I gotta replace my tie rod ends. Darn tires start fluttering back and forth at speeds
over 60 mph. The ends are wasted bad. After replacing them it means I need to set toe in
either by tape measure or some other means.

I'm thinking of a board with my laser level placed against tire at mid point of rim. Point
it at a target 12' in front of the center line of the wheel and mark the laser spot for
each wheel. Then point backwards 12 feet. I figure roughly that if the distance between
the beam pointing toward the front is X the distance for the beam should be about x+2 inch
assuming 1/8" toe in, ~32" diam tire.

Does that sound right?

Thanks,

Wes

--

I was a skeptic before I became a cynic.

On Oct 25, 8:09*pm, Wes wrote:
I gotta replace my tie rod ends. *Darn tires start fluttering back and forth at speeds
over 60 mph. The ends are wasted bad. *After replacing them it means I need to set toe in
either by tape measure or some other means.

I'm thinking of a board with my laser level placed against tire at mid point of rim. Point
it at a target 12' in front of the center line of the wheel and mark the laser spot for
each wheel. *Then point backwards 12 feet. *I figure roughly that if the distance between
the beam pointing toward the front is X the distance for the beam should be about x+2 inch
assuming 1/8" toe in, ~32" diam tire.

Does that sound right? *

Thanks,

Wes

I jack up the front and spray paint a stripe around the center of the
tread, then spin the wheel against a screwdriver blade tip to make a
true-running line in the paint. After it dries I lower the vehicle,
roll it back and forth to let the wheels spread out, and measure
between the lines front and rear.

I got the idea from a racer. They scratch a line in the dust that
sticks to the rubber.

The rims and tire edges probably don't run true.

jsw

Jim Wilkins writes:

After it dries I lower the vehicle,
roll it back and forth to let the wheels spread out, and measure
between the lines front and rear.

Using trig to get the appropriate differences?

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:09:15 -0400, Wes wrote:

I gotta replace my tie rod ends. Darn tires start fluttering back and forth at speeds
over 60 mph. The ends are wasted bad. After replacing them it means I need to set toe in
either by tape measure or some other means.

I'm thinking of a board with my laser level placed against tire at mid point of rim. Point
it at a target 12' in front of the center line of the wheel and mark the laser spot for
each wheel. Then point backwards 12 feet. I figure roughly that if the distance between
the beam pointing toward the front is X the distance for the beam should be about x+2 inch
assuming 1/8" toe in, ~32" diam tire.

Does that sound right?

Oh, I'm sure it'll get the job done, but it sounds like a heckuva clooge.

On a '75 Plymouth Gran Fury, I replaced all four tie rod ends, Pitman arm,
Idler arm, and one upper right forward A-arm bushing.

Aligned it with a tape measure (just the Toe - didn't mess with caster or
camber), and it was friggin' perfect, or maybe just felt like it because
the tire quit scuffing. ;-)

But, hey, go for it, as long as you get the trigonometry right, it'll
most likely work like a champ. :-)

Cheers!
Rich

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:09:15 -0400, Wes
wrote:

I gotta replace my tie rod ends. Darn tires start fluttering back and forth at speeds
over 60 mph. The ends are wasted bad. After replacing them it means I need to set toe in
either by tape measure or some other means.

Remember to count, exactly, the number of turns the old tie rod takes
to come off. Install the new one the exact same number and you'll be
very close when you're done installing the new one. It saves tons of
time and hassle with centering the steering wheel afterwards. Another
time saver is to loosen both adjusting sleeve bolts and spray the
whole assembly with WD-40. Rotate the sleeves 2/3 of a turn back and
forth several times (while spraying) to make later adjustments easier.
Tie rod tips: If you don't have a TRE pickle fork, jack the front end
up and remove the wheels. Turn the steering to one side and work on
the knuckle which sticks out. Pull the cotter pin and loosen the TRE
nut several turns. Put a jack stand under the steering arm of the
knuckle near the TRE and lower the jack until it touches, for support.
Now take a FORD hammer and tap the TRE stud lightly, until it drops.
g The TRE can come off easily now.


