Questions up front then the details:
1. What can cause the truck to track left if the wheels are all aligned properly at the shop (bad tie rod / ball joint)???
2. What causes uneven braking (pulling to the left) ?
3. Anybody else have trouble getting the RIGHT wheel cylinder for their wheel size?
4. Should I just go to the Toyota dealer and get new wheel cylinders and do it all over?

So my 97 4-runner has 204k on it and is all original suspension and drivetrain. In general I am very happy with how it drives but the last 3k miles it has started tracking left. Wouldn't be a big deal but I started a new job and am driving home 400 miles round trip every weekend and it gets annoying. I got an alignment (which took 20 minutes) and they showed me the print off that everything was fine except for toe before and it was only slightly off. After adjustment it all showed green as within specs.

Also as of late I have noticed it pulling left pretty significantly when I hit the brakes lightly to mid. Still straight if I hit them hard. I looked at the front pads and both sides are wearing evenly and have plenty of pad. The wheels spin freely.

I had a greassy / gummy LEFT rear wheel pads and ASSUMED it was the wheel cylinder so I pulled it off and replaced it. Now my truck has 16" wheels. I have TRIED to put 15" Toyota wheels (that looked identical but had good tires on them) on it but they would NOT fit over the front calipers. That makes me pretty confident that it was built with 16" wheels. But when I installed the wheel cylinder for 16" wheels (from O-rielly's) I could not get the drum back on over the shoes even with them adjusted completely in. I compared the wheel cylinder to what came off and it was like 1/4" longer when compressed. So I went and got the cylinder for 15" wheels from Autozone (it was Sunday and NAPA wasn't open). This allowed me to get the drum on BUT i have a very soft pedal on the first push and firm after that. This is scary and annoying. Also, my brakes still pull left.

Thoughts and ideas are appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Axle seals are blown. Replace both sides at the same time. Also check that the small vent on the top of the axle housing just to the left of the pumpkin is not clogged. Remove it and make sure it breathes freely.

rear-axle-seals-ultimate-information-replacement-thread-3rd-gen.html

possible-solution-leaking-axle-seals.html

The leaking is not from the wheel cylinders. But its a good time to replace both cylinders while you have it all apart for the bearings and seals. The cylinders are $25 each at rockauto for Aisin brand.

Im pretty sure if you have an SR5 it has 16" wheels. You should replace the cylinder before you lose your brakes. You need to crack open the breed screw just a little so any pressure can be relieved while getting the shoes back in place. Also rotate the star wheel all the way closed so it can fit easier. But if you are unfamiliar with brakes, you need a pro to do it for you. We'd hate to lose you on a trip back home.

 

Any explanation on the pulling or uneven braking?

 

Yes. The wet shoes will swell and drag on the drum causing it to pull to that side. However, the wet shoes will be lubricated, so the braking will be poorer on that side. The second link is my thread and it took me 4 attempts to get it right. The first three, i followed the FSM and the measurements were off, letting oil get by the seal. Print the links i posted and show them to your mechanic. This will help him to position the retainer correctly.

And dont go cheap. Use only OEM parts.

 

That was kind of my thoughts because I know swelling shoes causes it to drag / lock up sooner but I just stuck these on yesterday and tested immediatley but still have pulling when braking and when NOT braking. They are not adjusted tight enough for the parking brake to work so I really do NOT believe they could be the cause. They are a cause of further headache though with my now soft brake pedal.