Front End Alignment 1934 Ford

[tomkc1]

Since I've put new tires on my 1934 Ford I want to get the front end aligned.

Is that a job any good tire shop can do? I'm not sure how involved it is.

I know I'm asking the right people.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[Lawson Cox]

Most any good alignment shop should be able to align it, especially if you take the specs with you. I believe toe in should be between 1/8 and 1/16".

[Charlie Stephens]

Call ahead and be sure they have the equipment to bend the axle. You will probably have the best luck with shops that work on trucks. Ask around the local Model A and Early Ford V8 Clubs and see if they have recommendations. I used to have a good shop local but it changed hands and the new owners trash canned all of the early axle bending equipment.

Charlie Stephens

[Brendan]

the only thing that can really change is toe in . I rebuilt my front end and put in new tie-rod ends, I just used a tape measure. the front of the weal should be 1/8 closer then the rear of the weal you don't wont them square to each other it makes a big difference. also check your king pins I replaced mine it was fairly easy to do. Brendan

[Mart]

Unless the camber is seriously out of whack, axle bending shouldn't really be necessary, surely?

OP, don't fancy doing it yourself? Two bits of wood and a tape measure are all you need, These are very simple cars from a simpler time. You don't need pro's for this one.

Most vans and pickups are similar (except the very modern stuff so most shops should have some familiarity.

Mart.

[BILL WZOREK]

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I Found a easy way to measure the toe in.
Tools needed:
1 jack.
1 block of wood 4"x 4" or larger - length does not matter.
1 screw driver - flat blade or Phelps.
1 tape measure.
1 assistant - Male or Female your choose.
( just a side note here when the measuring starts there is two ends to the tape measure a SMART end it has all the numbers & a DUMB end this has no numbers / you have to decide who gets what end)

OK now jack up the front end so both tires are off the ground.
Place block of wood on front of tire set screwdriver on block then spin tire push screwdriver in to approx center of tread just hard enough to leave a decent mark not enough to cut tire Now when the line is all the way around tire go do the same to the other tire.( it does not matter if the marks are both in the same place on both tire)
now set car back down ( it was suggested to me at this point to move car back and forth a little to let every thing settle back to norm. Less the 12" either way is enough )
Now make the decision on what end of tape you take.
Place tape on line on one tire and pull tape tight write down that # now do other side of tires.
( I like doing the rear 1st then the front that way it will be a smaller # because we are looking for toe in)
Measuring this way as apposed to using the side if the tire where there could have bulges from the car sitting.is more accurate.

Long winded post But a simple process to do.

P.S. Remember to block rear of car front & back so it does not come off Jack.

[31chevy]

Originally Posted by BILL WZOREK

I Found a easy way to measure the toe in.
Tools needed:
1 jack.
1 block of wood 4"x 4" or larger - length does not matter.
1 screw driver - flat blade or Phelps.
1 tape measure.
1 assistant - Male or Female your choose.
( just a side note here when the measuring starts there is two ends to the tape measure a SMART end it has all the numbers & a DUMB end this has no numbers / you have to decide who gets what end)

OK now jack up the front end so both tires are off the ground.
Place block of wood on front of tire set screwdriver on block then spin tire push screwdriver in to approx center of tread just hard enough to leave a decent mark not enough to cut tire Now when the line is all the way around tire go do the same to the other tire.( it does not matter if the marks are both in the same place on both tire)
now set car back down ( it was suggested to me at this point to move car back and forth a little to let every thing settle back to norm. Less the 12" either way is enough )
Now make the decision on what end of tape you take.
Place tape on line on one tire and pull tape tight write down that # now do other side of tires.
( I like doing the rear 1st then the front that way it will be a smaller # because we are looking for toe in)
Measuring this way as apposed to using the side if the tire where there could have bulges from the car sitting.is more accurate.

Long winded post But a simple process to do.

P.S. Remember to block rear of car front & back so it does not come off Jack.

You can use chalk on the tires & it will give you a good line to measure to.
Gary.

[BILL WZOREK]

Gary:
Not arguing with you but using chalk it has been my experience that when trying to measure 1/8" X 1/4" I found the thickness of the chalk line would mess me upon my Measurements. But that is me .

