| Freshened steering linkage | |
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GasTT
Posts : 2675 Join date : 2009-01-19 Age : 36 Location : Treasure Coast, FL
| Subject: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:54 pm | |
| So I bought a steering setup from Fisha a while back and finally decided to put it in today. I did inner and outer tie rods, center link and idler arm. Now I need a damn alignment. Came out easy. The centerlink/pitman arm joint gave me hassle coming apart. I ran to the 'zone and rented a balljoint separator. Then the old nut wouldn't work. So, I had to head out and try to find a nut. Anyway, it's in now. I cannot comment on any changes because, with the way the alignment is, it just feels like crap. I will have feedback about the front end after I get an alignment. "new" linkage old stuff in car underneath old vs new new stuff in | |
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toomanytoyz Club President
Posts : 6876 Join date : 2009-01-20 Age : 47 Location : East Hampstead, NH USA
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:43 pm | |
| Wow. Glad that worked out for ya! In the future, If you measure the tie rods you pull out and make the ones going in about the same, you lessen the need for an alignment "right now." Man! Everyone was BUSY today! I'm jealous! | |
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96Brougham
Posts : 819 Join date : 2009-02-02 Age : 36 Location : Easton MA
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:47 pm | |
| car looks pretty clean underneath! Looks like it was undercoated? Anywho, make sure you get that alignment done at a good shop i know you had issues aligning the Olds... | |
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GasTT
Posts : 2675 Join date : 2009-01-19 Age : 36 Location : Treasure Coast, FL
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:49 pm | |
| I am a procrastinator. If I can get away with not doing it right now it will never get done... which is why it took me so long to take the time to install it in the first place!
I know just the shop to bring it to. I needed to get the Olds done on a certain day that my shop of choice was busy so I had to bring it elsewhere. Never again!
You can make out some orange spots on the floor on the drivers side. It has some rust starting there. It's also bubbling up at the bottom of the b pillar. Other than that it's solid. I hope to find a garage I can work out of this winter and get that taken care of.
Last edited by GasTT on Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:50 pm; edited 1 time in total | |
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96Brougham
Posts : 819 Join date : 2009-02-02 Age : 36 Location : Easton MA
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:50 pm | |
| Toe is a killer! I'd definitely get it done asap... | |
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GasTT
Posts : 2675 Join date : 2009-01-19 Age : 36 Location : Treasure Coast, FL
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:00 pm | |
| My driver wheel is straight and my passenger wheel is pointed inwards. What can I adjust to fix this "for now". Do I just loosen the sleeve on the outer tie rod and remove it from the spindle and turn it in a turn or two till the wheels looks "good enough"? Looking to do this right now I'm pretty bored and want to go drive my beast around on this Friday night. | |
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bammax
Posts : 2301 Join date : 2009-02-22 Age : 42 Location : Mansfield, Ma
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:03 pm | |
| Just loosen the turnbuckle bolts on the passenger side and rotate it to extend the front of the wheel outward. If you need to remove a tie-rod to adjust it then you put the inners together and the outers together. They are supposed to be threaded opposite each other so you can adjust it just by turning the adjuster sleeve. | |
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GasTT
Posts : 2675 Join date : 2009-01-19 Age : 36 Location : Treasure Coast, FL
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:04 pm | |
| So I just need to loosen the passenger side sleeve and turn it with the wheels off the ground? | |
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bammax
Posts : 2301 Join date : 2009-02-22 Age : 42 Location : Mansfield, Ma
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:16 pm | |
| Only need the passenger side off the ground. And just loosen the bolts on the adjuster so that it can rotate and start spinning. if the wheel comes inward then turn the adjuster the other way. When it's where you want it then tighten the bolts back up again. A half-assed way to get close enough alignment is as follows: Put the front end on jackstands. Take off the wheels. Then put the end of a tape measure in the vent for the rotor at the furthest forward point (toward bumper) and run it across to the opposite rotor and mark the distance. Then repeat with the tape on the backside (towards firewall) as close to a full 180 as you can get without hitting the engine and take another measurement. The difference is your tow either in or out. If the front measurement is larger then bring the wheels in slightly. If the rear measurement is larger then bring the wheels out slightly. It won't be laser perfect but it'll get you suprisingly close. Verify that you're working evenly by measuring the distance from where the tie-rod connects to the center link across to where the other end connects to the spindle. this is just working one side at a time. If you find the drivers side has a greater distance than the passengers for example, then subtract the difference and divide it by 2. This is the amount that you need to take out of the drivers side and add to the passengers side. confused yet It's not as complicated as I make it sound | |
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GasTT
Posts : 2675 Join date : 2009-01-19 Age : 36 Location : Treasure Coast, FL
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:10 pm | |
| OK brad, thanks. I got it to where the wheel is straight and it is drivable. There is only a very slight pull to the left, barely noticeable. I will get a pro alignment when my funds allow. | |
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bammax
Posts : 2301 Join date : 2009-02-22 Age : 42 Location : Mansfield, Ma
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:47 pm | |
| If it pulls that means the wheels are still tow out. If the steering wheel points in one direction to track straight then that means the wheel opposite the direction of the steering wheel is the one pointed out. Example....if the car goes straight with the steering turned slightly left then the passenger side is facing out. If the steering points right then the drivers side is out. The car will only go straight if the wheels are in equal relation to each other. I'd say in your case you need to turn slightly right to track straight which means the drivers side is slightly out. Try bringing it in 1/8 turn and see what happens. | |
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boojum
Posts : 2182 Join date : 2009-01-21 Age : 36 Location : NH
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:25 pm | |
| This is how I do it:
Set the toe in first. Correct the steering wheel centering later.
Get two pieces of angle iron (or aluminum) a little longer that the wheels. Place the angle parallel to each wheel, I use 4 tall sockets to hold it up. Measure in front of the tire from one side to the other and repeat from the back of the tire. The front should be 1/16th to 1/8th inch less than the back. Make any adjustment needed, drive around the block, remeasure, and repeat if necessary.
Once you have the toe in set and if the steering wheel is off to one side you want to adjust the tires toward the direction of the steering wheel tires by turning the adjusters an equal amount on each side. Think of it this way; if the steering wheel is turned to the left adjust so the tires points more toward the left, now with the steering wheel straight (moved to the right) the tires will be straight ahead. Or that you are matching the direction of the tires to the steering wheel. Oh, and don't forget to measure again. Also watch that the bolts on the sleeves don't hang up anywhere.
The outter tie rods are right hand threads on both sides. Is easy to get confused so keep track of your changes.
It don't take much, I can't remember if it's one or two turns of the adjuster equals about 5/8ths change in toe.
A bad toe adjustment will eat up tires very very quickly.
Last edited by boojum on Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:54 pm; edited 1 time in total | |
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sdstick
Posts : 4292 Join date : 2009-03-20 Location : Revere, MA
| Subject: Re: Freshened steering linkage Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:34 pm | |
| - GasTT wrote:
You should grease the new stuff. That old looks way to dry | |
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