all the time, as soon as a shop would see the truck and it was lifted, "nope, can't align it" . I can tell you from my own experience, MOST lift kits use specs that are very close to factory spec, or are factory spec. We have a Hunter machine and you can even do a "custom" alignment, so they can do it, more than likely just don't want to. 37s aren't that big.

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