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Setting Toe

Without serious modifications, my 91 Civic (among other Honda models) permits only one alignment angle to be adjusted: Toe.

Has anyone here set the toe themselves? If so, what tools did you use or devise? Was your effort successful as indicated by tire wear and steering feel?

I have googled and there are some reports on this, but they are a bit vague. Also, I see tools like the toe gage plates advertised at

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and Ebay Motors. Is it a big deal to find my own very flat plates, apply them to the tire sides, devise a way to take measurements, etc.? I am sure tempted to do so. On rear toe -- Having just replaced the trailing arm bushings in my 91 Civic, I know there are little "compensator arms" attaching to the front of the trailing arm. At one end, the compensator arm is bolted to the car. The bolt, when loosened, can move in a slot so that some adjustment is possible. Hash marks are etched prominently into the body of the car at this point to facilitate adjustment. The factory service manual describes this under "Rear Toe Inspection/Adjustment." See for example
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The other end of the compensator arm is free-floating. That is, it rides on air. It seems a rather flimsy arrangement for adjusting toe with any precision. The design seems to explain the following three comments:

"... usually only the front suspension [wheel alignment] is adjustable." Chilton's 1984-1995 Honda Civic/CRX/del Sol manual, page 8-12

"A unique feature of [the 1984-1995 models'] suspension system is the compensator arm. This component allows a certain amount of side-to-side movement of the trailing arm. This helps to maintain a better toe angle of the wheel throughout the suspension travel." Chiltons, page 8-16

"The [new at the time 1993 Integra] trailing arm's front end is located by a short transverse compensating arm which cancels unwanted toe changes."

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ISTM the free end of that compensator arm will move in a radius around its other (adjusting bolted) end. So it moves in and out somewhat, changing toe according to driving conditions and wear on the car. As a result of all this commentary, I get the feeling that rear toe need not be sweated too much. Thoughts?

Reply to
Elle
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I've done several by looking at the wear pattern. Initially I've tried to get close with a measuring tape, but all the stuff in the way makes that hopeless.

If you find a fairly straight stretch of road and put masking tape (duct tape if the masking tape won't hold) from sidewall to sidewall on the front tires, you can drive a mile or so and check the wear. Excessive toe-in shows up as wear on the outer edges while toe-out appears as wear on the inner edges. I start with half turn adjustments on each tie rod; your intuition should do just fine for the finer adjustments.

It goes without saying the differential tie rod adjustment affects how your steering wheel sits, so the iterative process often ends with adjusting the centering after you get the wear dialed in. Within an hour you should have a really fine result.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

[snip]

If you've had the rear trailing arms replaced, then you need to have the rear toe adjusted. The best way to do this is to have a professional alignment done. Just pay the $50-60 or whatever and get a 4 wheel alignment done. I've done many alignments using computerized laser sensors which are mounted to the wheels. A small amount of adjustment at the rears typically makes a large difference. I believe that a professional 4 wheel alignment will be the best thing you can do to maximize the longevity of your tires (including of course regularly checking the air pressure and rotating them periodically so that they get even wear).

Eric

Reply to
Eric

"Elle" wrote in news:YDkmg.9417$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net:

You can't do it yourself with any precision.

The job is properly done this way:

1) Adjust REAR *total* toe FIRST. This gives you your "thrust center line", upon which the FRONT toe depends. 2) After rear toe is adjusted, front toe is adjusted using the steering outer tie-rod ends so that two things occur: a) *Total* front toe is within spec, and b) front-end toe on either side of the thrust center line is equal.

Thrust center line (rear axle forwards): _ | |-------- |

-

Front wheels pointed towards the thrust center line. Their angles must intersect the thrust line at the same point:

_ \ | |--------- |

- /

The shop will often not adjust BOTH compensator arms, but only one. It's not necessary to do both, so long as the thrust center line is such that the front end can be made to conform to it within its range of adjustment. The thrust line does NOT have to parallel the car body's front-to-back centerline.

If you've guessed that the car may not travel down the road perfectly straight, but may "crab" or "dog walk" a little to one side, you're right. And it does not matter if this happens. Some cars (certain domestics come to mind) only have a single rear adjustment on ONE side.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

what he said. because of the 4-wheel alignment necessary on this vehicle, and the difficulty of setting the thrust angle iteratively, pay to have it done elle. but because also of the, er, "patchy" quality of some alignment shops, make sure you take it to a place that guarantees their work. then you can keep taking it back until they get it right. and eric's not fooling - the rears are uber-sensitive.

