tech
Dana 30 and
Dana 44 Front Axle Toe Adjustment
Toe is the
amount that the wheels are pointed in or out, often called
"total toe in or out". On a Jeep CJ it is only
adjustable on the front axle and is adjusted by rotating the
long tie rod or in some cases rotating the threaded sleeve
at the tie rod end. The short rod from the pitman arm is
called the drag link. Adjusting the tie rod usually
requires loosening the clamps that keep the tie rod secure
and removing or un-attaching the steering stabilizer.
Typically a Jeep's toe is adjusted 1/4" less in the front of
the tire to the rear of the tire.
Adjusting toe on a CJ is
quite easy. It takes a little time and preparation to
get it right. Of course an alignment rack would do a
better job but this procedure will do the trick and save you
a couple of bucks.
Procedure
Support the Jeep on jack stands at the axles
so both front tires are only an inch or so off the ground.
Make the best attempt at making sure the wheels are
straight. Using 2 pieces of angle cut long enough to
clear the height of the tires attach them to each tire
centered over the wheel center and parallel to the ground.
We attached them to the tires using a few bungees.
Put a tape measure on the front side and
the rear side of the angles and compare the measurements.
Make sure the tapes are just touching the tread surface of
the tire. Rotate the toe adjuster to make the front
measurement 1/4 inch less than the rear. Rotating the
toe adjuster will alter both measurements so be sure to
check them.
A good verification is to rotate the
wheels 180 degrees and check the whole thing again. If
it checks out you can tighten up the adjuster and you are
finished. If it's off you may have a bent wheel or
your tires are unevenly shaped.
A little more accurate...
Follow the above procedure but remove the
wheels and attach the angles to the wheel hub. This
will eliminate the wheel variables.
Toe,
Caster, and Camber - What does it mean and how to adjust it.
Jeep Steering Alignment
101
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