I'm thinking of a board with my laser level placed against tire at mid point of rim. Point
it at a target 12' in front of the center line of the wheel and mark the laser spot for
each wheel. Then point backwards 12 feet. I figure roughly that if the distance between
the beam pointing toward the front is X the distance for the beam should be about x+2 inch
assuming 1/8" toe in, ~32" diam tire.

Does that sound right?

Tires all too often have bulges from hinky cords on the side. This
could throw your measurements off by literal inches, Wes.


It's a quick and easy manual jig you'll be needin', me boy. It takes
longer to explain than to perform.


Setup:
Lift each of the front wheels 1/2" off the ground at the lower ball
joint and get each one spinning. Dust the center of the tread with
talcum powder (or dust from your yard, if it isn't mud right now.)
Hammer a nail at an angle through a short piece of 4x4 and use it to
scribe through the talc as the tire spins so you get a fine, clean
line all the way around the tire. Let the vehicle down.


Now drive forward about 6' (one tire circumference length) to remove
stresses of jacking.


Scribe gauge:
Put a nail through one end of a 2x2 or furring strip (1x2) and another
aproximately the width between the two lines you just scribed on the
tires.


Using scribe gauge:
With someone else holding one nail to one tire's line, bend the other
to make it exactly that width. Try to hold the gauge level, and get
as high on the wheel as possible when measuring. Measure both sides.
Adjust as needed. Tighten and test drive. If the wheel isn't
centered, adjust one sleeve one direction and the other the opposite,
rechecking your toe afterwards, JIC. Rinse, repeat as necessary.

Done.


--
Most people assume the fights are going to be the left versus the right,
but it always is the reasonable versus the jerks.
-- Jimmy Wales

On 10/26/2010 9:30 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:09:15 -0400, Wes
wrote:

I gotta replace my tie rod ends. Darn tires start fluttering back and forth at speeds
over 60 mph. The ends are wasted bad. After replacing them it means I need to set toe in
either by tape measure or some other means.

Remember to count, exactly, the number of turns the old tie rod takes
to come off. Install the new one the exact same number and you'll be
very close when you're done installing the new one. It saves tons of
time and hassle with centering the steering wheel afterwards. Another
time saver is to loosen both adjusting sleeve bolts and spray the
whole assembly with WD-40. Rotate the sleeves 2/3 of a turn back and
forth several times (while spraying) to make later adjustments easier.
Tie rod tips: If you don't have a TRE pickle fork, jack the front end
up and remove the wheels. Turn the steering to one side and work on
the knuckle which sticks out. Pull the cotter pin and loosen the TRE
nut several turns. Put a jack stand under the steering arm of the
knuckle near the TRE and lower the jack until it touches, for support.
Now take a FORD hammer and tap the TRE stud lightly, until it drops.
g The TRE can come off easily now.

If you don't want to peen the threaded end, you can smack the outside of
the steel ring (spindle extension) that surrounds the tapered stud, and
it will pop it free


I'm thinking of a board with my laser level placed against tire at mid point of rim. Point
it at a target 12' in front of the center line of the wheel and mark the laser spot for
each wheel. Then point backwards 12 feet. I figure roughly that if the distance between
the beam pointing toward the front is X the distance for the beam should be about x+2 inch
assuming 1/8" toe in, ~32" diam tire.

Does that sound right?

Tires all too often have bulges from hinky cords on the side. This
could throw your measurements off by literal inches, Wes.

Make some flat toe plates http://www.soloracer.com/toeplates.html

Note the slots in the edges for a tape measure. Bungee one to each wheel
and you can do it by your lonesome. But it's easier with two.

Make yours out of steel and your laser idea will work.
The laser seems like overkill, but probably more fun.


--
I can see November from my front porch

Richard J Kinch wrote:

Jim Wilkins writes:

After it dries I lower the vehicle,
roll it back and forth to let the wheels spread out, and measure
between the lines front and rear.

Using trig to get the appropriate differences?

Scaling / proportion.

I changed out the tie rod ends yesterday, and I was very glad to have my buds pickle fork
that fits an air hammer. It took rattling from that along with a hammer strike on stud to
free each outer rod.

Put the new joints in, took it for a quick test ride to see where the steering wheel was
going to point and it was centered. Quick check with tape measure showed it was close
enough so I tightened the lock nuts and called it good.


Feels like a new car.

Wes