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Setting Toe In (Front and Rear).
Newt - January 5th, 2014 at 11:24 PM

Hi Guys,

A couple of years ago I tried to get a shop to give me a 4 wheel wheel alignment. They didnt do it as they said it was too low to get on there machine.

Ive almost finished rebuilding the pan and was wondering if setting up the front and rear alignment is something that can be done before the body goes back on.

As an aside - once back on the road, Im aiming to have it a couple of inches lower than original (dont know if that will change the alignment).

It was just a thought.

(Its a new back bone, so I dont have a firm starting point for the rear alignment).

Cheers

Newt


nils - January 6th, 2014 at 04:53 AM

You can set your own toe.It's probably easier while the body is off actually, seeeing as you don't have the guards to contend with. l would get it as close to the final ride height as possible though. I use brickies string line and a level. Run 2 strings parallel along the sidewalls of your tyres at the height of your axle (you may have to do this twice as your front and rear track are probably different) and use a level for the camber.


HappyDaze - January 6th, 2014 at 06:11 AM

You really need to set the toe with the car as it will be on the road....tank full, spare wheel, and driver in place.


matberry - January 6th, 2014 at 08:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by HappyDaze
You really need to set the toe with the car as it will be on the road....tank full, spare wheel, and driver in place.

x2
waste of time before it's FULL weight


colin - January 6th, 2014 at 06:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
Quote:
Originally posted by HappyDaze
You really need to set the toe with the car as it will be on the road....tank full, spare wheel, and driver in place.

x2
waste of time before it's FULL weight


x3
Take it to an alignment shop,
While string and your eye will get it close a machine will get it within tenths of a millimetre across the total toe.

Cheers Col


nils - January 6th, 2014 at 06:56 PM

Well if you want to do it properly :lol:


Newt - January 6th, 2014 at 11:25 PM

Cheers Guys - I wasnt holding my breath on this one (just pondering).

Newt


HappyDaze - January 7th, 2014 at 05:37 AM

Don't forget, when it's time for the wheel-alignment, any machine is only as good as its operator. :yes:


matberry - January 7th, 2014 at 08:55 AM

Something else that will help, when your assembling the front end, rough it out close as you go, this is important as most alignment shops don't want to spend the time fiddling with this and it's very important for a few reasons, to have min play in the steering box and to get equal turning lock-to-lock. Centre the steering box with no tie rods fitted, then set the tie rod lengths to get the wheels straight ahead by sighting the inside edge of the tyre to align it to be near the inside rear tyre edge (all at ride height ie on the ground)


vlad01 - January 7th, 2014 at 09:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by HappyDaze
You really need to set the toe with the car as it will be on the road....tank full, spare wheel, and driver in place.


exactly! does not work otherwise.

suspension and steering geometry is dynamic, thats why it need to be set in a state the car will be in most of the time.