Alignment ?

Question

On my '75 CJ5 the front wheels appear to have toe in. I measured the distance between the front of the tire and the rear of the tire. My tape shows a 1/4" toe in. Is there supposed a little toe in? I can't remember. I serviced the wheel bearings since the last alignment because they were loose. After repacking and adjusting the tension could I have taken the wheels out of alignment?

Thanks Paul

Jeff Strickland · Accepted Answer

The Toe In should be 3/32nds on your CJ. This is just under 1/8th (4/32 is

1/8), so yo uneed to be very consistant with your measurements. If you can see the seam (mold mark) that goes around the tire near the center of the tread, base your measurements there. The sidewalls can have a 1/8 variance, and this can screw your adjustment efforts.

Servicing the wheel bearings should not have knocked the alignment out, but the bent traililng arm that connects the left and right tires will make the front measurement smaller than the back by an amount greater than the specification.

As you follow the steering linkage from the steering box through to the tires, the linkage that connects the steering box to the first tire will cause the steering wheel to be aligned properly, the linkage arm that connects the two tires will adjust the toe in/toe out. When I played with my steering, I set the steering wheel straight, then adjusted the toe in. If the steering wheel is off more than a few degrees, you might find that you have to make the adjustment a couple of times in order to dial all of the stuff in.

Mike Romain · Answer

I use a pipe wrench and don't worry about the tie rod ends.

Once I have the the toe in set, a slight turn back on the rod straightens the tie rods back square with the hub arm then I tighten the stabilizer and end clamps back up.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Paul Brogren wrote:

Jeff Strickland · Answer

I used either a small pipe wrench, or channel locks. I don't recall. Obviously, you will want to squeeze it (the turnbuckle) from a direction that isn't going to close it around the tierod threads and make it difficult to turn.

The tie rod ends are limited in their movement because they are left connected to the steering knuckles. They will tilt a few degrees, but they don't spin all the way around, so you don't have to worry about them. Squirt some liquid wrench on the turnbuckle so the rust and crap on the threads will break apart. I didn't worry about damaging the ends when I did my adjustments, but my tie rod ends are so smashed and dinged that a little twisting and bending isn't going to make much difference.

Gerald G. McGeorge · Answer

Use either a set of channel locks or vise grips if necessary (shouldn't bethat tight). Soaking the threads on the tie rod ends with penetrating oil anletting it sit overnight is help. You can also try heating the tie rod atthe end threads  (gently) with a propane torch to break rusted threads free.

Paul Brogren · Answer

My steering wheel's straight, so I won't mess with that. One other question, when rotating the tie rod(linkage) what have you used to do it? I'm thinking to use a pipe wrench. Also, what have you held the rod ends with so I don't damage them?

Thanks Again, Paul

Alignment ?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?