Re: Alignment question

["T.R.E. Jr." <T_R_E_Jr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

---Just for the sake of asking, is your steering wheel installed correctly? 
There is a mark on the shaft and a mark on the steering wheel that should be 
aligned. After that, you go where you have gone already. Once you get the 
toe correct, the steering wheel should* be correct also. A lot of places 
these days, don't even look at the steering wheel. My cousin had a $700.oo 
alignment done on her Skylark and when she brought it home the steering 
wheel was 1/4 turn off center!

---If your suspension is lifted, the toe and camber will be off due to the 
caster being changed and not corrected... if* caster was not corrected and 
if* you have a lift kit installed. Just thought I would add that for the 
heck of it.

---I agree, take it to a Ma and Pop shop. Local run-of-the-mill shop with a 
60+ year old man running the joint, but regardless of whether it is a Scout, 
Ford, Chitvy, Dodge, a tie rod is a tie rod and if they don't know how to 
align a simple vehicle, let them continue to work on strutted vehicles and 
you pack your stuff and head back to the "little man".

---You might have to pay fines and fees for the Scout's time served in the 
Mineke Prison, but you will both be happier for the early release.

---Thank you,
-T.R.E.Jr.
-`73 Scout II (StoneThrower)
-`51 Farmall H (Heinz)
-`49 IH fridge (presently unnamed and in need of a compressor)
-`49 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-door Sedan (Papapalooza)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Bongo" <dbongo@domain.elided>
To: "IHC Digest" <ihc-digest@domain.elided>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 7:51 PM
Subject: Alignment question


> I'm back with another alignment question.
>
> I found out why the tire place had problems aligning the Scout.  Using
> their hi-tech equipment, they found that both tires are too far to the
> left.  (I'd say "towed too far to the left", but I don't know how you
> would spell "towed" with "toe" as the root word.)
>
> Anyways, the left tie rod end was just replaced.  I suggested that the
> left tie rod end wasn't installed deep enough into the tie rod and that
> it be disconnected, turned into the tie rod a turn or 2 (to shorten the
> tie rod on the left side only) and that should solve the problem.
> (Adjusting the tie rod now will continue to move one side or the other
> to the left.  So we can't get a good alignment.)  The guy I talked to
> was unsure.  Anyways, I've got to take it back tomorrow when the other
> mechanic is working.  Do you guys think I'm on the right track here?
> And I apologize for any lack of clarity in the way I said this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave