adjusting toein, ghia, already way UP on jackstands

Feb 21, 2004 5 Replies

is it too late for me to figure out if there are 'errors' in my toein settings on the front of my ghia? (old front tires were severly worn only on edges).



the ghia's already WAY up in the air on tall jackstands and huge wood blocks, indoors, w/fuel tank removed, all wheels off the car but front rotors still 'on'. I'm aware, generally, of the 'recommended' procedure involving rolling car forward 1/2 turn of the tires/measuring/comparing (I should've measured all that first)...=but=, are there any other 'alternate' procedures I can use 'now' without lowering it to ground first to 'check it'? one problem: I don't even have, right now, enough wheels WITH tires on 'em 'to' roll the car (got 5 rims, but only 2 w/tires on 'em :-(



thanks for ideas on this :-)


Toe-in changes as the front suspension moves up and down. And yours is fully relaxed. You will have to wait until the car is on the ground to check toe.

Since your old tires wore unevenly, there is a very good change the front-end allignment is out of whack (technical term)anyway.

Max

And if it's the inside edges only, it's too much toe-out. If it's the outside edges, too much toe in. The OP will just have to provide a little more info on this one.

Sometimes odd tire wear will indicate other worn parts, like ball joints or something, that might otherwise go unnoticed, and trying to adjust the toe in to correct it will not get you anywhere.

I used to have this sheet of paper from a tire comapany's brochure years ago, that I just lost in my move, that showed several pictures of actual tires with odd wear patterns, and what the likely or possible causes of each type of wear.

Does anyone know of an item like this posted somewhere?

If both edges are wearing, I'd wonder whether you've been driving them low on air.

-

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

-----------------------------------------------

the drivers front tire had extreme wear on the 'inside most' tread area, but the passenger side front tire had extreme wear on -very- near the outermost tread area, but not 'all the way outside'....

to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how long those tires were 'in' those same positions on the car (other than for my towing it 1200 miles with em in those positions), or even if they 'achieved' that wear pattern while on -this- car...for all I know, they may've been that 'bad' before I started towing it, or not-I didn't pay close attention to that, back then.

thanks to you guys, appreciate your help :-)

I -will- be checking the alignment 'in its entirety' immediately before I mount the new tires on the front.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required