Ken99287

92 si

my right front ball joint was super worn out and I was able to just grad the wheel and rock it back and forth. It still drove straight as an arrow. I could let the wheel go on the highway and it would just keep going straight.

I decided to change the whole upper arm to make it easy. Used a new unit from advance auto. Now, it pulls slightly to the right. I know, I know, "get an alignment". But since camber is not adjustable, it would only throw the toe out of spec, right?

I'm guessing the new ball joint would have pulled the knuckle towards the center of the car just a tad...

what I'm asking is, do I need to shorten the tie rod or lengthen it? I just want to get it straight again. I'm sure it's just a minor adjustment. When I let go of the wheel now, it only very slowly drifts right.

drifting right would mean... I need go lengthen the tie rod, turning the wheel in?

I saw a neat page about diy alignment.

http://www.allpar.com/fix/alignment.html

kinda makes sense...

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Get an alignment.

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

You could go through the hassle of trying to do an alignment yourself, and you'll always wonder if you did it correctly.


Or you could bring it to a shop and...

FuzzyManPeach

alignment homie

Ken99287

thank you everyone! But kinda not what I was asking. Of course I know I could and probably should get an alignment. And I will. I just want to get the thing straight in the meantime. I have some konis and eibach springs going in soon along with some new bushings/arms. I'm going to let everything settle for a couple weeks before taking it in. In the meantime, I just want to straighten out the toe on that wheel to minimize toe wear on the edge of the tire.

so if nobody has any suggestions which way to go to straighten it out some, I'll just measure the toe the way the website describes and adjust it back to zero from the side with the new ball joint.

anyone know the thread pitch of the tie rod ends? With some simple math, I should be able to estimate how many turns it would take to angle the wheel a certain amount. Then fine tune it from there.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

The problem is you'll NEVER get it straight. You'll be fiddling around with it forever and, as was said above, you'll never know if you got it 100% (or even close). Take it to get an alignment and know for sure. Suspension doesn't need "weeks" to settle in so that isn't a real reason NOT to get one done by professionals.

Ken99287

As I said, suspension will be going in, as in not yet in. I'm still driving this thing. I don't want to get it 100%, just the best I can in the meantime before I get therest of the stuff in and aligned. As far as I know, new coilsprings do need a couple weeks to settle to their final height.

And I don't think "fiddling" would be bad. I'm trying to learn the old school way to align. I'll break out the tape and string if I need to. Its sound physics and science. Doing it by hand I hear is still the preferred way by professional racers to get it perfect.

I think its perfectly reasonable for me to give it a shot since toe is the only adjustment I want to make, camber I'll leave alone. Then when I get everything in and settled, get it aligned.

I think it would be a great learning experience and wouldn't hurt anything if I totally mess up, just count the turns.

Where is the desire to learn? The curiosity? The DIY spirit? Alignments aren't some magical thing that only Bubba down at the shop can do... people have been doing it by hand for a long time. I worked with a guy who's dad always did it by hand. I am confident that an alignment will not get the better of me.

I'm just asking for some advice to make it easier. Either way, I'll figure it out.

Thanks, all.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

What I don't understand is if you are putting in new suspension why you could not also wait to put in the UCAs. If the car was driving straight then a few more weeks would not have hurt anything. Good luck to you but this isn't one of those things you want to DIY.

Ken99287

Because a broken ball joint will leave me stranded. Bad alignment will not. The tie rod screws in and screws out. If its bad, I can always revert to current settings by counting the turns.

I'm going to get a computerized alignment, this is temporary. I put in the uca for safety purposes. Ever hold an uca and shake it? The balljoint pin is not supposed to rattle back and forth.

sw07tc

sucks for you! before I replace mine, my car was pulling to one side little bit, and before installing the new one, I first matching the lenght and counting how many turns and do some marking and compare both old one and new one to match as much as possible, after I got it install my car ran straight so happy, such an easy DIY if you doing it right. I think to didn't match it first before you remove the old one and loose the stock setting.

Ken99287

I don't think you're talking about the same thing I am. I assume you changed your tie rod? I'm talking about upper control arm - no adjustments there.

either way, I took the measurements, took the tie rod out 2 turns, then it drove straight again. I also then put in my koni specials with sportline springs. Checked the toe again, adjusted each one, and it's driving straight.

BUT I don't like the way it rides. Too low and too stiff. I think I'm going to soften up the shocks and struts and get some pro-kit springs.

going to get a real alignment sometime this coming week. Until then, I'm on my 13" cheapies!