Adjust Toe-in

Can someone give me the quick lesson on adjusting toe-in? 1966 CJ-5. With the wheels straight ahead, and doing the simple measurement of inside tire wall to the frame, the front passenger side tire is a half inch closer than the other side. And the tire has worn three times as fast. Bar on that side, clamp at each end, end at center is slotted and fits over a threaded end, loosen the clamps, then what? Thanks in advance!

 

Are you using the ross steering or something else?

 

Patrick the reason I asked is because you have to start your ross allignment with the brllcrank at straight forward (90*) which puts the worm gear in the center (FSM) instructions. I don't know about the saginaw so that is why I was asking.

 

How would too much toe-in cause ONE tire to wear 3X faster than the other? Almost sounds like one of your tires is not bearing as much load as the other, like a tweaked frame or weak spring? Seems strange that one tire wears faster than the other. Should wear fast and evenly, just like mine (with too much toe).

Interesting fact, with too much toe you may be able to "see" the effect on your tire lugs. Excess toe-in will cause lugs wear with a very crisp and sharp edge on the inboard side of each lug. Toe-out will cause the opposite. When the lug plants itself on the pavement it is not side-loaded. As you drive forward with too much toe in the tire carcass moves outboard while the lug is stuck to the pavement. When the lug lifts off it scrapes outboard too. That causes the rubber "burr" on the inside of each lug. Very noticeable on my Swampers, probably less so on a less agressive lug.

 

I pick a tread block on the tire to hook the tape on. measure the front a little high and then the back as high up as you can get. just make sure you pick the same place on the trad to measure too. I did that and then had a shop check it and it was spot on. The frame and sidewall arnt reliable

 

If it's the Ross set up with two tie rods then it's possible for one tire to wear more than the other, especially if a tre was worn. Not common but can happen. With the two tie rods you don't want to jack it up as toe can change as the vehicle is jacked up. Needs to be set with the weight of the vehicle on the tires/wheels. All other rules mentioned apply.

 

It does have two tie rods, so sounds like ross set up. Just don't know how to do the actual adjustment, if you loosen the clamps, do you then turn the tie rod one way or the other to adjust toe-in or out? How do you loosen it up enough to turn it if that is what you do?
thanks!

 

If it's a stock setup, each tie road has one LH-threaded end and one RH-threaded end - you loosten the "U" shaped clamps on each end of the tie rod (that clamp the tube around the tie rod end and keep it from unthreading) and turn the tie rod, in turn running the tie rod ends in or out of the tube and shortening/lengthening the tie rod to adjust toe in.

 

Got it, that's what i was looking for! Been roaming around the forum and found some parts blow-ups of the tie rod assembly and now see it is threaded at both ends and made to turn once the clamps are removed. Will be measuring and adjusting tomorrow after work. thanks for all the help everyone!

 

PS, added a pic of my Jeep in my Avatar, and brief description in my signature. Looks better!

 

Sorry, one last question, is there a proper torque value for the clamp bolts on the tie-rods?
Thanks!

 

A good snug tightening is all you need. Enough to keep the rod from rotating.

 

Good! Now, take a swing at it yourself. Yes, the tie rod is just a tube with threads in each end, and the tie rod ends thread into it.

Good looking Jeep!

 

Very common with the two tie rod set-up to have one way over and wearing out a tire. Good trick to use when selling as you can mask a lot of death wobble by going with some toe-out. I like to tie a string to the draw bar on the back of the Jeep and run it around level on the back tire up to the front. Then you can see what the allignment of the rear end is to the front and also see what you have for toe by pulling the string tight on the front tire and comparing the two sides.

 

Got everything measured up and adjusted today. We'll see how it goes on that tire! Drives fine. Thanks everybody!

 

Everything is checking out just right. 1/8 inch toe-in now corrected from a full 1 inch prior to adjustment. It was all in the Front passenger side tire which was really wearing bad. Hopefully this will slow that down to the normal pace of wear and tear. Thanks again for the help guys!