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Austin Healey Toe in adjustment

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There are so many ways to do the alignment. Probably as many ways as people that have done it. I made two plates that lay against the rims and use a pair of lasers (one on each side). Drive the car onto some lazy susans so the wheel will rotate without the tire binding on the ground while making adjustments. This photo shows the setup, though it is shown with my old 15" rims. The black plate fits flush on the new rims.
CIMG1684.jpg
 
Thought this was sent previously.


After checking my toe-in with my fixture patterned after the one pictured in Randy’s pictures, I happened to come across a quick-check on the Internet by Akkana Peck and some of his associates. The approach is extremely simple and consists of (1) Punch Tacks, a suitable marker or straight pin, and a tape measure.

To prepare, you drill a hole in the tape measure (around 5” or so from the end of the tape to give you sufficient expanse from the end to keep the measure useful for other purposes) large enough to place over the punch tack. Drive or roll the car forward to a suitable work location.

1. Measure up on the center tread at the REAR of the tire to an approximate point vertically below the outer edge of the wheel but low enough to allow a tape to freely pass between the wheels below the car and set the punch tack in the tread. Do this for both wheels.
2. Follow procedure #1 and set a straight pin or place a mark at that point on the far tire tread.
3. Place the tape measure over the far punch tack and take a reading at the near straight pin or mark. This reading will be your Rear Reading.
4. Roll the car forward (never back in order to keep the linkage loaded as well as not roll over the Tack/Pin) to a point where the punch tack and pin are at the same position as when at the rear and take you Front Reading.

As with all checks, simply compare the rear reading against the front reading to find your setting. I have found this approach easy, quick, and accurate.

One last thing, the article also described wheel platforms consisting of two pieces of smooth mettle placed together with grease between. Placed under each wheel, a toe-in adjustment can be done without suspension stress. I will be creating these units to do my check and re-adjustment (if necessary).

All the best,
Ray 64BJ8P1
 
Just to add another way....I use a plumb bob on a short string. Lay the string in a tread near the center of the tire and let the plumb bob tip hang just off the floor. Mark the floor, do this on both front and rear on both sides - make sure you use the same tread groove in all cases. Roll the car out of the way and measure the marks on the floor. Similar to the way you can check frame dimensions using the layout in the manual. I've used this method several times and in a few cases I have subsequently had the entire allignment checked at a tire store and found I was spot on.

Having said the above, I really like the laser method Greg shows...but I'll bet the plumb bob is cheaper :smile:

Dave
 
Hello Greg, I was just at the store looking at lazers for the very same purpose! I never thought of the lazy susan trick! I Will have to give it a try, I am glad i started this topic and received so many great ideas from all the great healey owners here at BCF. Thanks for posting the picture of your setup, I am sure many people will give it a look and put it to use on there own car's.
 
drambuie said:
I am sure many people will give it a look and put it to use on there own car's.
Click to expand...
Or not. :laugh: All the ways posted (and then some) will get you where you want to go.
 
Ray,
I was thinking of using "J" bolts to the spokes similar to GregW's attachment above but I thought the bead area would give a better reading as the outside rim had too many variations around the wheel. I would think just finger tight would be sufficient as we just don't want the plates to move during measurement. What do you think?

John
64 BJ8 PH 1 also !
 
Hi John,

I think the attachment method would work well and I agree that standoffs from the rim would be preferable to leaning on the tire. I am following your approach with the exception of having the fixture contact the ground to support the insertion of slots for the tape measures.

By the way, my initial measurements were created with 2 tape measures I had around. After switching the rear and forward tapes, my measurements seem to vary by a little more than 1/16th. This gives me a concern since we are looking for readings between 0 and 1/8th. I am thinking that the use of a single tape measure, moved to take the rear and front measurements, is one solution to this variation.

Boy, for an adjustment we will be making very infrequently, this activity is becoming one of interest and intrigue rather than necessity. Maybe my posted punch tack method or Dave’s plumb bob method is more in line with real need.

All the best,
Ray 64BJ8P1
 
When I bought the Longacre plates, the $50.00 included a pair of matched tapes.

This is fun, watching you guys outdoing each other for complexity's sake...

