Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:06:42 -0500
Reply-To: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
In-Reply-To: <00f101c9bba6$b955e830$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250"
Actually, there is a center line, or more correctly, a center plane - it is
calculated by the machine when the car is put on the alignment rack.
Consider the center plane a vertical wall that goes straight through the
vehicle from front to back and it is at a perfect right angle to the rack.
All alignment measurements are referencing this center plane.
Thanks,
Tom Hargrave
www.kegkits.com
http://www.kegkits.com/JABF/
256-656-1924
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 2:42 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
all right .......
I'm getting what's going on perhaps .......
Neil for your thinking ........IF there was a 'center line' in the middle of
the van , that you measured toe from for each front wheel.......
that would make perfect sense......but there isn't.
the 'physical point' you measure from is .........each front wheel relative
to the other.
you measure between the front and rear edges to get the toe reading.
( which is why I wrote that 'it balances out' ...........like if you start
out with the left wheel at zero toe, and the right one toed out say a half
inch .........as soon as you drive 6 feet.........they'll balance out ( and
the steering wheel will move left some in this case ) ........
so you'll be driving down the road.........going straight, and with a half
inch of toe out , measured from wheel to wheel in front.
here's how I measure toe......
suspension must be settled of course.
using two yard sticks..........measure the distance between the two front
wheels.........as close to the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions as you can
get.
I measure on the tire itself...........on a smooth spot , like no letters or
bumps.
Measuring on the wheel rim is OK.........but, the further you get from the
center of the wheel, the more accurate your measurements will be.
supposing you had a 10 foot long 2 X 4 mounted on each spindle perfectly
.....so that they extended 5 feet for and aft from each spindle.
then you measure toe by comparing the distance between the two ends of the 2
X 4's way out in front......
then at the rear of the 2 X 4's .......this of course would be far more
accurate, since the 2 X 4's magnify things.
but that's not too practical.
I just measure at the tires.......from side to side..........at the front of
the tires, and at the rear......
aiming for about 1/16ths to 1/8th inch toe in, measured at the tires.
hope this helps some !~
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@gmail.com>
To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
Cc: <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 11:29 PM
Subject: Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
> 2009/4/11 Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>:
>> I meant to also say .....
>> for a base steering wheel being centered place to start -
>> remove the key, and let the steering lock with the steering wheel
>> centered.
>> then try to get toe and camber right ,
>> and i ...
>
>
> Thanks Tom and Scott.
>
> I'm starting to understand more. And I was right in thinking that a
> wheel could be toed in or out independantly of the other. So with that
> in mind....
>
> A point of confusion remains. (and this may not be the problem, but I
> suspect it is due to swap of a tie rod)
>
> Let's way the left wheel is 0 toe, but the right wheel is x degrees
> toe out. How do I get the right wheel to 0 so I can set the correct
> amount of toe in? i.e. what physical point do I measure from to set
> the toed out wheel straight?
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engine
s
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