Suggestions for a shadetree method of setting toe-in?

On Aug 4, 9:41?am, jim > wrote:
> Marsh Monster wrote:
> > here's what we used to use back in the 70's for damned acurate
> > toe alinement on vehicals at the body shop......
>
> > take a piece of pipe long enough to reach past the outter edge of
> > both tires when layed across the front of the vehicle......
>
> > scribe your center line on both tires as described in the other
> > posts......
> > all you need is a veriticle reference line..no need to be balls on
> > exact......eyeball will do the trick...ONLY about a 1/2 inch long.
>
> > bend 2 ......16 penny nails at 90 degrees and use hose clamps to
> > attach them to the pipe to make adjustable pointers.
> > (no nails ??....anything with a point on it.)
>
> This gauge is called a single beam trammel. It doesn't cost much to buy
> good trammel points and make this type of very accurate measuring device
> yourself. Below is a link to a set designed to go on a wood beam
> 3/4"X3/8". You can get them that fit onto pipe or square aluminum stock as
> well as hardwood beams. Notice that there is a fine adjustment for fine
> tuning after you get the points locked down close to the target
> measurement. The points are very sharp and the device can be accurate down
> to .001"
>
> -jim
>
> http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/i...rodid=ST-TP.XX
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > now.......read ray's post about roll'n the car back in forth...
> > because that is EXACTLY the BEST way to insure you're
> > balls on with yer toe setting.
>
> > put the vehicle on level ground...move forward a couple feet
> > insureing the STEERING WHEEL is straight...stop with the
> > reference mark DEAD CENTER of the radius of the tire, with
> > the mark on to the front.
>
> > SET..your toe gauge to those marks.
>
> > Then....KEEPING THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT...
> > move the car to the rear making at least one full rotation of
> > the tire, with the reference mark to the rear.
>
> > Adjust your toe HALF of the amount that it's off by your
> > toe gauge.
>
> > Repeat proceedure untill your toe is set to ZERO.
>
> > then.........
>
> > when you git back from the alignment shop.......
> > do a repost...let us know what the PRE-ALIGNMENT..
> > toe setting was.
>
> > jest fer giggles.
>
> > ~:~
> > MarshMonster
> > ~takes a toke........tries to remember something else from
> > the 70's...............nope.....still don't remember where he
> > planted it~
> > ~:~
>
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Outstanding suggestion....Jim.

wudda never thunked of look'n at wood work'n tools.

simple,effective.


~:~
mm
~:~

......jack each wheel up and put a few inches of masking tape on opposite sides (180 degrees front to rear).
Then with a firmly positioned ball point pen, mark lines on front and rear by rotating tire...not moving the
ball point pen. To measure the distance between the rear marks, improvise a "caliper-like" U-shape device,
perhaps of wood and coat-hanger wire (to clear the body) and carefully set it to the rear distance between ink marks.
Then carefully move it to the front marks without changing its setting. Note the difference in the spacing,
zero for zero toe-in, or 1/8" less in front for 1/8" toe-in, for example.

Gene Gardner wrote:
> .....jack each wheel up and put a few inches of masking tape on opposite sides (180 degrees front to rear).
> Then with a firmly positioned ball point pen, mark lines on front and rear by rotating tire...not moving the
> ball point pen. To measure the distance between the rear marks, improvise a "caliper-like" U-shape device,
> perhaps of wood and coat-hanger wire (to clear the body) and carefully set it to the rear distance between ink marks.
> Then carefully move it to the front marks without changing its setting. Note the difference in the spacing,
> zero for zero toe-in, or 1/8" less in front for 1/8" toe-in, for example.
>
>
>
>

My tires have a seam and I have always used that for alignment
measurement. Mine hasn't been on a rack since I bought it and I get
perfect tire wear.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

=======
=======
Mike Romain grabbed his magnify'n glass...
located the rite keys....and within 45 minutes
had typed this for the NG :


My tires have a seam and I have always used that for alignment
measurement. ?Mine hasn't been on a rack since I bought it and I get
perfect tire wear.
..
Mike
=========
=========

pushing them in and outta the garage fer
the neighbors to drool over, and trailer'n
em to shows don't count Mike.






~:~
marsh
~sips his crownroyal.....~
~:~

TomO ) writes:
> It's a 1988 Ford F-250 4WD with the 7.3L diesel if that matters.
>
> I managed to bend one of the tie rod adjusting sleeves. (Don't ask,
> let's just say that my bridge-building skills are only good for a
> 2.5-year bridge) I have a replacement in hand, but was wondering about
> best-guess methods of winding up with the toe at least close enough to
> zero until I can get it to someone with the proper equipment to set it
> correctly.
>
> Autozone.com claims that the proper toe setting is 0.03 inches which is
> a much finer resolution than my tape measure can handle.
>
> What do others do when the alignment rack isn't handy?
>
> --
> TomO


Eastwood sells a Wheel Alignment Guage for $45. I have never used it,
but it might be worth a try.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT
Dan

(This account is not used for email.)

Marsh Monster wrote:
> =======
> =======
> Mike Romain grabbed his magnify'n glass...
> located the rite keys....and within 45 minutes
> had typed this for the NG :
>
>
> My tires have a seam and I have always used that for alignment
> measurement. ?Mine hasn't been on a rack since I bought it and I get
> perfect tire wear.
> .
> Mike
> =========
> =========
>
> pushing them in and outta the garage fer
> the neighbors to drool over, and trailer'n
> em to shows don't count Mike.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ~:~
> marsh
> ~sips his crownroyal.....~
> ~:~
>

LOL! Mine certainly isn't a 'Trailer Queen'.

My Jeep CJ7 has been my daily driver for over ten years now. It has
made three 3000 mile vacation camping trips to the East Coast (Nova
Scotia, PEI, NB and Newfoundland) in the last few years and I take it
out to play in the Bush on a regular basis including 6 days in the deep
Canadian Bush last week.

A am just about through with the second set of mud tires (about 40%
left) I have had on it since I bought it and they have worn out
perfectly even.

Now a Jeep CJ7 has a solid front axle so the only alignment adjustment
is toe in, but still, that was the question right?

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

TomO wrote:
> It's a 1988 Ford F-250 4WD with the 7.3L diesel if that matters.
>
> I managed to bend one of the tie rod adjusting sleeves. (Don't ask,
> let's just say that my bridge-building skills are only good for a
> 2.5-year bridge) I have a replacement in hand, but was wondering about
> best-guess methods of winding up with the toe at least close enough to
> zero until I can get it to someone with the proper equipment to set it
> correctly.
>
> Autozone.com claims that the proper toe setting is 0.03 inches which is
> a much finer resolution than my tape measure can handle.
>
> What do others do when the alignment rack isn't handy?
>
Got a local race track? As in circle track? Go into the pits and watch
the crews between races. I guarantee you'll see at least 3 different
ways to set toe.