Date:         Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:53:33 -0400
Reply-To:     Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
Comments: To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f90904112147x34debfaesf353b6f1ab746075@mail.gmail.com>
              (neil N.'s message of "Sat\, 11 Apr 2009 21\:47\:23 -0700")
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Take it to a good alignment shop.  It's a job worth paying for to have
done right, and it's not that expensive.

Allan

neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> writes:

> Hi all.
>
> In partially rebuilding my '81 Westy front end, I:
>
> - swapped out lower control arms, one tie rod, and a radius arm.
> - transferred # of turns form old tie rod to new. Double checked by
> measuring from inner end
>   of threads to face of new tie rod adjusting nut with calipers.
> - transferred inner nut position from old damaged radius rod to new one.
>
> Prior to work, it tracked straight. Now it drifts to the right. Not
> drastically, but at highway speeds I let go of the wheel, it starts
> drifting at end of 1 second count.
>
> I understand toe in. Front portion of each tire points in a *little*
> like snow plow skiing. What I don't get is if one tire can be
> straight, and another pointing in or out.
>
> Could drift be due to a tie rod being too "long" thus positioning a
> wheel in or out when compared to the other wheel? If so, is this a
> separate alignment parameter?
>
> In my case, is the goal is to get each wheel straight, then adjust toe
> in. Am I on the right track?
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>

--
1991 Vanagon GL