Doing my own alignment (adjust toe-in, toe-out.)

[lizpat]

Some time ago, a shop replaced the inner tie-rod of my car on the front passenger side and aligned it.. but only on that side. They didn't do a full 4 wheel alignment. That's fine, whatever. In any case, the car doesn't track perfectly straight. When the steering wheel is on dead center, the car will slowly veer towards the right. On the side that they worked on, they aligned the toe to be dead neutral, 0 degrees.

Armed with this information, my guess is that the driver's side front has a toe-in condition (which would cause the car to veer right, a toe-out condition would cause the car to veer left, I think.)

With this video (here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aw9ZIO0JFM ) Youtube video , I am going to adjust the inner tie-rod little by little to correct what I believe to be a toe-in condition. If the car tracks perfectly straight, I will know that I've done the job well. I won't even need tools or measuring tape or anything like that.

What do you think of my plan?

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: lizpat
I am going to adjust the inner tie-rod little by little to correct what I believe to be a toe-in condition. If the car tracks perfectly straight, I will know that I've done the job well. I won't even need tools or measuring tape or anything like that.


I think it's a bad idea. If you're going to go about it adjusting just one side until the steering wheel is straight, adjust only the side where the work was done, but this could still give you toe that's way off.

You really don't know where your alignment is right now. The easiest way to get it set to something reasonable is to go to a shop that does wheel alignments and get it done. If you're going to keep this car for a while it will probably save you a lot more money in tires than you're going to pay.

If you're just not up for that, you'll likely get a better DIY alignment eyeballing it or using a string than adjusting one side until the steering wheel sits straight.

 

[eljefino]

Oddly, toe doesn't always cause pull. Camber is more likely.

Do you have to hold the wheel dead center?

If you get a laser level, you can hold it on your front tire bulges and aim towards your rear tires. Should just barely miss.

 

[Mykl]

I think it's best to pay someone to do this, however... I have performed toe adjustments in my garage, but I used strings.

Using strings it is absolutely critical that the strings are parallel with the center line of the car, otherwise you're going to screw your thrust angle. The way I did it was to measure the distance between the centercap on the wheel to the string, making it equal for front and rear, and then adjusting the strings based on track width. For example, if the front track is wider than the rear by an inch, you have an additional half inch of measurement between the rear wheels and string in relation to the measurement at the front.

Another critical item is to ensure that your tires are resting on a low friction surface so the tires adjust smoothly, instead of binding up (they are made of rubber, after all, and all the suspension parts are separated by rubber). This will give you a more accurate measurement.

 

[turtlevette]

After coming back from the alignment shop unhappy several times, I started doing my own. I just keep messing with it until I like the way it steers.

Go ahead. If you foul it up then you can take it in.

 

[Zaedock]

If you release the steering wheel so the car tracks straight, is the steering wheel off to the left? You can adjust it no problem. If it veers right when you hold the wheel straight, the outer tie rod needs to be adjusted out a bit. Try a turn at a time.

 

[lizpat]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
If you release the steering wheel so the car tracks straight, is the steering wheel off to the left? You can adjust it no problem. If it veers right when you hold the wheel straight, the outer tie rod needs to be adjusted out a bit. Try a turn at a time.


If I hold the steering wheel perfectly straight, the car will veer to the right. To drive straight, I have to turn the steering wheel counter-clockwise a few degrees. Nothing major but can be quite tiring on a long highway drive.

 

[lizpat]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Originally Posted By: lizpat
I am going to adjust the inner tie-rod little by little to correct what I believe to be a toe-in condition. If the car tracks perfectly straight, I will know that I've done the job well. I won't even need tools or measuring tape or anything like that.


I think it's a bad idea. If you're going to go about it adjusting just one side until the steering wheel is straight, adjust only the side where the work was done, but this could still give you toe that's way off.

You really don't know where your alignment is right now. The easiest way to get it set to something reasonable is to go to a shop that does wheel alignments and get it done. If you're going to keep this car for a while it will probably save you a lot more money in tires than you're going to pay.

If you're just not up for that, you'll likely get a better DIY alignment eyeballing it or using a string than adjusting one side until the steering wheel sits straight.

I definitely hear what you're saying, to be honest, I'm doing this at least in part because I am tickled by the idea that I can do this (I really only learned about this yesterday.) Now, the reason why I want to mess with the side that the shop did not work on is because the car exhibited this behavior even before the inner tie rod got bent (and therefore had to be repaired.) The fact that the tie rod was replaced, and an alignment done on this very side, and the car was STILL exhibiting this behavior has me convinced that it was probably the OTHER side that is causing this behavior.

