blue109 Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Just swapped in new tie rods and sway bar links. Any tips for setting toe? I'm eyeballing and using a string and a line on my driveway but wondering if any of you OGs know any tricks? i don't want to pay for an alignment if I can get it close because I'm doing control arms soon and I'll be pulling it all apart for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikedaddyH Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Ed Brown ? do very good work. Eyeball everything up and take it to an alignment shop close to your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Take a 2X4 and drive a 16d nail all the way through it. Jack up each front tire and use the nail as a scribe on each tire and spin the tire to scribe a line all the way around the tread. Set the vehicle back down and get someone to help you measure the distance between the scribed lines at the front and back of the tires. The difference is your toe-in (or toe-out as the case may be). You should move the vehicle backwards and forwards to settle the tires after setting it back on the ground before measuring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Taking it to the shop to have alignment set is cheaper than ruining a set of tires brother . Just sayin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 (edited) I set a long piece of 1" x 1" square tubIng on two buckets in Front of the tires (jacked just high enough to rotate the tires) and put a strip of masking tape on the tires even with the center of each tire and put a mark on the tape and the square tubing. Then place the buckets and tubing behind the tires rotate the tires and line up the mark on the tires this will show the difference between front and back of the tires (toe in or toe out. Edited November 20, 2016 by mrmackc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Mrmackc, a control arm suspension will change toe-in a LOT throughout it's travel range. The vehicle needs to be on the ground at normal ride height to get a true toe reading. I did alignments for several years and learned a few things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 You tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Alignment shop , you could waste good tires in a hurry with a bad alignment . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted November 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Tires are already cooked from letting it go so Iong so I want to fix more crap before I give it the final alignment. It definitely needs to be on the ground under weight to check it. It moves alot when it's lifted up. Found some long 2x4s in the shed and they are helping me eyeball it. Been circling the block after every adjustment lol. Getting to be a pain but it feels and looks pretty good at the moment. Doing plugs and wires and rad hoses now. I only paid $800 for this thing and rockauto has stupid cheap clearance parts for it so it's turning into a nice little beater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Blue, you only needed a short piece of 2X4, just long enough to hold the nail steady while you scribe each tire, one tire at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted November 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 I can get that measurement to 0 and still be off if both front wheels are turned the same way. I was using the long ones on the outside to get the fronts oriented the same as the rears. I think it's decent. Drove around a little and it's not twitchy or pulling me around. Well see how the drive to work goes. New issue is the plug holes are so full of dirt I can't get a socket on them lol. Worked 6 days this week so I'm going to wait till next weekend for that fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 6 hours ago, 392heminut said: Mrmackc, a control arm suspension will change toe-in a LOT throughout it's travel range. The vehicle needs to be on the ground at normal ride height to get a true toe reading. I did alignments for several years and learned a few things. Actually it depends upon how you lift the front axle, instead of lifting the vehicle just push it forward and mark the tires in front then push the vehicle back 1/2 a revolution, the idea is too get a measurement between the tires when in front and compare that measurements between when the marks are in front to the one with the mark in the rear. If the measurement in the rear is longer you have toe in.it should have about 3/8" to 5/8" toe in, never toe out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 (edited) On 11/20/2016 at 6:14 PM, mrmackc said: Actually it depends upon how you lift the front axle, and instead of lifting the vehicle just push it forward and mark the tires in front then push the vehicle back 1/2 a revolution. You're contradicting yourself, first you say "Actually it depends upon how you lift the front axle", then you say " instead of lifting the vehicle just push it forward".In your original post you said " (jacked just high enough to rotate the tires) " and I pointed out that the vehicle needed to be on the ground to get the true toe-in. Also, if you put 3/8" to 5/8" toe-in on a vehicle it will chew up the tires in a very short period of time and probably wander all over the place! Toe-in in a rear wheel drive vehicle is usually only 1/8" and on some front wheel drive vehicles it can even be zero! Edited November 22, 2016 by 392heminut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmackc Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 No it isn't a contradiction, but a choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Like gender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Make sure your stick is straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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