As part of aligning the front end/car, it would be good to know if the thrust angle and geometric center line are the same.
(I'm fighting looseness, and pulling or tugging, and still have a little wander)
Since the stepdown presents problems for alignment shops to get the sensors attached to the rear wheels, has anyone found a solution or alternative to allow the machines to get accurate measurements?
I've done what I know how to do at home, which is run string lines from behind the rear wheels to beyond the front wheels.
Turn and or adjust the tie rods so the rear and front wheels on both sides are in a straight line, with the steering column notch at 6:00 o'clock.
What I've found is that the rear wheels appear to be slightly toed in, that is, when both strings touch the rear of the rear wheels, and the front and rear of the front wheels, there is a 1/16th" gap between the string and the front of the rear wheels, even on both sides.
Is the rear axle supposed to be like this?
When I first did this test, I found that one side lined up perfectly, and the other was a half inch toed out. Or in other words, the front wheels were both turned a quarter inch away from the geometric center line, even though the toe was correctly set.
Yet again, this minor adjustment helped a lot in getting the steering to feel/be better, but has not completely cured the pulling/tugging/wander...though it is considerably better.
Rob
Modern day alignment machines won't work on step-downs. It CRACKS me up! My local shop has a machine they spent $110,000 on, and it can't align my Hudsons. You've got to find an older shop with the strings/cables and that does front end only. You can take measurements to check your geometric center line.
Rob,
The back wheels on stepdowns are closer together than the front wheels. For your method (which I have also used on other cars) to be accurate, you can measure the distance between the front wheels, and between the rear wheels, and make spacers to tape onto the rear tires so where you have the strings attached the distance across the car for the strings is the same near the front as near the rear (that is to say, the strings are parallel). Since you have the gap that you mention (which isn't due to the rear wheels being toed in, although it certainly looks that way) the same on both sides, you have straightened things out. This is assuming that you did not rely on the strings to set the toe-in. If you did, then what I just mentioned can be used to make the string method work for adjusting the toe-in.
The rear wheels can only be out of line if the mounting of one end of the axle has gotten loose. This makes the car move like a crab.
Per
Rob
The front suspension is wider than the rear suspension. That is why you may think the rear tires are toed-in.
Measure distance between rear wheels front inside lip then measure rear inside lip = rear wheel toe-in (provided wheel is not bent). To be totally accurate rotate rear tire, use chalk or spray paint and make a circle on tire tread. Then rotate tire to scrib a line on the chalk. Measure distance between L & R tire scribed line on front tread then measure line to line on rear tread = toe The scrib must not move side to side to get a straight line.
I prefer soft chalk, spray paint is hard on the lungs.
Lee O'Dell
Lee, I still have my alignment tools when I was in business, 1945 to 1978, and kept the tools, along with a WEGEE board for aligning toe in and still use it today to help out friends. Just did 2 Hudsons, a 1953 hornet and a 1953 Super Wasp. I lock the steering wheel with a rope tied to both spokes, 9 and 3 and to the door handles on both front doors. I remove the horn set up to make sure notch is set a 6 O'clock. That is how I do my car and get 70,000 on a set of tires, at 143,000 I just installed my third set, COOPERS, not COKERS. Rotate every 20,000 miles. When I bring out the WEGEE board they all ask, what is that? Walt.
Thank you all,
That information is very helpful! 🙂
Rob
Leave a reply
