Adjusting toe...

[gamefreaks]

I've been a bit unhappy with the way my car is driving for a little while (since I had some work done on it)

So I got out the string, tape measure and laser pointer spirit level thing, taken a bunch of measurements and it appears my front left wheel has about 0.8 degrees of toe out...Right wheel appears to be close to 0.

That would agree with driving experience. A little right lock to go straight and twitcy as hell.

I have the car booked into Center Gravity but my appointment isn't until july.

So I thought I'd give the toe a tweak, i've got the locknut loose but there doesn't appear to be any flats on the tie rod to twist it?

Do I need to use molegrips or something (yuk!) or is there a simple trick im missing?

[phillpot]

Molegrips. loosen clamp or cut tie off gaiter and some tape around the tie rod should minimise marking from the grips.

I like to put a tie wrap around the tie rod so I know where I started and how far I've turned it.

[gamefreaks]

Fixed it. Used the mole grips. Didn’t need much force in the end.

Just been out test it and it drives great now.

What’s the general consensus on settings? I’ve got about 15 minutes toe out now each side (30 total)

I thought this would be a waste of time but once you have reference points (I found the wheel centre caps were good) you can get good repeatable measurements.

[Panamax]

Normal humans don't like twitchy cars, mainly because they'd rather not be thrown backwards though a hedge.

A hint of toe-in isn't wrong IMO.

[gamefreaks]

Sorry. I meant I have 30 minutes of toe in now.

So from my measurements and some basic trig I went from around nearly a degree toe out on one side to around 15 minutes toe in each side.

Edited by gamefreaks on Saturday 20th May 22:25

[Belle427]

if your getting alignment done in the future make sure your rear toe adjusters are not seized up, worth freeing off before you go which isnt an easy job but worth doing and using anti seize on them.

[scottliv]

I go to see BTCC regularly and those cars are all set up with strings and rulers. On a 15” wheel 0.5mm is 5’ minutes so it can be done very accurately. The handling change in minute was huge when set up properly. Here is a conversion chart that will help.

Edited by scottliv on Sunday 21st May 10:35

[Belle427]

Sounds good but most people dont have the space to do it properly.

[gamefreaks]

Belle427 said:

if your getting alignment done in the future make sure your rear toe adjusters are not seized up, worth freeing off before you go which isnt an easy job but worth doing and using anti seize on them.

Good call on this. I don't have a big enough spanner to get on the hex but the nuts on the other side are new (presumably replaced when I had the wishbones rebushed last summer) so should be good to go there. I'm gussing that the nut is a locknut and the big hex is threaded so turning it lengthens/shortens the leading leg of the wishbone?

Edited by gamefreaks on Sunday 21st May 15:16

[Belle427]

You loosen the small and large lockouts and turn the threaded tube if that makes sense.

[FunkyGibbon]

gamefreaks said:

I have the car booked into Center Gravity but my appointment isn't until july.

Apart from some driver training, letting Centre Gravity have my chim for a day was the best upgrade ever. Completely transformed my car into one that would go straight and go round bends. Bl00dy awesome.