toe in adjustment

[mrobertweiss]

This may be self evident, but the shop manual for the 53, and later models, suggests adjusting toe in by aligning left front and rear wheels to neutral, dead ahead, and then adjusting the toe with the right hand side tie rod. Does the manual assume that one would adjust 1/2 the toe (1/16 inch) on the right, and return to the left for an equal amount to the left wheel, or do they really mean do the full adjustment on the right side tie rod only?Wouldn't that cause bump steer? Perhaps I am thinking too concretely, and they assume you would do both front wheels equally? thanks.

[Mike Van Veghten]

No...it won't cause or remove bump steer..!
That's hard designed into the iron / attachment points of most everything in the front suspension.

There's one thing that...sorta easy to do...but "sorta" is, well...one mans sorta...isn't another mans sorta. And, while I haven't paid any attention to what it WOULD take...it might not even help that much because of the "other" designed in geometry.

As for the book method, it works...just an old "simple" way of doing it. More modern ways of setting the "toe in" also work just fine.

A big heavy front and a medium rear anti-sway bar will mask the bumpsteer so that it's "almost" not noticable.

Mike

[Steven and Michelle]

I THINK what they were after was correctly centering the steering wheel. If the left tire is pointing dead ahead, and the steering wheel is level, then in theory it will stay that way when you adjust the right side. The train of thought would logically take the next step as the steering wheel now should not be centered when driving, but the crown of the road would make the car want to go right and result in a very slight wheel turn to the left (keeping it level when driving straight)

Sounds kinda convoluted, but if you sketch it out it comes a little clearer...

l \

l l

VERY roughly how it looks on paper when you set it...

[52 Ragtop]

Bump steer is caused by misalignment of the tie rods to the lower control arms, IE: not moving on the same plane. Unless your car has been in a major accident, (and not properly repaired) or you've changed front suspension A arms, you should not have any issues. Bump steer is a very serious issue, that most aftermarket suppliers do not take into consideration.

Jim

[1954khardtop]

I read that section of the manual, and this is what I get from it.
You start by centering the steering gear. Count the turns lock to lock, and turn back half way. You should feel a tight spot there. With the steering gear centered, the steering wheel should be level. If it's not pull it and move it.
Now, keeping the steering wheel straight, adjust the left tie rod untill the left wheel is pointing straight ahead. Then adjust the right tie rod to set the toe in.
Hope this helps

[PackardV8]

FWIW, on nine out of ten Studes I've worked on over the years, there is more than 1/16" of play in all those tie rod ends. Guarantee, unless you've just replaced every part on the front end, you can set the toe perfectly, then grab a wheel and move it out of spec.

Just asking, have you tried it as the Shop Manual directs and experienced just how little the right tie rod has to be moved to toe in 1/16"?

Bottom line - I always assume the Shop Manual means pretty much what it says.

jack vines

[mrobertweiss]

Thanks everyone. I read the manual's intention just as did "1954hardtop", and that's what I did. I just wanted it to be as specified. I did replace every part of the front end with new items, except the actual A-arms, which were fine and undamaged. But there is no doubt that the play in these things will probably allow 1/16 " as Jack Vines indicates. It takes only a turn or two to get the 1/16 to 1/8 inch toe in, no doubt. I guess I'll find out under boost, pretty soon.. Thanks again- m weiss