OK to align wheels by eyesight?
#1
OK to align wheels by eyesight?
I changed the center link steering component and noticed the wheels looked wacky afterwords. So I used line of sight to make the two outside edges of the front tires to meet up with the rear all at the same point (looking from the front of the vehicle towards the back, eye at height of hubs, adjusting tie rods, truck sitting on flat surface.)
Test drive seems perfect, does this mean I do not need to go to an alignment shop?
(94 2wd with body lift and 235/75/15 tires)
Test drive seems perfect, does this mean I do not need to go to an alignment shop?
(94 2wd with body lift and 235/75/15 tires)
Last edited by gyroscope7; 09-10-2015 at 06:40 PM.
#2
I changed the center link steering component and noticed the wheels looked wacky afterwords. So I used line of sight to make the two outside edges of the front tires to meet up with the rear all at the same point (looking from the front of the vehicle towards the back, eye at height of hubs, adjusting tie rods, truck sitting on flat surface.) Test drive seems perfect, does this mean I do not need to go to an alignment shop? (94 2wd with body lift and 235/75/15 tires)
#4
#5
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I've used your eyeball method after changing steering parts just to take it to the alignment shop. Looking at the before and after on the printout I've never been close with the eyeball method even though it drives fairly good. This is probably because the front track is wider than the rear so this method will always lead to toe-out. Firestone sells lifetime alignments. It's roughly $200 up front but alignments are free after that. Pays for itself after 3 alignments.
#7
Do I need to set torsion bars back to stock setting before bringing truck in for alignment? The previous owner of the truck had the cranked way up and I backed them off a bit.
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#8
#9
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final allignment will be toe-in just a little. you can do a toe adjustment yourself after replacing steering link components. you need 2 jacks placed on or as close as you can get to the lower ball-joints. once the tires are jacked up, use an awl, or flathead to scribe a fine line in the tire immediately after painting a light colored band on the tread while spinning. use a block of some sorts to keep the scribe in one path. next, you need an assistant to measure the distance between the scribe marks on the front and rear of the tires. adjust for 1/16th to 1/8" toe-in.
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