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DIY wheel alignment


stolpsaddles

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I was talking to a mechanic the other day abad he was telling me about shops doing wheel alignments in big rigs.

 

Jack up and spin each tire to place a line on the tread all the way around. Next backup the truck 20 to 30' on pavement then drive forward 20-30 '

Accurately measure the distance the lines on the tires front and rear from tire to rise to get your toe in/out reading

Once you set the toe in move the truck again forward and back to get a 2nd reading.

 

This sounds like an accurate system as it would be the actual rolling toe in,

No Fancy equipment required, I would use a stick with 2 nails in to get a very pinpoint read with no sag in the tape measure.

 

 

 

2005 Western Star, MDE 4000 ,singled mid, 12' deck with Smart Car
Bison Stratus 3 horse with 16' short wall 12' slide out

http://www.spottedhorsegallery.com/
http://www.campingandhorses.com/

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That sounds easy enough, but even if I knew it was out, I'm too dumb to know how to correct it :)

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2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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Ya, and an alignment around here is $150 to $200.

 

My suv runs $90!

 

Curt

2001 Freightliner Century, 500hp Series 60, Gen 2 autoshift, 3.42 singled rear locker.

2004 Keystone Sprinter 299RLS (TT)

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2013 Polaris Ranger 800 midsize LE

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There is a lot more to an alignment than toe in! Caster camber and rear axle(s) all have to be within spec for a good drive

2014 jayco siesmic 3914

1998 volvo 610, singled short ( bought in 2005)

14 speed volvo tranny

2014 Toyota yaris

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toe is easy to adjust. You can simply come midway tires and hook tape in threads. Then pull from rear of tire and compare. Camber and caster take instruments we don't carry and is expensive.

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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For toe in, I have always used this method on all my vehicles. For camber, I use a carpenter’s level and a couple deep well sockets for spacers. Caster, well, if it's not pulling, I don't touch it.

For the all wheel chassis adjustment, get out your check book. Strings and tape measures aren't going to get me there.

 

When I talked to the original owner of my truck, he was lamenting that he could only get 80K miles on the front tires .....well, with 1/4" of toe in, I am thinking that was good. The truck is a lot less work to drive down the road with the toe set to almost nothing.

 

 

2009 Volvo 780 D16 535hp 1850 ft-lbs I shift 3.36

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Brad, don't know about the Western Star but on my Volvo caster can only be changed by wedge shaped spacers under the axle. Camber is pre-set and the axle must be bent to change. "Usually" these two settings only need adjustment after an accident or really bad roads that bend or stress components.

 

The alignment method described for toe is basically correct but you will not be able to get a good measurement with just a tape or string due to "stuff in the way". You can easily construct a jig such as the one below out of dry, straight wood or metal and pipe (EMT) that will allow an accurate check of toe. The upper arms slide along the horizontal pipe and allow you to measure at 180 degrees without stuff getting in the way. The sliding arms must not have side-to-side play once in position and the cross bar must be perfectly straight. Correcting toe on the simple suspension design used on our trucks requires backing off the cinch nut on the band at each end of the ball joint/tie rod and using a pipe wrench to twist the single tie rod in the needed direction. A little liquid soap between the tire and concrete is helpful or put a 1/4" piece of plywood under the tires if the floor is rough so the tire slides in or out easily.

 

When I was running autocross I often changed alignment on my cars for an event via a similar method but also set camber using a bubble gauge that attached to the wheel rim. Toe is really not hard to adjust. A check for wear that would ruin a tire due to incorrect adjustment is to paint horizontal stripes across the tread of the tire with white latex paint, let it dry and then drive. If the scrub off of the paint is not even irregular tire wear will be an issue.

 

My method is to make/get a good inspection for wear and component movement and then a 2 or 3 axle alignment. After that keep tabs on your toe adjustment using the described method.

 

alignment.jpg

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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The above method is what i had in mind, after the adjustment move the truck back and the forward 20 to 30 feet to set the wheels and check again.

I am looking at changing a tie rod end as there is some play in the joint ( but not right after I grease it ) so I will have to do an alignment.

2005 Western Star, MDE 4000 ,singled mid, 12' deck with Smart Car
Bison Stratus 3 horse with 16' short wall 12' slide out

http://www.spottedhorsegallery.com/
http://www.campingandhorses.com/

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You can also do the toe adjustment on our vehicles with the axle on jack stands. Not so for IS vehicles.

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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