hey guys, i just changed my tie rod ends and royally screwed up the toe, i cant figure out how to measure it to get it reasonably into spec, but the way it is now, i wouldnt feel safe driving it to the alignment shop. any help would be appriciated, i have a level and a tsquare and a bunch of other stuff, but i cant figure out how to make it work, haha.

 

I measure toe a very simple way. Place a piece of race tape on the tire. Mark the tape with a very small dot. Measure (from the rear of the front tires) from dot to dot. Then simply roll the car forward, to where the dot is on the front of the front wheels. Measure from dot to dot again. Subtract the rear from the front, and it will give you your toe in/out. Very simple, cheap, and accurate.

 

Are you looking for the horseshoes and handgrenades way of getting it close enough to drive to an alignment shop?
Tape measure in the tire tread, measure front and rear until they're equalish and take it in.

 

hrm, sorry its late, mabye im just dense, but i dont really understand either of thoes replies?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Buttcrack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hrm, sorry its late, mabye im just dense, but i dont really understand either of thoes replies? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll try explaining a different way.

Poke a needle in the rear of the front 2 tires (in the middle of the tire, and DONT puncture the tire. Just use the surface of the tire). Use a tape measure to measure the distance from one needle to the other (on the back of the front tires). For example, we'll say the distance is 55".

Now roll the car forward, not touching the needles. Roll it until both needles are on the "front" of the tires, near the ground. Measure the distance between the needles. For example, we'll say the distance is 54".

Subtract 55 from 54, and you have 1" toe in. Adjust accordingly.

If your not comfortable sticking needles in the tires, just use a marker and make a "dot" where the needle would be. It will get you close enough.

 

ahhh ok i got it, thanks!

 

but wait, dosent that only work if both wheels have exactly the same screwed up alignment? if the left was at 1" in and the right was 1" out your test wouldnt work, correct?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Buttcrack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ahhh ok i got it, thanks!</TD></TR></TABLE>

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=597192
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1167604
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=811387

...but I use a simple and slightly less accurate method. I tie a string around all four wheels (using a bungee cord for tension). If you have toe out already in front, you can see it pretty obviously, toe in is pretty impossible to measure. Just measure the gap between the string and the rear edge of the tire and that's your inches of toe out.

It's not super accurate because of the difference in wheelbase between the front and rear. However, I think it's within the margin of error of my measuring tape.

-Chris

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Buttcrack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">but wait, dosent that only work if both wheels have exactly the same screwed up alignment? if the left was at 1" in and the right was 1" out your test wouldnt work, correct?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, it still works, you just end up with the steering wheel turned to one side when going straight.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Agent Smith &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

No, it still works, you just end up with the steering wheel turned to one side when going straight.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Right.

Point the steering wheel straight when doing the alignment, so it's obvious what each side is doing.