Question about alignment.

[RoninLB]

Toe Adjust Techniquest

[450knotOffice]

Thanks!

[RoninLB]

i'm no expert but if you can create equal width, front and rear, w/strings your figures will be correct.

[450knotOffice]

(This is a copy from another one of my threads dealing with the same issue. I've included this to give this thread some continuity)

Well, well. So, after bringing the car to the shop I use, Hergesheimer, here's the deal - the back end is indeed steering the front around. However, the reason isn't due to my alignment settings after all, it's actually being caused by my very worn and sagging trailing arm bushings.

The car was driven by Jim this morning and he confirmed that the car is squirrelly indeed. He said "Whoo yea, if you're not careful with that car the back end feels like it really wants to snap around!" Spooky for sure. Uh huh. I'm not dreaming then (he knows what old 911's are supposed to feel like. He drives a '77 Targa as his daily driver, and his is not spooky like mine).

He put it up on the machine, checked the settings and all was good. He took a good look at the trailing arm (sometimes called the banana arm) bushings and through-bolt alignment and found the bushes to be a little worn. When I came out there to see it, he put it back on the alignment rack and showed me the problem.

While we were under there he took a marker pen and outlined the spring plate's positions relative to the trailing arms and marked all of the adjustment bolts so I can at least get the alignment settings close to where they are now.

I'll have to wait for a month or two before I tackle this job because my wife needs a breather from me spending large sums of cash on this car - I just plunked down $4,000 for a bunch of other work that needed to be done so she's a little shell-shocked right now. Once I start on it, I'll go with the monoballs back there. Might as well do it right. I'll do the work myself and bring it back to them to have it re-aligned when I'm done.

Hey, now at least I know what the problem is (maybe).

[RoninLB]

use a press.

[DW SD]

I think you can get away on the (relative) cheap. Those monoballs are about $300 from Elephant. You might need to replace some hardware along the way. I did not need a press. I was able to use my bench mounted vice. In fact, when I put the new monoballs in, the interference fit was not tight enough so I used a bearing retainer product made by loctite.

While I had the trailing arms off, I check the emergency brake shoes and cleaned years of $hit from the arms. I didn't polish them, but did use 90 degree die grider with an Aluminum cleaning wheel (often used to clean sealing surfaces like water pumps, cylinder heads, etc) to clean them up. Mine now have a machine swirl marks as if you used 150 grit sand paper.

Good luck! Glad you found the problem.

Doug

Doug

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by DW SD

I I did not need a press.

I thought removal of the old was a few slaps of a baby sledge and maybe some torch. It eventually came out that way but it was more work than i figured.

[450knotOffice]

Thanks guys. Yea, I'm looking forward to having a car with a back end that doesn't shift around like this one does.

I'll tackle this in a month or so.

[84porsche]

Originally posted by 450knotOffice
Thanks guys. Yea, I'm looking forward to having a car with a back end that doesn't shift around like this one does.

I'll tackle this in a month or so.

Come on it is fun having the back end sliding all over the place but my excuse is tires but that should be remedied real soon.

[450knotOffice]

Ha Ha, Chris! Your car is the same year as mine. Are you sure your trailing arm bushings aren't worn like mine?

I can't wait to see your wheels on the car, Chris.

[Tyson Schmidt]

I just quickly read through this thread.

Just want to point out that + toe is "toe-in" not "toe-out", so your alignment settings are fine.

[450knotOffice]

Yea. I slowly figured that out. I'm learning.