Reply to
jim beam

"TeGGeR®" wrote in news:Xns97E9E0CAE877Etegger@207.14.116.130:

To clarify: If you have to rotate the steering wheel and hold it there to make the car track straight, this is an issue quite separate from the "dog walking". "Dog walking" by itself does not cause steering pull.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

"dog walking" is also why you may have to adjust the toe /both/ sides of the rear, not just one. the angle each side of the center line has to be identical with their bisector passing exactly through the center line of the vehicle.

Reply to
jim beam

I personally replaced the trailing arm bushings on Monday.

But I gather your advice does not change.

Knowing this helps a lot, Eric. I value your opinion.

Reply to
Elle

"TeGGeR®" wrote

Okay.

Okay, thanks for the elaboration.

I googled before I posted and did indeed notice discussion of certain Fords, for one, having the adjustment on only one rear side.

My dealer IIRC wants $89 for the job but I think I'll shop around a bit.

The car has no pull or any odd steering. The tie rod ends (originals) appear quite secure. The inner tire wear on the front pass side may have been due to worn bushings and a darn near totally corroded stabilizer link on that side. All have been replaced. Very smooth ride now (and I think it's more than the placebo effect; I'm feeling that cornering on rails thing), but I know after all this work an alignment (the first ever) is a very good idea.

Reply to
Elle

"Michael Pardee" wrote

I think I'll give this a try just to see what it turns up. I wish I'd done it before all my suspension renovation work so I could compare. Thanks Michael!

Understood. Thanks again!

Reply to
Elle

I'm just a little bit curious. Exactly which bushings are you referring to, the ones labeled as part #12 in this diagram

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or thelarge one in the middle of the rear trailing arm through which bolt #26 goesto help mount the trailing arm to the car? Eric

Reply to
Eric

I replaced both, but the one to which I refer above is the larger one (with bolts #26 going through it), Honda part #52385-SR3000 , only available in the last several years or so. Schley produced a special (and super fast and super effective) tool for removing it only in the last couple of years. I have a fuller discussion at the bottom of

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, with some links to excellent sites with photos of the process.

The bigger TA bushing is replaced with the TA in place, for the most part. That is, no brake lines need be disconnected and plugged nor bled.

Reply to
Elle

"Elle" wrote in news:S1xmg.9424$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:

The brake lines and hydraulics don't need to be disconnected when you remove the trailing arm. Everything including the parking brake either unbolts or unhooks.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

"TeGGeR®" wrote

I meant those who intend to take the trailing arm to a shop or put it into a vise to press out the big bushing (and then install a new one) would have to disconnect the brake lines.

With the (relatively new) Schley tool, only five bolts need be removed.

Reply to
Elle

"Elle" wrote in news:LPymg.10167$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net:

It just occurred to me: You're partially right. Opening the hydraulics

*would* be necessary on a drum-brake car if you were to remove the trailing arm from the car entirely. If you had rear *disc* brakes, you do *not* need to open the hydraulics.

Finally I find ONE advantage to having rear disc brakes! LOL

Sounds like a boon for drum-brake equipped cars.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

I'm a lurker in a.a.h., and I have noticed that you seem very knowledgable. So, your comment about rear disc breake intrigues me. I thought rear discs were desirable? If not, why not?

Thanks,

-- R Flowers

Reply to
R Flowers

"TeGGeR®" wrote

Yes, I was only talking about drums as well as thinking of the coupla sites that talk about how this new tool makes life easier. Guess they too were only thinking of drums.

I trust you are correct about the discs. I hadn't thought about it.

Yes, I'm sure you can tell I'm just tickled about it. Best $140 I've spent.

Of course, the job's not done until all is newly aligned...

Reply to
Elle

"R Flowers" wrote in news:TeWdndi8BJnvWQfZnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@insightbb.com:

I pretend well, huh?

Rear dics brakes in a FWD car are desirable to the marketing department. Buyers tend to get a woody over them because they sound so hi-tech and sporty. They enable the sales department to have greater success liberating greenbacks from your wallet.

Rear discs in a road-going FWD car are otherwise utterly useless and trouble-prone. They never work hard enough to get very hot, so they rust, seize and wear out with distressing haste and regularity unless the car is used in SoCal or Arizona.

Any more questions?

Reply to
TeGGeR®

No, just a comment. I guess their marketing worked well, because I didn't even think about it. Back in the old days, many cars had drums all around. Then the front 2 discs came out, and I guess people thought "Well, if 2 are good, let's do all 4!" I remember sports cars in the 70s and 80s touting their 4 wheel discs.

-- R Flowers

Reply to
R Flowers

OK, thanks for clarifying the work that you did.

No, a four wheel alignment is definitely in order.

Eric

Reply to
Eric

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