4Runner Alignment After a Lift in Burnaby: The Complete Guide

Quick answer: Yes — every Toyota 4Runner needs a wheel alignment after a suspension lift. Lifting changes your caster, camber, and toe angles, which leads to uneven tire wear, a steering wheel that pulls or wanders, and a vehicle that doesn't track straight at highway speed. In Burnaby, Overland Garage aligns lifted 4Runners — both 5th gen (2010–2024) and 6th gen (2025+) — and can install adjustable upper control arms when a taller lift pulls your caster out of spec.

Do you need an alignment after lifting your 4Runner?

Yes. A wheel alignment is not optional after a lift — it's the step that makes the lift safe and protects your investment.

When you raise the front of a 4Runner, the suspension arms move through a different part of their arc. That shifts the angle of your tires relative to the road and relative to the steering axis. Even a small spacer lift moves these angles enough to matter. Skipping the alignment is the single most expensive mistake owners make, because a fresh set of all-terrain tires can be worn out in a few thousand kilometres if the geometry is off.

If you've already installed a lift, or you're booking the install, plan the alignment as part of the same job.

What happens to your alignment when you lift a 4Runner?

Both the 5th gen and 6th gen 4Runner use an independent front suspension (IFS) with a double-wishbone setup up front and a coil-sprung rear. Lifting an IFS truck changes three key angles:

Caster — the forward/rearward tilt of the steering axis. Lifting the front reduces caster, which is what makes a lifted truck feel vague, "tippy," or prone to wandering across the lane at highway speed.
Camber — the inward/outward lean of the tire viewed from the front. A lift typically pushes camber negative (tops of the tires tilt inward), which wears the inside edge of your tires.
Toe — whether the tires point in or out. Lift geometry knocks toe out of spec, which scrubs tread off the tires quickly and hurts straight-line stability.

Of the three, caster is the one most affected by a lift and the hardest to fully recover on a taller setup.

Why caster is the real issue after a lift (and where UCAs come in)

This is the part most general repair shops miss.

On a mild lift — roughly up to about 2 inches, including preload-collar kits and many entry-level coilovers — there's often enough adjustment range in the factory components to bring a 4Runner back to spec. The truck can be aligned to factory numbers without extra parts.

Once you go above about 2 inches of lift, the factory upper control arms (UCAs) run out of adjustment, and caster stays low no matter how the alignment tech tries to dial it in. The fix is a set of aftermarket adjustable upper control arms. They reposition the upper ball joint so the technician can restore caster and camber to a proper spec, which is what eliminates the highway wander and gives you back that planted, on-centre steering feel.

The honest version: a lift without the supporting parts is only half a job. If your installer didn't include adjustable UCAs on a taller build, the alignment will be a compromise — and you'll feel it on the drive home.

Signs your lifted 4Runner needs an alignment

Book an alignment if you notice any of these after a lift:

The truck wanders or "hunts" and needs constant steering correction on the highway
The steering wheel is off-centre when driving straight
The 4Runner pulls to one side
Inner-edge tire wear (run your hand along the inside shoulder of the front tires — feathering or a worn lip is the tell)
Vague, slow-to-return steering after a corner
A "darty" feel over bumps and expansion joints

Can any shop align a lifted 4Runner?

Technically, most alignment racks can measure a lifted truck. The difference is whether the shop knows the target numbers for an off-road build and whether they'll tell you the truth when your setup needs more than a standard alignment.

A standard alignment dials your truck to the factory's daily-driver spec. A good off-road shop aligns for how a lifted 4Runner actually behaves — biasing caster as high as the parts allow for highway stability, setting toe for even wear on larger tires, and flagging when you need UCAs, a diff-drop, or other supporting components instead of just sending you out with a printout.

That's the gap Overland Garage fills in Burnaby. As a Toyota, Lexus, and Nissan 4x4 specialist — and an ICBC-designated inspection facility — the shop works on lifted 4Runners daily, supplies and installs the lift components and adjustable UCAs, and aligns the truck around the build rather than treating it like a stock SUV.

How much does a lifted 4Runner alignment cost in Burnaby?

A four-wheel alignment on a lifted truck generally costs a bit more than a standard car alignment, for two reasons: it takes longer to set up and dial in, and a taller build may need added parts (such as adjustable UCAs) before the truck can hit a proper spec.

The most accurate way to budget is to have the shop look at your specific lift height and components. If you bought a lift online and need parts, an alignment, or both, contact Overland Garage for a quote based on your exact setup.

How long does it take?

A straightforward alignment on a lifted 4Runner is typically a same-day job. If your build needs adjustable UCAs or other parts installed first, the shop will usually do the install and the alignment together so the geometry is set correctly in one visit. Booking ahead is recommended, especially heading into trail season.

How to prepare for your alignment

Run your real tire pressures. Set the tires to the pressure you actually run before the alignment.
Have your build details ready. Know your lift brand, height, and whether UCAs are installed — it helps the tech target the right spec.
Sort tires and wheels first. If you're changing tire size or wheel offset, do it before the alignment.
Settle the suspension. New coilovers and springs settle over the first few hundred kilometres; a brand-new lift can be aligned right away, but a re-check after it settles keeps wear even.

Get your lifted 4Runner aligned in Burnaby

Overland Garage is Burnaby's 4x4 and overlanding specialist, bringing tried-and-tested Australian 4WD build methods to the Canadian off-road community. From lift installs and adjustable UCAs to dialled-in alignments on 5th and 6th gen 4Runners, the team builds trucks that drive straight and wear their tires evenly — on the highway and on the trail.

Overland Garage 📍 301–5491 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC V5C 4H4 📞 (778) 709-1955 ✉️ info@overlandgarage.ca 🕗 Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:30pm · Sat 10:00am–2:00pm · Sun/Holidays closed 🌐 overlandgarage.ca

Serving Burnaby, Vancouver, the North Shore, the Tri-Cities, and the Lower Mainland.

Frequently asked questions

Does a 4Runner need an alignment after a lift? Yes. Lifting a 4Runner changes caster, camber, and toe. Without an alignment, the truck wanders, pulls, and wears its tires unevenly — usually on the inside edge of the front tires.

Do I need upper control arms (UCAs) after lifting my 4Runner? On lifts up to roughly 2 inches, the factory components usually have enough range to align to spec. Above about 2 inches, the front loses too much caster and you'll need adjustable aftermarket UCAs to bring it back and stop the highway wander.

Why does my lifted 4Runner wander on the highway? A lift reduces caster, the angle that gives a vehicle its self-centring, straight-line stability. Low caster is the most common cause of a lifted 4Runner feeling vague or hunting across the lane. Adjustable UCAs let a technician restore caster to spec.

Is the 6th gen (2025+) 4Runner different to align than the 5th gen? Both use independent front suspension, so the same principles apply — a lift reduces caster and needs an alignment, with adjustable UCAs on taller setups. The 6th gen rides on Toyota's TNGA-F platform with more robust components, but the geometry behaves the same way after a lift.

How soon after installing a lift should I get aligned? Right away. Driving a freshly lifted truck on an uncorrected alignment burns tread fast. Coilovers and springs settle over the first few hundred kilometres, so a quick re-check after the suspension settles keeps wear even.

Where can I get my lifted 4Runner aligned near Burnaby? Overland Garage at 301–5491 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC, is a 4x4 specialist and ICBC-designated inspection facility that aligns lifted 4Runners and installs the supporting parts a taller build needs. Call (778) 709-1955 to book.