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Old 03-28-2018, 02:58 AM   #1
wingski
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon
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Default easy front-end alignment

I recently talked to Bill Williamson in Fresno, California, and he told me how to align my front tires. It’s probably the simplest way to do something that seems to have so many people confused that I’ve ever heard. Just string and a bungie cord to hold the string tight is all that is needed. Position that string so it is six inches above the ground as it goes around all four wheels. If that string is touching the front sidewalls of the of the front wheels but not the rear sidewalls of the front wheels, you have toe-out, and the distance between the leading inside edges of the front tires is greater than the inside rear edges. You don’t want that. If that string is tighter against the rear sidewalls of the front wheels than it is against the front sidewalls, you have toe-in which is what you want, but not much. Since you only want 1/16 inch toe-in between the front center of those front tires, take out the cotter pins on those castellated nuts and loosen the nuts that hold the tie-rod in place. Clamp vice-grips on the tie-rod so the handle is pointed toward the rear of the car. Lift up on the vice-grips if you want more toe-in. Pull down on the vice-grips if you want less toe-in. Adjust that tie-rod so all the tire’s sidewalls are equally touching front and rear. Clamp and lift up on those vice-grips, release them, and clamp them again and lift up. Remove the vice-grips, tighten the tie-rod ends, replace the cottor pins, remove the string and bungie cord, and take your aligned car for a drive.

After driving one hundred miles, check for scuffing on the outside or inside of the front tires tread. If you have inside scuffing, too much toe-in. If you have outside scuffing, too much toe-out. Adjust accordingly.

Thanks again, Bill,

Mike
Attached Images
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File Type: jpg string 04.jpg (450.6 KB, 232 views)
File Type: jpg string 06.jpg (99.4 KB, 222 views)

Last edited by wingski; 03-28-2018 at 11:07 AM. Reason: spelling
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