[David J]

Tips from racecar land . The plates are the most commonly used and all you need are two tape measures that read the SAME . The slots are for them and you lay the plates against the tires hook the tapes on on one side and check the other . Not rocket science and it works well . The hoop thing is very easy to use by yourself and is accurate but the plates are easier to carry around so they get used more often . Remember the only adjustment is the toe-in as caster-camber can only be changed by bending the axle . Unless your front end has been bounced off a large solid object it is probably fine . Do set the toe and remember if you tighten the tie rod ends this changes the toe . NICE CAAAAR . Iffin da dooorz ain't on backwaadz we don't needz it .

[Robert Dip]

Taking your car to an alignment shop is very risky. Quite a few cars I have seen coming out were terribly done....crazy bent axles and so on...ask my brother in law with his model A.....never, never again. It is quite easy to do...I believe good suggestions have been posted and on the way. I teach all my buddies how to do it...and the cars run great. Just my oppinion....Robert

[DICK SPADARO]

This is one of the easiest jobs to do on your old Ford, unless your car has been in an accident or the tow truck has yanked on the axle, the caster/camber is pre set at the factory so only the square and alignment of the toe in/out can be checked. You can check the camber with a long level and a bubble protractor on the tires vertical edge, should be about 2* tip out at the top and the caster can be read by placing the bubble protacter spanning the forward beam edges near the axle perch boss for about a 7* reading tipped rearward..

Bill w has giving a good procedure to follow but I will suggest this addition to fine tune it up. Also david j mentioned the importance of the tie rod ends being adjusted correctly so dont forget to check them for wear as they will have an effect on the reading if they are loose.

Now the additional steps I do is to first square the spindle to the axle to insure that the wheel assembly is pointing straight ahead and at a 90* to the axle. To do this I made up a large 90* angle guide with cutouts to clear around the spindle boss that sqaures the backing plate to the axle beam. For a left steer car I disconnect the tie rod at the driver side and loosen the tie rod end clamps on both sides. Now square the driver side spindle assembly to the axle. I repeat the sqauring process with the passenger side wheel assembly. This insures that both wheels are tracking true when rolling down the road. After squaring both wheel assemblies you will bring your tie rod in place and turn the tie rod until the tie rod taper mates on center to the steering arm taper. This is your "0" toe setting to begin and can be checked by Bill's tape measure method, both sides of the tire measurement = same#. Now with the tie rod in place and taper nut tightened up you can now turn the tie rod to open the rear dimension to read approximately 1/8" toe in at the front edge. After getting your toe setting correct, tighten up the tie rod end lock bolts.

You can do the same procedure with later right side steer cars by removing the right side steer components and following the same procedure.

[Chuck Kuntz]

I always use two common pins, one on the tread center of each tire, tape measure to read the back, then roll car ahead and measure front. Best way to check toe.

[BILL WZOREK]

Chuck:
I like that Idea,that way the load /Preload is left on the car.
1 question do I need to remove the common pins before the test run of the Car LOL LOL

[ct1932ford]

Originally Posted by Brendan

the only thing that can really change is toe in . I rebuilt my front end and put in new tie-rod ends, I just used a tape measure. the front of the weal should be 1/8 closer then the rear of the weal you don't wont them square to each other it makes a big difference. also check your king pins I replaced mine it was fairly easy to do. Brendan

What he said!

[Mart]

Just might be worth mentioning for anyone not that familiar with the design, that one tie rod end has a left hand thread and the other end has a right hand thread, so if you undo both clamps, and turn the tie rod itself it will shorten or lengthen as necessary. Once the desired toe in is achieved you just tighten the clamps.

This makes a few assumptions - firstly that the clamps come loose easily enough, that the threads turn and that the bar has not been bent to clear the radius rods in a non stock application.

Unless you know everything is in tip top shape, it might be worth removing the whole tie rod assembly, dismantling and cleaning all the parts, reassembling and painting and then set it up using the methods described above.

Mart.

[tomkc1]

Gentlemen, Thanks for all the suggestions. Tomorrow I'm going to try Chuck's method. It sounds simple enough. Then I'll know if the wheels need to be aligned. If they do I'll figure out the best way.

Thanks again. Tom