 

[lizpat]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
After coming back from the alignment shop unhappy several times, I started doing my own. I just keep messing with it until I like the way it steers.

Go ahead. If you foul it up then you can take it in.


This is kind of what I had in mind. I believe I can get my arm inside the wheel well and do this without putting it on stands or a lift.

 

[lizpat]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Oddly, toe doesn't always cause pull. Camber is more likely.

Do you have to hold the wheel dead center?

If you get a laser level, you can hold it on your front tire bulges and aim towards your rear tires. Should just barely miss.


It certainly could be camber (I've hit my share of pothole,) but I'm going to play with toe first, primary reason being you can't adjust camber nor caster on this car, only toe.

 

[TFB1]

The toe-in ALWAYS splits between R & L, if one side is mis-adjusted the steering wheel will be off center but won't cause a pull... Too much toe-out will cause instability, excess toe-in increases tire wear...

Pull to one side generally means that side has more positive caster than the other...

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: lizpat
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
If you release the steering wheel so the car tracks straight, is the steering wheel off to the left? You can adjust it no problem. If it veers right when you hold the wheel straight, the outer tie rod needs to be adjusted out a bit. Try a turn at a time.


If I hold the steering wheel perfectly straight, the car will veer to the right. To drive straight, I have to turn the steering wheel counter-clockwise a few degrees. Nothing major but can be quite tiring on a long highway drive.


OK, so it's not pulling, just crooked - that's what I thought. Looking at the fenderwell from the outside, adjust the inner tie rod clockwise a turn at a time until your wheel is straight. Just remember to hold the inner rod in place when tightening the jam nut. If nothing else was replaced or manipulated in your steering system, you'll more than likely be in the acceptable range for toe. I started doing front end work and alignments over 20 years ago and have seen shabby work in shops. Guys who tap the head to get the alignment in spec and send it on it's way or mount the heads wrong. Nothing wrong with doing it this way if nothing else was touched and your wheel is straight. Poor man's alignment, which works. Good luck man!

 

[lizpat]

Originally Posted By: TFB1
The toe-in ALWAYS splits between R & L, if one side is mis-adjusted the steering wheel will be off center but won't cause a pull... Too much toe-out will cause instability, excess toe-in increases tire wear...

Pull to one side generally means that side has more positive caster than the other...


Hm, interesting.. when you say: "The toe-in ALWAYS splits between R & L.." What do you mean exactly, can you explain it another way?

 

[Duffman77]

When I worked in a garage our alignment guy said that he was taught to make the car always drift to the right. The reason being you never want the drift to be in the direction of oncoming traffic. Depending how much drift there actually is, I wouldn’t bother.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: lizpat


Hm, interesting.. when you say: "The toe-in ALWAYS splits between R & L.." What do you mean exactly, can you explain it another way?


In other words toe is a average figure, move just one side 1/2" and both sides will be at 1/4"... Once the tires roll, it's impossible to have zero on one side and 1/2" on other(assuming one side isn't locked up of course)...

If one side only is adjusted the steering wheel will be off center because the opposite wheel will be pulled half the distance of the adjustment... Assuming steering wheel is angled but toe is correct, what needs to be done is is BOTH sides adjusted equally... If the steering wheel is to the right, the left tie rod needs to be shortened and right lengthened a equal amount to center wheel... This assumes a front steer vehicle(tie rods in front of spindle), a rear steer will be just the opposite...

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: Duffman77
When I worked in a garage our alignment guy said that he was taught to make the car always drift to the right. The reason being you never want the drift to be in the direction of oncoming traffic. Depending how much drift there actually is, I wouldn’t bother.


Actually, many guys add an extra degree or two of caster on the right side to compensate for road crowning.

Either way, this guy's wheel is simply crooked, not pulling.

 

[Cujet]

A DIY alignment is common in the racing world.

Using a sailboat inclinometer, (a $10 device) mounted to a piece of sheet metal, and some newspaper under each wheel, we can accurately measure both camber and caster.

Using parallel strings (often 2 metal bars with notches to space the string equally, front and rear) we can measure toe.

With good methodology, a whole bunch of patience and a good bit of understanding of "what's going on", a DIY alignment can be quite acceptable.

 

[FL-400S]

I got new tires recently, sears wanted $85 for alignment...provided me with a fancy printout showing how it was off on 3 of 4 wheels. The most it was off by was about 0.05 degrees. Took it to local alignment shop recommended by another local mechanic, they said it wasnt off by much, don't bother. BTW they ask $70 for alignment.

Seems like it pulls to the right just a shade but it might be the road.