:smile:
 
Hi Randy! Personally, I am thinking of mounting a G.P.S To each tire to get precise wheel cordinance from one of NASA'S satellite's. What do you think? NAW JUST KIDDING! there sure is more then one way to skin a cat when it comes to toe-in. If you look back at my original post ALL I WANTED TO KNOW IS WHICH WAY TO TURN A COUPLE OF RUSTY NUTS! Next thing i know i have plum bob's, special aluminum fixtures, and lazer's coming at me!! In all honesty i do thank everyone for there interest and time pertaining to this subject. Michael, Illinois.
 
John_Progess said:
Ray,
I was thinking of using "J" bolts to the spokes similar to GregW's attachment above . I would think just finger tight would be sufficient as we just don't want the plates to move during measurement. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Hi John,
What I did was use springs under the washers to get tension. Here is a better picture to show what I mean.
 

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The reason I am interested in a device is that I have four LBC's that I try to maintain and I also help out our club members who don't have the proper facilities. Thanks again and have a good day!

John
 
Randy Forbes said:
When I bought the Longacre plates, the $50.00 included a pair of matched tapes.

This is fun, watching you guys outdoing each other for complexity's sake...

:smile:
Click to expand...
I'm totally complexed over this issue....I think I'll take my Healey to an alignment shop to have the toe-in set after I finish putting it back together. After all, once it's set it never goes out of alignment, right? Toe-in is zero for radials still...I hope?
Patrick
 
Hello Patrick, I think part of owning a old british sports car is the to share ideas and information between owner's, I think most owner's work on there own healey's because of the pure satisfaction of learning as we go along and serve as therapy from everyday life! Many times i enjoy solving a problem and working on my healey more then driving it! I am very greatful that so many people in this forum are willing to take time from there busy life and download pictures and information of there work and new ways of doing thing's. I Agree sometimes it is more practical to bring it in to a shop for some of us. Take Care, Michael.
 
Patrick67BJ8 said:
After all, once it's set it never goes out of alignment, right?
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If that was the case, this thread wouldn't exist. Replacing the tie rods would require an alignment on the car. A nasty pothole might prompt an adjustment. Sure, it doesn't happen often. I've aligned a couple cars since I brewed up my method. John Loftus still has my lazy susans. I need to get with him and finish that up.
 
Running *zero toe* would make for a very active time behind the (steering) wheel; you need to run a taste of toe, in or out, to *load* the wheels and prevent wander.

I once set the front of BN6L942 at *zero toe* in preparation of an autocross in Shreveport, Louisiana. I drove the car up from Lafayette, and I was having a helluva time keeping it pointed straight__on a two (2) lane road (before I-49 was finished) it was all I could do to keep it between the lines.

For an autocross type of event, setting the toe at 1/16" to 1/32" toe out helps to minimize understeer and improves initial turn in. However, if you're also running negative camber, road miles will cause the inside tread to *cup*. This takes several thousand miles to manifest itself.

I run all three (3) of my Rdstrs (99 & 01 M, plus the Healey) at 1/16"-1/32" toe in, unless I'm setting it for an event.

Another reason so many Healey owners work on their own cars, is because it is too hard to find a mechanic that knows how to work on a Healey (requires real troubleshooting skills, as it lacks an OBD port :wink: ) or, one that even wants to!
I get a fair share of Healey jobs, but I don't advertise, as I can do much better (and faster turn arounds) working on BMWs.
 
drambuie said:
Hello Patrick, I think part of owning a old british sports car is the to share ideas and information between owner's, I think most owner's work on there own healey's because of the pure satisfaction of learning as we go along and serve as therapy from everyday life! Many times i enjoy solving a problem and working on my healey more then driving it! I am very greatful that so many people in this forum are willing to take time from there busy life and download pictures and information of there work and new ways of doing thing's. I Agree sometimes it is more practical to bring it in to a shop for some of us. Take Care, Michael.
Click to expand...
My response was my "dry sense of humor"...I'm part English. I've done all kinds of things to my Healey to repair it over 30 years ago that would make most of ya'll cringe! No internet and no "experts" back then.
Patrick
 
drambuie said:
... I think most owner's work on there own healey's because of the pure satisfaction of learning as we go along and serve as therapy from everyday life! ...
Click to expand...
As I tell people: "Having a Healey keeps me off the streets." (Yes, you can take that many ways.)
 
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