Front End Toe-In Alignment Check -- Just another way.

[Fred K-OR]

Well I stole H L's idea for toe-in alignment and added a few additional features to it. Will show some pictures below of how I messed up his idea.

After building the "tool" to check with, I found my front alignment out by 5/8 of an inch. It is no wonder I couldn't keep the huckster on the road when the road had rut type things in it. The pictures show me using some rather wide pen marks and the line up is a bit off. So I need to go back and check it again. But the fact remains, the alignment is off! Thanks H L for the idea. The 2 x 4 board to screw the 4 1/2" upright 2 x 4's to which gets it off the floor by 6 ", seems to work great.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Fred,

1. Your pictures are really worth more than words -- thanks for adding -- hope your added pictures can help someone some day.

2. To add to your above Reply #21 , one can also use the "Raised Alignment Method" described in Reply #11 above.

3. The added benefit to lifting the front axle is that alignment may be verified on tires in several places without moving the vehicle whereby an average measurement may be obtained just in case the steel wheel rims are a little warped & allow in & out movement of say 1/8" or so per wheel, which is usually acceptable as standard Model A wheel wobble.

4. However, 1/8" out + 1/8" out = 1/4" out which one may have to deal with if both wheel offsets are synchronized thus having to work with this added incorrect 1/4" toe-in dimension. Average readings can help to compensate for steel rim wheel wobble or slightly loose front ends waiting to be rebuilt.

5. With the wear factors estimated in the above Reply #18, & with continued increase in costs for all brands of Model A tires, correct front end alignment appears to be a very worthy money saving proposition for conservatively concerned Model A owners. Now, if one is rich, does it really matter? On second thought, rich people are rich because they do not waste money. LOL

6. Your tires were 5/8" out -- when I bought my 1930 Town Sedan, the front tires were 2-1/2" wider in the front than in the rear. LOL

7. I had to drive slowly & really grip the wheel the few times I drove it as such. Every little slight road depression caused the car to dive left or right & I never knew which direction it would dive next.

8. After total front end rebuild & very "accurate" alignment of 1/32" toe-in , drove this same asphalt flexible pavement road with same depressions while not holding the steering wheel & experienced absolutely no weaving or diving -- nothing like Model A fine tuning to original specifications

[Fred K-OR]

Thanks H L. I spent some time under the old A yesterday trying to figure out how to get the toe-in back in specks. I still am not sure I have it. Will have to spend some time under the car again today to check it out. (The time under is hard on the old body-that is my body not the A's)

The problem I would have is I would measure in the front, take it around to the back and adjust things to get is within 1/16 or so and then when I would measure it again, it was still out. After getting the old head back in gear, I realized when you get the back within the measurements, that changes the front. Don't know if this makes sense but anyway that is why I need to go check again today to see if things are ship shape and try to get them that way.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Fred,

1. Good attitude -- don't give up -- why pay monthly dues at a Health Club to do sit ups -- crawl under your A & smile -- the more you crawl & get up off of a mechanic's creeper, the better you get at it -- won't be long you will be asking for faster music at the next Saturday night dance. LOL

2. Raising the front axle & increasing the Ford recommended 6" height by the few inches wheels were raised appears to work well.

3. Always rotate the tie rod from the same RH or LH side so you do not get confused. Try to see what 1/4 tie rod turn does to open or close both the front & the rear tire center distance, or try 1/2 turn, 3/4 turn, or 1 turn.

4. No problem if it takes a little time to get used to the effect of turning the tie rod CW or CCW -- have confidence it will get done no matter what -- don't forget to get your new fast-dancing shoes when you are finished

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

...The problem I would have is I would measure in the front, take it around to the back and adjust things to get is within 1/16 or so and then when I would measure it again, it was still out...

Only adjust it half of the amount that it is out, then check it again on the front. Probably won't have to do near as much torture on your body.

If you can grab a friend to help you, makes it a lot easier with one guy (person) on each wheel.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

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[QUOTE=H. L. Chauvin;

Always rotate the tie rod from the same RH or LH side so you do not get confused. Try to see what 1/4 tie rod turn does to open or close both the front & the rear tire center distance, or try 1/2 turn, 3/4 turn, or 1 turn.

No problem if it takes a little time to get used to the effect of turning the tie rod CW or CCW -- have confidence it will get done no matter what

[B]H.L,[/B]
Me, I don't which side is UP for sure?? Lookin' in the mirror, my R/H is my L/H, complicated by the fact that I can READ upside down & backwards from years of ordering parts at the counter, complicated further by my old TELECHRON garage clock that runs backwards because of a wispy broken directional spring inside it! IS THERE HOPE FOR ME TO LEAD A "NORMAL" LIFE? bILL w.

[Fred K-OR]

[QUOTE=BILL WILLIAMSON;707537]

Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin;

Always rotate the tie rod from the same RH or LH side so you do not get confused. Try to see what 1/4 tie rod turn does to open or close both the front & the rear tire center distance, or try 1/2 turn, 3/4 turn, or 1 turn.

No problem if it takes a little time to get used to the effect of turning the tie rod CW or CCW -- have confidence it will get done no matter what

[B

H.L,[/B]
Me, I don't which side is UP for sure?? Lookin' in the mirror, my R/H is my L/H, complicated by the fact that I can READ upside down & backwards from years of ordering parts at the counter, complicated further by my old TELECHRON garage clock that runs backwards because of a wispy broken directional spring inside it! IS THERE HOPE FOR ME TO LEAD A "NORMAL" LIFE? bILL w.

Bill are you talking about me again? Sure sounds like the problems I have!

[Fred K-OR]

WOW! What a difference a toe-in adjustment makes. I took it out for about a 7 mile drive today on the worst road in this area (lots of rut type stuff) and the old thing drove like a new car! Sure makes a difference. Just a thought for anyone having a hard time keeping their A on the road.

Apparently even my crude line up tool, where I borrowed the idea from H L, seemed to do the job.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Fred,

So glad you crawled under & got it!

Met a gentleman many years ago who had a reputation for being the most precise paddlewheel steamboat builder, church altar wood designer/carver, delicate church furniture & pew designer/maker, precise boat designer/builder, with all of his work performed with hand tools -- all to perfection.

After working with him during high school, found out he could not read a ruler -- he measured everything with very fine pencil marks or knife marks on a stick whereby everything he did was perfect.

Maybe thinking about a near perfect (+/-) 1/32" front end alignment?

Maybe throw away that sagging metal tape with a metal hook on one end that has at least 1/8" loose end play; maybe put that curtain rod back on the window; & maybe get your heavy wood stick or 2x4 with hairline sharp pencil marks or knife markings on masking tape to measure the exact fore & aft distances between the rubber tires' centerline tire tread markings located 6" above the floor.

Fred: Agree. nothing like experiencing a "new car driving" Model A & having an inexpensive homemade Model A crude line up tool.

[Fred K-OR]

Thanks for the message H L.

My father was kind of the person you describe in your note. Born in Holland, educated to the 6 grade, came to the US around 1910 and he could put together some beautiful cabinets. Also he could cut all the rafters for a hip roof building just by asking for a few measurements while standing on the ground. Only used a square and old wooden ruler and a hand saw. He could also multiply a 3 digit number by a 3 digit number in his head. He just multiplied one number at a time and added them together.

Times have changed and we have lost a lot!