self alignment

looking to do a self alignment but i haven't seen how it is done and was wondering if there is any tech articles or if anyone can give me the process on how to do this.
Just trying to save myself a dollar or two.

You need a tape measure...

Measure the distance from tread edge to tread edge on the rear of your front tires, then measure the distance from the tread edge to tread edge on the front of your tires, and adjust tie-rod ends as necessary... usually just a small amount of toe-in is good for highway driving.

After you're done, make sure to adjust the drag link so your steering wheel sits straight when the tires are pointed straight ahead.

You can do it with the tires on the ground or off. I've done it both ways but prefer to do it with the tires off the ground. Find a spot on the tires that's easy to identify, I like using the small mold line that's on most tires, or a spot on the tread, and like was said above measure the distance between this spot on both the front and back of the tires. Loosen the small clamps at each end of the tie rod and twist the tie rod to change the alignment. For "0" toe the distance will be the same front to back, a slight toe in will be a slightly shorter distance in the front than in the back. Zero toe is ideal, but some like a slight toe in.

If you think you'll do this often, you can easily make an alignment bar. I check mine regularly, plus I change things on the front often enough that I need to re-align it. I used two pieces of 1" angle iron about 3.5-4' long, drilled two holes for wheel lugs and ground a small recess between the holes for the hubs, and made marks towards the ends an equal distance from the center. Floor jack under the axle, remove the tires, slap on the alignment bars, and hook a tape measure over the bars at your marks, and you can do a quick alignment by yourself. Make sure the holes are large enough to go all the way over the lugs so the bars sit flush against the rotor surface.

Richard, did you get rid of your modified "inverted Y" steering? I would think that on the "inverted Y" design, trying to do an alignment with the wheels in droop would end up being toe'd out. When the wheels are in droop, they would toe-in; you would adjust that to zero which would change with weight back on the suspension.

I do both my toe and castor at home on the driveway, but also like to get it done professionally on occasion. After the professional alignment, I take my own measurements to verify my methods are reasonably accurate.

don't forget the caster.

check out go jeep for an excellent article.

i second the gojeep site...

MaXJohnson said:

Richard, did you get rid of your modified "inverted Y" steering? I would think that on the "inverted Y" design, trying to do an alignment with the wheels in droop would end up being toe'd out. When the wheels are in droop, they would toe-in; you would adjust that to zero which would change with weight back on the suspension.

I do both my toe and castor at home on the driveway, but also like to get it done professionally on occasion. After the professional alignment, I take my own measurements to verify my methods are reasonably accurate.

Click to expand...

Not with the wheels in droop, with a floor jack under the axle lifted barely enough to get the tires off. You're right, lifting it with a high lift jack wouldn't work, unless the axle was lowered onto jack stands so the weight of the rig was still on the axle. BTW, I have an inverted T design now.