Front end alignment, tie rods

Taykol

I hate to think I am too weak minded to comprehend a simple illustration that many before me have easily put into action. So I won't.....
I have this friend who has the reading comprehension of a 3rd grader and he would really appreciate this illustration broken down into much simpler step by step instructions.

BGW

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pachanga90

To make it simple...Jack it up,spray a stripe of white paint lightly on the center of the tire while spinning it.Then take a screwdriver,nail,etc..and hold it steady,while spinning the tire,this will give you a line to work from.Set the cart down,bounce the front a few times to make sure the suspension is settled.Set the wheels as straight as you can by eye.Measure at the scribed-line in front and behind the axle as close to axle-height as possible.You are looking for 1/16" to 3/16" less in front of the axle(Toe-In,the tires will be closer together in front of the axle,than behind).As for the Tow-Pin,unless you have the tow-bar from a golf-course,disreguard,except for making sure its' not facing front-to-back,where it could possibly contact the axle and cause steering-bind.Hope this helps.

Taykol

To make it simple...
Jack it up,spray a stripe of white paint lightly on the center of the tire while spinning it. Got it.
Then take a screwdriver,nail,etc..and hold it steady, I'm holding it steady, but what is it touching/pointing/sticking?while spinning the tire,this will give you a line to work from.
Set the cart down,bounce the front a few times to make sure the suspension is settled.Set the wheels as straight as you can by eye.Measure at the scribed-line in front and behind the axle as close to axle-height as possible.You are looking for 1/16" to 3/16" less in front of the axle(Toe-In,the tires will be closer together in front of the axle,than behind).As for the Tow-Pin,unless you have the tow-bar from a golf-course,disreguard,except for making sure its' not facing front-to-back,where it could possibly contact the axle and cause steering-bind.Hope this helps.

pachanga90

The screwdriver will scribe a line on the paint,on the tire,giving an accurate point to measure from.

Gonkulor

I never thought of striking a line threw the paint after applying the stripe. Great idea

I just use a couple dowel rods by spreading them out to touch the rims on each tire, then make a mark across both rods. Do that an the front and on the back of the front rims and adjust as necessary. My way might be a little confusing. I like the paint stripe with a scribe line idea.

pachanga90

Thats how we always set Toe on Heavy-Trucks when we did a tie-rod end replacement.I still do it,even on my 4x4 Chevys' with a straight-axle.It never fails.The mark is more consistent than hoping you have the tape on the correct spot on the tread.

mack Courtney

I have been checking toe in on old Chevys for years. I use a piece of painter's tape across the tire, and mark the center of the tire with a sharpie. With the car on jack stands with the tires where they will spin I use a couple of coffee can or buckets up in front of the tires so that the bar is even with the level of the spindle nut of the tire and use a 2x2 bar or a length of 1" square steel tubing bar and with a length of tape on each end of the bar mark the bar where the marks on the tire line up with the bar, then move the coffee cans and bar behind the front tires and line one of the marks on the bar with the mark on the tire with the tire rotated so that the tape is lined up with one of the mark on one end of the bar, then rotate the other tire and mark where the mark on the tire comes to the bar. The difference of the marks will tell you if you have toe in or toe out ( if the distance is shorter on the rear of the tires you have toe out, that isn't good! I set the old Chevys with a straight front axle at 1/8" to 5/32" toe in and they steer and drive much better. And yes if you do this operation carefully you can get within 1/8" toe in accuracy.

Gibb

WOW Mack I would definatly need the 3rd grade diagram for that and Im on my 2nd cup of coffee!!!

Taykol

Father in law said to measure from tire tread to tire tread. As long as you were measuring from the zig not the zag on each one, seems that would work as well as the tape/paint?

cableguy_hd

that diagram looks like your setting the camber.