The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tie rod alignment

I got a new tie rod with my truck when I bought it, and I look to install it. Also, the wheels are a little cocked away from each other and plan to tweak that. Is there something other to replacing the tie rod than loosening the bolts and turning it the correct way to unscrew it? Then putting the new one in by turning it the opposite way?

I will run a masonry line from the back of the truck to the front and make sure it is just barely touching the tires on each side. Then I will turn the tie rod in the correct direction in order to tweak the alignment(this is only temporary until I can get it to the shop)

Input or corrections?

You have it, unscrew one and replace it with the other.

To set the toe-in adjustment, jack up the front and scribe a center line on each tire all the way around. Set the truck on the ground and roll it forward at least one or two full tire rotations to take out any wear in the front end. Measure across the back of the tires then the front at the scribed line at the same height off the ground, the difference between them is the toe adjustment. Shoot for 1/8" or less toed in at the front.

There really is no need to go to a alignment shop if it drive straight after the parts change.

Joe

One trick we use when checking toe on the race car is to stand a piece of sheet metal or plywood firmly up against both front tires, and measure the distance between them front and rear. It's a lot easier than trying to scribe tire treads and fumble with a tape measure to the tread centerline.
Jerry

I used a similar trick to Jerry's suggestion to set mine. What I did different was to use a couple of peices of angle iron cut to the diameter of the tires, then bolted them to the hubs in place of the wheels. The measurements were done the same way.

I use a ball joint fork to pop the tie rod end free. Just a light tap and it's out. Count the turns to un-screw and then turn it back in the same amount. Then make your adjustment by turning the sleeve. That way you have the same amount of threads in both ends of the sleeve.

You really need to roll the truck forward before measuring or have it on alignment plates. The plates (as I call them) have ball bearings under them so the tires float around and the truck will set in its normal drive position. With out tires, or the weight of the truck on the front, you won't get a true reading.

I have also read not to take a reading off the tire side walls in case one might have a lump or something. The scribe line eliminates any deviations of the tire. I double checked mine using a string line from the rear tires to a point will out in front of the truck. With two lines parallel to the rear tires and equal space from each front tire, I could measure the distances and figure the toe-in from the differences.

In reality, any of the ways will get you close, and a test drive will confirm if you need more or less. I believe to much toe out causes a pull to one side or the other, and to little causes a wander and a loose feeling in the wheel.

Joe

I used to do wheel alignments with a Hunter Engineering laser system that measures caster, camber, and toe down to 1/100 of a degree. That amount of accuracy has only one purpose- - - -to impress the customer! A pretty acceptable alignment can be done with a plumb bob, a carpenter's level, and a tape measure by someone who knows a little math and can make accurate measurements. Some methods just save time, and in a commercial shop time is money. BTW, that Hunter system sells for a little over $40,000.00!
Jerry

I have been using Wheel a Matic http://www.wheel-a-matic.com/ equipment since I was in high school. The equipment is cheap and we get better tire mileage than most fleets that have alignment done with laser equipment.

The laser alignment equipment is obsolete (has been for a while), the current aligners from Hunter used digital cameras instead. I use the HawkEye System at work. Much faster than the older systems.