Effect of ride height on alignment and other queries
12-14-2015, 08:16 PM
#46
Chronic Tool Dropper
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Vernier Scales Installed
Here's a cell-phone pic peeking under the left front wheel from the rear, showing the hi-tech vernier scales (pointer) taped securely to the tie rod end threads on the outside of the nut on the left, and the actual scales on the sleeve just inside where the nut sits at the end. The scales are left and right, scaled opposite, so that on either side going to larger numbers increases toe-in.
That's my left index finger top left corner partially blocking the flash to minimize glare back on the lens, BTW
The spacing is set up so that there are ten increments per revolution of the tie rod end. Were I brilliant and thinking ahead, I could have almost as easily figured out how much the toe actually changes per fraction of a turn when wheels are straight ahead, and put on a scale in minutes of arc. But I didn't. So the numbers are unitless as far as toe change.
For installation, I carefully cleaned the areas where the labels go. Cut out the pieces, and use a strip of clear box-sealing tape that overlaps the edges of each piece of paper. On the outer threaded side, I lined up the pointer line wth the horizontal centerline of the tie rod with the end in mid rotation between the limits of the ball and socket. I initially had the scale side lined up at mid-range (=5) lined up with the pointer line when toe is perfect. As you can see, the left side is now adjusted a couple unit-less units from original position. The other side is also adjusted in the opposite direction the same couple unit-less units, but lower, to center the wheel IIRC. This is what Fred is looking to do.
Those pieces have been on the car for at least 3-4 years now, and seem to have survived OK.
That's my left index finger top left corner partially blocking the flash to minimize glare back on the lens, BTW
The spacing is set up so that there are ten increments per revolution of the tie rod end. Were I brilliant and thinking ahead, I could have almost as easily figured out how much the toe actually changes per fraction of a turn when wheels are straight ahead, and put on a scale in minutes of arc. But I didn't. So the numbers are unitless as far as toe change.
For installation, I carefully cleaned the areas where the labels go. Cut out the pieces, and use a strip of clear box-sealing tape that overlaps the edges of each piece of paper. On the outer threaded side, I lined up the pointer line wth the horizontal centerline of the tie rod with the end in mid rotation between the limits of the ball and socket. I initially had the scale side lined up at mid-range (=5) lined up with the pointer line when toe is perfect. As you can see, the left side is now adjusted a couple unit-less units from original position. The other side is also adjusted in the opposite direction the same couple unit-less units, but lower, to center the wheel IIRC. This is what Fred is looking to do.
Those pieces have been on the car for at least 3-4 years now, and seem to have survived OK.
12-14-2015, 09:02 PM
#48
Chronic Tool Dropper
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Building the laser fixtures and stuff, making the sticks and crayons and stuff kinda stone-age, at least by comparison.
Alignments are a non-issue at this point for me. A list-member from the other side of the mountains was loosely scheduled to get things lined up in August, but the stars didn't align well communications and schedule-wise. I think the last time the laser setup was attached to 928 wheels was when Darien's 86.5 red 5-speed car came through on the way to SoCal from Shane in Washington. The gear, like most of the other tools and stuff, saw a lot more use when we were in SoCal and had a few clinics at our little bungalo on the bluff over Los Angeles.
Alignments are a non-issue at this point for me. A list-member from the other side of the mountains was loosely scheduled to get things lined up in August, but the stars didn't align well communications and schedule-wise. I think the last time the laser setup was attached to 928 wheels was when Darien's 86.5 red 5-speed car came through on the way to SoCal from Shane in Washington. The gear, like most of the other tools and stuff, saw a lot more use when we were in SoCal and had a few clinics at our little bungalo on the bluff over Los Angeles.