Measuring/Adjusting toe in

ktkamm

Member
I have been watching all the videos available and reading as much as I can about doing this on my AA truck (once back from vacation) and I think I am missing something. I understand the concept of making a reference line on the front of the tires, taking that measurement and then comparing it to the back. In my mind, without having a center reference mark, how do you know which tire is the one that has to be adjusted and by how much. Isn't it possible that one side could have the correct amount of toe in and the other side be completely off or both tires could be off by two different amounts?

Thanks for any help.

Kieran
 
Keep in mind that there are left and right-threaded tie rod ends. As you rotate the tie rod itself (after loosening the two clamp bolt nuts), one threaded end is scr*wed into its tie rod end while the other also scr*ws in. As "aermotor" writes, both sides are interdependent so that twisting the tie rod bar either moves each wheel inward at the front of the wheels (toe-in) or outward (toe-out). This is how the toe-in is adjusted.
After setting the toe-in, be sure to re-tighten the lock bolt and nut on each tie rod end!
Marshall
 
Keep in mind that there are left and right-threaded tie rod ends. As you rotate the tie rod itself (after loosening the two clamp bolt nuts), one threaded end is scr*wed into its tie rod end while the other also scr*ws in. As "aermotor" writes, both sides are interdependent so that twisting the tie rod bar either moves each wheel inward at the front of the wheels (toe-in) or outward (toe-out). This is how the toe-in is adjusted.
After setting the toe-in, be sure to re-tighten the lock bolt and nut on each tie rod end!
Marshall

Yup, its not like a modern cars rack and pinion where you must center the steering wheel then adjust each tie rod to specs.
 
Many times after becoming damaged:

1. A vehicle's front cross member may not be parallel to the rear cross member; and/or,

2. The vehicle's chassis may be skewed; hence,

3. When one moves forward, the two (2) front wheels will provide one (1) pair of parallel tire tracks; and

4. The two (2) rear wheels will provide an offset parallel different pair of tire tracks; where,

5. One may have provided four (4) different tire tracks in lieu of two (2) tire tracks on a highway.

6. Just in case anyone may have even a slightly skewed vehicle chassis, try to imagine providing front wheel toe-in adjustment while trying to align the two (2) front wheels with the two (2) distorted rear wheels.

Hope this helps.
 
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