myronf

My left wheel toe is minus 1/16"
and the right wheel is plus 1/8"

I'd like to adjust with a minimum number of iterations.

If I understand the geometry right, on the right wheel, I need to move a shim from the right side of the arm to the left side to reduce the positive to e to 0 degrees. correct?

What size shim should I move?

tbarb

To get negative toe move a shim from inboard to outboard so it pushes the trailing arm inward. Start with a 1/16" and check. How are you checking this dimension.

myronf

I know what I started with as the car was aligned by a local shop. Unfortunately they did not want to mess with the rear toe. Knowing that I want to change the right wheel by 1/8 " I was hoping that there was a table that showed size of shim used equal x inches of toe change.

By the way moving shims from inboard to outboard to reduce toe in seems counterintuitive to me. Is it correct? If so, can you please explain?

Mike Ward

It increases toe-in. You said you had plus 1/8", which is 'toe-out'.

MikeM

Is the toe set that way to correct thrust angle?

myronf

Mike W: Excuse me while I dope-slap myself regarding the difference between pos and neg toe!

Mike M: The guy that did the alignment did not want to mess with the rear shims.
The print out for the rear says"
left minus 1/16"
right plus 1/8"
Total toe 0"
thrust angle minus .18 degrees

Plasticman

Please know that Toe is the last item to change. Once your Camber is correct (and Caster if this was a front end), then Toe is set.

As I understand from your previous thread, your rear Camber was also off. Fix that first.

Plasticman

Steve439

A simple start would be to just change the right side to - 1/16 and see how you like it.

(After your camber as Plasticman stated)

EDIT: That's assuming the left side stays at - 1/16 after camber adjustment, which may not be valid...

myronf

Plasticman:

The rear camber is set at plus .2 degrees on both sides The spec that I am using calls for 0 to minus 1/2 degree. Is .2 degrees close enough to 0 degrees?

tbarb

IMO, yes

Plasticman

I am an engineer. If it is not within the spec, it is not within the spec......and I correct it.

Admit it is a small amount (of being out of spec), but it is also an easy adjustment (with the correct tools), as long as you still need to adjust Toe anyway.

Plasticman

Sky65

Am I missing something? Positive toe is toe-in.

Tom

myronf

Tom is right:

definition of positive toe:
"axle is said to have positive toe-in when imaginary lines running through the centerlines of the tires intersect in front of the vehicle"

However, to measure it, you take a length measurement in front of the tire and subtract that from the measurement behind the tire.

Eaxample: 55 1/2" front minus 55 3/8" back equals 1/8" (negative toe)

Example: 55 3/8" fron minus 55 1/2" back equals -1/8" (positive toe)

Doe this make sense?

Steve439

Ha, that's funny.
I've never seen it described as anything but xxxx "in" so "negative" seemed reasonable.

tbarb

I don't care how it's referred to positive or negative TOE IN is the important term.

Sky65

Positive toe is "toe in". Negative toe is "toe out".

This will increase "toe in" and make the toe more positive.


Tom

MikeM

So is thrust angle.

mashinter

Your total rear toe is 1/16 positive. It ain't broke. Don't fix it.

myronf

I had some time on my hands today so I decided to see if I could get my shims out. I was able to remove the castle nut, but could not get the bolt to budge. I hammered on it and put a wrench on the head but no go. It thought that double nutting on the castle nut side would do the trick. No.

My question is whether the shims should be free to move with the castle nut off.

It's interesting that there are 2 thick full size shims, one on each end The rest of the shims in the middle and are much shorter and thinner. Pictures

attached.

Sky65

Normal process to adjust the shims is have a thick one on the inner and outer part of the shim pack. The "short" inside shims are actually long ones rusted off. From what I see if you decide to change the shims be prepared for project creep. Looks like allot of rust to me. The thru-bolts will probably have to be cut to get out.

Tom