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Quick and dirty rough alignment question for 71 510


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SO i'm throwing my steering back together and it looks like both sides tie rod ends should be the same length for a rough alignment.

 

(for instance the rod between the inner and outer tie rods should measure the same length on passenger and driver side) to make it track straight to the alignment shop?

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Turn the steering so that one side at the front lines up with the rear tire. Just sight down the front and rear side wall and it should line up wth the front and rear back tire. Now go over to the other side. Do they line up? Or are you looking into the back tire tread... toe out. Or not even seeing the back tire... toe in.

 

Once you have it so you can't see any difference it's close enough to go to a shop... but that would be giving in to easily. I tape a string to the rear side wall of the front tire and extend it out in front about 50'. I swing it back and forth (helps to have a helper) until it just touches the front side wall and stake it down. Now do the other side. You now have a representational direction of both tires. Measure between the strings in front of the tire and out at 50 feet. When the 50' distance is maybe about 6" closer than the other measurement you're good to go.

 

Car must be level side to side.

After each adjustment bounce the car to stabilize the suspension and steering.

Each adjustment with change every measurement so check carefully.

 

Take your time. Don't think of it as a chore. A 50 foot string is a 100foot diameter. This works out to about 10 inches per degree of toe.

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You lost me on this 50 foot string thing the first time I read it, but I went back just now and read it again and understood this time, it's a great way to do the toe yourself.

Turn the steering so that one side at the front lines up with the rear tire. Just sight down the front and rear side wall and it should line up wth the front and rear back tire. Now go over to the other side. Do they line up? Or are you looking into the back tire tread... toe out. Or not even seeing the back tire... toe in.

Once you have it so you can't see any difference it's close enough to go to a shop... but that would be giving in to easily. I tape a string to the rear side wall of the front tire and extend it out in front about 50'. I swing it back and forth (helps to have a helper) until it just touches the front side wall and stake it down. Now do the other side. You now have a representational direction of both tires. Measure between the strings in front of the tire and out at 50 feet. When the 50' distance is maybe about 6" closer than the other measurement you're good to go.

Car must be level side to side.
After each adjustment bounce the car to stabilize the suspension and steering.
Each adjustment with change every measurement so check carefully.

Take your time. Don't think of it as a chore. A 50 foot string is a 100foot diameter. This works out to about 10 inches per degree of toe.

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