Richard,
You can get the toe close with a tape measure. Your job is easier since you
just have to get it the way it was. First look for a mark on the tire that
goes all the way around in a straight line. You may have to make one, or
perhaps you can find a part of the tread that can be consistant. What you want
to is measure the distance between the two tires at exactly the front (most
forward part.) before and after the change. Just make this didtance the same.
I would jack the front up and spin the front tire then hold a fine point marker
on the tire to make a circumferential stripe on each tire. A helper could spin
the tire while you marked. You want a perfect circle on each tire. Then put
the truck down off tha jack and roll it back and forth to let the tires resume
the normal position. Now measure the distance between the two marks very
carefully. You will want to repeat the measurement within 1/32 or so.
Now swap the racks and put the tires back on. Roll the truck around again to
let the tires get back to their normal position. Now check the measurement
between the two lines using exactly the same technique. Adjust to make it the
same as before.
Blan B would be to talk to an alignment shop or local station and
pre-negotiate a price to just set the toe. This is the easiest adjustment to
make and it should take them longer to write a bill than do the work.
Drive Safe,
Joe
>Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 12:33:52 EDT
>From: RLewis7785 <RLewis7785@AOL.COM>
>Subject: DML: Rack and Pinion Change.
>
>Hey guys, I'll be changing my Rack and Pinion for the second time this
>weekend. The first one (factory) blew a seal at 45000 miles. The Lifetime
>warranty Autozone (yeah, I know, but start into me) one leaks around from the
>pinion seal. I've lived with it for a while, but it is starting to get worse,
>and I don't want to take a chance on my p/s pump running dry if I forget to
>check it.
>
>I'd rather not spring for a realignment after this, just to set the toe.
>Please give me some ideas on how to set the toe in my driveway and get it
>close. I know all that about counting the turns on the shafts when removing,
>but this only works when the replacement part is 'exactly' identical to the
>old part, and I don't trust it, I'd like to measure it somehow.
>
>Richard Lewis, Tomball TX
>92 LE CC, 318, Auto.
Joe Dille
Telford PA USA
(joe@dille.montgomery.pa.us)
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