Hand made tool to check toe in

The Shower rod when done correctly will take into account of any bent wheels as long as you roll the car forward and don't allow any rollback.
 
WHATEVER method you use, the ACID TEST is to observe your tires for SCUFFING in/out & determine if you need to make a MINOR correction.
If they SCUFF from the outside to the inside, you're TOWED IN too far. If they SCUFF from the inside to the outside, you're TOWED OUT too much.
ANYWHERE on the car, you've got to lurn to look at/evaluate things, in general!
Bill W.
 
Afordman31 said:
Here is a picture of the one I made, saw one being used like this on Youtube. Afordman31
Click to expand...
That is the same principle as mine. The only accurate way is the method the alignment shops use which is chalk/spray and scribe a line on the tire to use your type gage.
 
Since front ends have play in them, you want the tires on the ground and to push the car forward first before measuring so that the wheels are where they would be going down the road.

It's a good idea to get you close, but not going to be your best measure.

I usually use a piece of rebar slid down inside a piece of conduit with a set screw. Also not 100% accurate, but I do it inside the wheels under the car after pushing forward and it's shown good results!
 
Jason in TX said:
Since front ends have play in them, you want the tires on the ground and to push the car forward first before measuring so that the wheels are where they would be going down the road.

It's a good idea to get you close, but not going to be your best measure.

I usually use a piece of rebar slid down inside a piece of conduit with a set screw. Also not 100% accurate, but I do it inside the wheels under the car after pushing forward and it's shown good results!
Click to expand...
REBAR should receive an award of some kind, it's used in SO many HIDDEN places, for strength & safety! On one guys' chop job, he welded LONG pieces of it, INSIDE the door posts, for strength & safety! BUT, if not HIDDEN, everybody & their Dogs:cool: LAFF:D:D
I saw a security gate made of REBAR & it was a WORK of ART, built by a professional ARTISAN & almost rivaling a HIGH DOLLAR gate I saw, made entirely of HORSE SHOES!
Bill W.
 
Here is another "Hand Made tool" for a way to check front end alignment. Yes not to very accurate but got me a lot closer than I was. Marked it in front, rolled car forward and then checked in back.
 

Attachments

  • DSC00015a.jpg
    DSC00015a.jpg
    40.1 KB · Views: 108
  • DSC00013a.jpg
    DSC00013a.jpg
    51.8 KB · Views: 111
  • DSC00021a.jpg
    DSC00021a.jpg
    34.7 KB · Views: 104
  • DSC00011a.jpg
    DSC00011a.jpg
    36.8 KB · Views: 97
Fred K-OR said:
Here is another "Hand Made tool" for a way to check front end alignment. Yes not to very accurate but got me a lot closer than I was. Marked it in front, rolled car forward and then checked in back.
Click to expand...

That's the simplest most well built example I've seen. I would think it would be fairly accurate if you used a square and straight edge to build it. I like it, count that one stolen. :):)
 
Tiny said:
That's the simplest most well built example I've seen. I would think it would be fairly accurate if you used a square and straight edge to build it. I like it, count that one stolen. :):)
Click to expand...

Did use a square to build and to mark when used.
 
Hmmm, used the chain method by ford yesterday and got a very accurate reading.....that seems to be the simple way to do it..the toe in rod is available on ebay, its where i got mine and we bought about 5 of them for other members.
 
Front end shop is ALWAYS BEST!
One posters' method of using 2 husky straight pins in the tread rubber & measuring between them, 6" off the floor, is probably about as accurate as many of the other methods. Watching for scuffing, later, is the ACID TEST to see if your setting is OK! REMEMBER, we're only dealing with 1/16" toe in, that's about the thickness of the SWEAT on YO' BROW or the MAPLE syrup on YO' PANCAKES!
Bill W.
 
Luckily I still have the Bear alignment tools I used to use when I did alignment for my auto shop customers. I several times fixed the alignment that either didn't drive right or wore the tires on jobs that tire shops or dealers had done. That was on 60s and 70s cars though. When I checked the toe on my 29 that I got last fall, I had about 1 inch plus. I noticed some scuffing on the tires, although it seemed to drive ok. I set it to the 1/16 spec. Seems to drive the same, but should stop the tire wear. In about 1960 I bought a 42 chevy 3/4 ton pickup. It was really hard to hold straight down the road. Checked the toe, and it was 2+ inches toe OUT. Fixed that and then it was drivable.
 
stouchton said:
Did you plane the wood so you would have 1/16th accuracy?

Not trying to be a pain - just curious cause I can never find straight wood to save my life!!
Click to expand...
Stouchton,
SAVE the crookedy wood to build a KROOKEDY Coffin, fer ME:D I wouldn't fit in an "OFF THE SHELF" one:eek:---To me, everybodys' Bumpers & Tail Lights look KROOKEDY:confused:
I'll have to try & remember that "CROOKEDY MAN" rhyme, I posted once.
Bill Warped
 
I tried the expandable curtain rod approach and etching markings on the rod measuring between the walls of the tires, both front and back and instead of a chain, measuring the distance to the floor.

While I think I got it close, I could not help but think that if I really believed I had it dialed in within 1/16th of an inch, I was probably fooling myself. This is actually a reminder to myself to take it to a front-end shop and see if they can do any better. I'll bet the 20 something year-old guys at Les Schwab would just shrug and say "I dunno"!
 
Magicbox, I still use the curtain rod. And then sometimes I do it the old fashion way from 1965. Four quart cans of Pennzoil and two 6' pieces of 2"X2" square tubing. Sure gets it close enough for me. By 1/16th. :cool:
Just as a reminder, this thread was started about 2 1/2 years ago.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top