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Speaking of front end alignment

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ronzet

ronzet

Jedi Knight
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LBC Fans,

Good day.

I just installed a set of tie-rod ends, purchased from Moss, the other day on my '57 A. I compared the old with the new for length and they appeared to be the same dimension but....

Although I have not yet done an 'formal' alignment, they are, visually, toed out. I have COMPLETELY screwed both all the way in but the left is pointing slightly left and the right is pointing slightly right.

Any word to the wise on the HOW, should I need to shorten the toe in/out?? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif
 
Did you measure the depth of the threads in the body of the tie rod, comparing new to old?

Might be a manufacturing mishap.
 
Good point. Never thought of that one.
 
Ron,

Ahhh.. no, I didn't measure the depth...Guess I need to dis-assemble and measure.

Good suggestion.

The 'manufacturing mishap' seems to happen frequently with the 'Not made in the USA' parts that many of the parts vendors are vending lately...

Oh, I could tell you stories... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif
 
Every manufacturer has mishaps. I worked at a Honda dealership in the 70's and was overhauling a 5 speed manual transmission. Could NOT get the case back together. Everything looked identical.. Had the DSM(district service manager, shop foreman, two other line techs, head MB tech{we were a dual line dealership}) look over the rebuild and no one could fathom it. DSM was on the point of ordering an entire transmission, which in those days were extremely rare. When a roundyround racer friend stopped by the shop.

Told him about my quandary. He said to count the teeth of the old gears, compare to the new. 3rd gear had one more tooth, which was not evident, even laying the gears on top of each other. Counted three times just to verify that the new(wrong) gear had one tooth more.

This was Honda. MB I've gotten new shocks that were failed(internal valve closed), I won't even mention Jaguar and GM components.

So I always compare the removed to replacement when I put anything on my vehicles anymore.
 
Have you done anything else to the front suspension? On a vehicle I had years ago, I put new spindles on and had to shorten the tie rods to get it to toe in enough.
 
Ron,

A wise man you are... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif

Now this is why this forum is soooo great... great people and a wealth of knowledge. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
 
Lawguy,

This also is a thoughtful suggestion...

I did rebuild the bushings, bearings, an infinitum, on this, unbolt everything in sight, frame off project... Soooo, this may also be contributing to the problem.

Per Ron McPherson's suggestion, I will be disassembling the tie rods this weekend and compare the depth and thread count with the originals....

Thanks for your help... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
The problem with outsourced parts is that the manufacturer can change without the middle man telling the buyer, such as Moss. No one knows there has been a change until the end customer tries to fit the part to a car!
 
Something as simple as replacing a cracked OE tail light lens with a new made repro entailed getting longer screws just to account for increased thickness....took me an hour to figure out what was wrong.
 
Aloha Ron,

A few years ago I replaced tie rod ends on my TF. With the tie rods screwed all the way in I had a toe out problem. Comparing the old tie rod ends with the new I discovered that the new tie rod ends were longer the the old. Because they were longer, the threaded portion of tie rods could only be screwed a part way. My solution was the shorten the new tie rod ends to match the old with a hack saw. This solved my problem.
 
MGTF1250Dave--
I'll use Dave for short, if you don't mind...

Dave,

Aloha and Mahalo nui loa,

If, after checking the depth of the inside, there is enough room to screw the tie rod end further on, I will take your advice and hacksaw away at, although my trusty grinder might make it shorter in 'short order'. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif

once again, Mahalo... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
Aloha Ron,

Dave is fine. It sounds like you been to Hawaii before. Were you ever stationed at Barbers Point?
 
ronzet said:
MGTF1250Dave--
I'll use Dave for short, if you don't mind...

Dave,

Aloha and Mahalo nui loa,

If, after checking the depth of the inside, there is enough room to screw the tie rod end further on, I will take your advice and hacksaw away at, although my trusty grinder might make it shorter in 'short order'. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif

once again, Mahalo... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
Click to expand...

Exactly what I had to do.
 
Dave,

Aloooooha,

Never Barber's Point... I was P3 Aircrew in the late 60s and early 70s... Sub hunter...Mostly out of NAS Moffett.

Although I live in San Diego, (a tough place but someone has to live here), I LOVE Hawaii... Any time I have a free week and a few dollars... I take that big plane.. Maui mostly although the Big Island is where my heart lies...I think my wife's heart lies in the middle of Ala Moana shopping center... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

I am planning to relocate there in the next year or so. My business allows me too. Just need to get up a little earlier... Also looking at a B&B to buy and run in Kona...

Mahalo for asking.. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
Ronzet, If you grind the tie rods, be careful not to over heat them, if your not carefull you could change the metal temper and they might break. Most shops won't modify tie rods or anything to do with steering.
Good luck
BarryE
 
Dave, you coming to this next meeting?

Ran into Rolls Royce Rob and his wife yesterday, The meeting is going to be at Times coffee shop, next Tuesday, the 12th. Food is edible. That's the coffee shop on the corner of the shopping center across from the mall on Kam Hwy.
Take H-3 to Kahekili, down to Haiku last light in Kaneohe, then right to Times.
 
Ok....Does it dive into corners like a kamikaze pilot?

Do you feel like you can't get going straight again after ya want to?

My first advice is.....Screw everything you have ever heard.

Toe in-Toe out....Screw it....What feels right is right!!!

Start with a good stock setup and go crazy....Then back off.

Ok.....Maybe you should listen to someone else.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

We ALL drive......So if I put 200# in yur trunk w/o you knowing it and you took off for work....you would FEEL something wasn't rignt....

Congradulations.....Yer a race car driver....

(except not as well be knowen)

(PS....Toe OUT an 1/8" and see how it feels....[1/8" is big so go 1/16 after that]))
 
Barry,

Point well taken... Thanks... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
What'sthatnoise...

Thanks for your comments. The car has not been driven since 1974 so I am at a loss to answer the question of handling...

It is ALMOST ready to drive again after three years of frame off work. My problem is in measurement of the toe in/out and the visual queues in the appearance.

It may turn out to be a moot point once I drive the puppy... We will see...

Thanks again. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
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