SUSP: Alignment

[aero]

DIY Alignment

After knowing that my toe was messed up for the longest time, I decided I would try to get it set back to 0 by myself. The technically correct way to set it to zero is find the centerline of the car from front to back, and then make sure the front of the wheel is exactly the same distance from that line as the rear of any wheel.

Obviously its not too easy to find the centerline nor a measurement device that is accurate enough for that since one degree can mess you up.

*this how-to is not a perfect method, just an easy way to set the toe pretty close to perfect. If I stuck my car on an alignment machine I am sure it would be within 1/2 of a degree which is good enough for me.

My alignment was off pretty good, I did this before running up to orlando (7hour round trip) and tires wore much better than before.

*this DIY is not for you to do if your tires are already aligned. BUT if you just put on a new set of tie rods or dropped your car and dont want to pay 60-100 for an alignment, this is a good way to save some dough. It will only do your toe, but that is the worst thing for your tires, so your good to go.


Tools needed:

9/16" open end wrench
3/4" open end wrench
^ may be different depending on your tie rod ends
jack
jackstands
lazer level that will show a line instead of a dot... preferrably a vertical line.
piece of wood to go behind rear wheel

Instructions

1. jack up car so front wheels are just off ground
2. put on jackstands
3. loosen the retaining nut on tie rod ends (dont turn the tie rods any.. just that nut)
4. get in car, and center wheel so it is sitting straight ahead
5. put piece of wood behind rear tire as shown in pic
6. get level, and aim it so it projects a vertical line towards the rear, and level with the middle of the wheel.

7. see picture below, the object is to make that slim lazer line hit the front and rear edges of the front tire (just graze past) and then line up to do the same for the rear tire.

8. you will want to do the same on the other side(if both are pointing too far to one side when looking from the front, then the steering wheel may be turned too much one way or the other.

9. the piece of wood is to see about where the lazer is. If it is too far to the outside, the wheel is toe'd in.

10. then you just adjust the tie rod about 1/2 turn at a time and re-align lazer and see where it is pointing at. Do this for both front tires, and should be better than it was.

[papychulo82]

has anybody tried this before?? i just finished my drop and i wanted to try this. Any input?

[npor]

yo jose i'm down to try it if you are. i'll want your help though.

[papychulo82]

well i guess no one has ever tried this...but just to make sure i read it right. I turn the tie rod little by little til the wheel is straight? any input?

[cp[mike]]

you use the laser level in front of the car so it just barely grazes the outside edges of the tire, so you can see even marks on both the front and rear edge, like in his pic (see the TINY red dot on the actual wording on the tire, just to the left of the main red mark on the right side?). that will make it so the laser is aligned with the front tire. then judging by how far off to either side the laser is when it hits the rear tire, you know which direction your front tire is facing. twist the tierod to adjust, reaim the laser, and repeat. once the laser grazes evenly across both edges of both tires evenly, you know the wheel on that side is straight. tighten the locknut, of course.

ive never done this, but when i get around to replacing my tie rods, im going to try it.

[aero]

you use the laser level in front of the car so it just barely grazes the outside edges of the tire, so you can see even marks on both the front and rear edge, like in his pic (see the TINY red dot on the actual wording on the tire, just to the left of the main red mark on the right side?). that will make it so the laser is aligned with the front tire. then judging by how far off to either side the laser is when it hits the rear tire, you know which direction your front tire is facing. twist the tierod to adjust, reaim the laser, and repeat. once the laser grazes evenly across both edges of both tires evenly, you know the wheel on that side is straight. tighten the locknut, of course.

ive never done this, but when i get around to replacing my tie rods, im going to try it.

Yup..

One thing that I dunno if I mentioned it when I made that thread, is to make sure you spin the tire some... since they are not all perfectly round and shaped. But for the most part, it should be fine.

I also have seen a neat alignment tool that is 250-300 dollars, that allows you to do the alignment yourself. You just clamp it on the wheel, and follow the directions, and you can do the toe, camber and caster. The next time I have to do an alignment, I'll get one of those.. figure it'll pay for itself in a few times, and maybe I'll do a few alignments on the side aswell.

But this basic method worked fine for all the times I used it.


Heres a link to the DIY one... not bad for 225. Incase the link stops working, its a FasTrax (tm) Camber Caster Toe Gauge.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CAMBE...mZ230059235473

[d112crzy]

you can also do it by wrapping string around your car.



it is recommended that you fix your camber before you adjust your toe because any change in camber will change your toe.

[SN2BH22CB7]

you can also do it by wrapping string around your car.



it is recommended that you fix your camber before you adjust your toe because any change in camber will change your toe.

[zack_odom]

That car was at the mt baker meet!!!!
K20 Type R! FTMFW!!!!!
LOL. I gotta try that string deal.

[slick]

bumping this because i wanted to ask if anyone had pictures of exactly what is needed to adjust the toe? i know i need to adjust the tie rods but what do i do?

[r1emperor]

There is a nut on the tie rod (19mm). Loosen it and turn the iinner tie rod to adjust. Make sure you tighten the nut when done.

[DRzCB72nr]

the string method, i have done before and its really simple. Buy if its possible i would just go to an alignment place.

[slick]

what if the rear are toe'd in too?

[r1emperor]

The rear is adjusted by an eccentric bolt. You need a 17mm and a 14 mm wrench to adjust. They adjust where the rearmost lower trailing arm meets the crossmember.

[N9netwoAccord]

The rear is adjusted by an eccentric bolt. You need a 17mm and a 14 mm wrench to adjust. They adjust where the rearmost lower trailing arm meets the crossmember.

as long as they come loose. here in the northeast you're lucky if rear adjusters aren't rusted in their bushing and don't break when you get a ratchet on them.