Date:         Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:14:49 -0700
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trying To Understand Tie rod Adjustments
Comments: To: Allan Streib <streib@cs.indiana.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <1239555833.23865.1310145411@webmail.messagingengine.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 10:03 AM, Allan Streib <streib@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> When I replaced my steering rack and radius rod bushings, I used Scott's method, and got the toe-in pretty close, but my caster (I think -- the adjustment set by the radius rods) was way off even though I measured the prior setting on the rods before I removed them to replace the bushings.
>
> The alignment shop got all the settings dialed in.  Try to find one that has done Vanagons before, if not use a well-established local shop not a chain shop.  Take in the Bentley page, there is a specific sequence, if you do things out of order the initial adjustments will be changed by the later ones.  Also I've heard that many shops have the wrong data in their computer, the Bentley has the correct alignment specs.
>
> Allan



For sure.

Just posted this garbled email:



" The fact that the radius arm hole and arm were SO damaged:

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/RadiusArmHole2.jpg/RadiusArmHole2-full;init:.jpg

and repaired by me

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/RadiusArmHoleFront.jpg/RadiusArmHoleFront-full;init:.jpg

maybe the new "corrected" position is part of the problem (front end
adjusted to arm in damaged hole)

Like duh.  <grin>

Neil.

Edit:

how I transferred outer tie rod BJ position:

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/TieRodMeasureOld.jpg/TieRodMeasureOld-full;init:.jpg

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/TieRodMeasureNew.jpg/TieRodMeasureNew-full;init:.jpg

A curious question in my mind regarding the radius arm, is this.

When torquing outer nut to spec, does this ensure the final position
of arm? i.e. if one were to torque too much, (compress bushings, draw
arm further through hole) would this change the castor? "