Toe Setting at Home
11-05-2008, 12:42 PM
#1
Toe Setting at Home I started out doing shocks (bilsteins) I got from Sam Strano. I have only had the car 2 weeks. I noticed the tie rod ends were worn out so I picked up some TRW ones from a local vendor. I measure how far out they were screwed in. I replaced the new ones by screwing them in to that point. I knew I wouldn't be able to get it aligned for a few days (because of LCA relocation brackets). I had to drive the car. When the car was all together, I eye balled the wheels and saw a pretty sizable toe out. I then used my eyeball to get it closer. I still wasn't to satisfied as being contractor I know just how much your eyes can lie. I then had an idea. I have several laser layout and leveling devices for construction. I grabbed the closest one and viola.
I setup the laser to project a plumb line that was an equal distance from the back of the rear wheel to the front of the rear wheel. Which also ran close to the same distance away from the front wheel. I then moved the front wheel left and right until it was the same measurement in the front and back of the front wheel. It is important that you stay in the center of the wheel to reduce errors caused by camber. This made that wheel straight. I then set the laser up on the other side of the car and repeated the setup. This yield a 9/16 measurement at the front of the front wheel and a 13/16 measurement at the back of the front wheel. I adjusted that side till I got equal readings at about 11/16.
Lesson learned: instead center the steering wheel and adjust each wheel accordingly. No big deal as I was getting an alignment anyways.
So how did it turn out you ask. I was amazed at the accuracy! 0.1 degree was my toe reading.
The demon looking dog is my German Shepard. Recoil!
P/S I waited to put it on an alignment rack till today because the guy at J&M Products gave me a great idea when I was telling him I picked up some LCA relocation brackets off of Titanws6 from LS1tech. He said bolt them up and go get an alignment and if your thrust is off you can move the around to adjust it them,then weld them. I will post the photos and reults of that next.
P/S/S The reason Dad has to work outside in the rain is because his sons 94 Z28 project car is going on year 5 i(too long) in the garage/shop.
I setup the laser to project a plumb line that was an equal distance from the back of the rear wheel to the front of the rear wheel. Which also ran close to the same distance away from the front wheel. I then moved the front wheel left and right until it was the same measurement in the front and back of the front wheel. It is important that you stay in the center of the wheel to reduce errors caused by camber. This made that wheel straight. I then set the laser up on the other side of the car and repeated the setup. This yield a 9/16 measurement at the front of the front wheel and a 13/16 measurement at the back of the front wheel. I adjusted that side till I got equal readings at about 11/16.
Lesson learned: instead center the steering wheel and adjust each wheel accordingly. No big deal as I was getting an alignment anyways.
So how did it turn out you ask. I was amazed at the accuracy! 0.1 degree was my toe reading.
The demon looking dog is my German Shepard. Recoil!
P/S I waited to put it on an alignment rack till today because the guy at J&M Products gave me a great idea when I was telling him I picked up some LCA relocation brackets off of Titanws6 from LS1tech. He said bolt them up and go get an alignment and if your thrust is off you can move the around to adjust it them,then weld them. I will post the photos and reults of that next.
P/S/S The reason Dad has to work outside in the rain is because his sons 94 Z28 project car is going on year 5 i(too long) in the garage/shop.
