Dave,
the problem you mention occurs if you have independent rear suspension
with adjustable toe in the rear. If you have the correct toe in on your
Sprite, but the tie rod ends are not adjusted quite the same, the only
symptom should be that your steering wheel is not straight.
Ulix
On Tue, 15 Jun 1999, Dave Vrba wrote:
> Frank,
>
> This sounds pretty easy. But don't you first have to determine if you
> have a parallel set of wheels based on centerline of the car? Then do
> your measurements.
>
> By the way, are the only adjustments the ball joints position on the
> steering rack? The reason I ask is because I had to replace both ball
> joints earlier and now I wonder if I have anywhere close to a square
> aligned front end. She does want to veer to the right. I could have
> one wheel heading dead straight and another veering of to the right,
> correct? Wouldn't this have to be identified and corrected from
> centerline measurements?
>
> Now I'm all confused. Please help.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
> '62 Sprite MKII
> Dublin, CA
>
>
> Subject: Re: Car feels light at highway speeds
> Author: Frank Clarici <spritenut@Exit109.com> at SONYCOM
> Date: 6/14/99 10:40 PM
>
>
> Mark Endicott wrote:
> >
> > Hi Spridgeteers,
> >
> > I had the opportunity to take a little trip with some other LBC's this
> > weekend and they got a little ahead of me. In my attempt to catch up I
> > was driving the Midget at about 75+ a little. I noticed that it seems
> > to get real light at speeds over 70. By light I mean that it felt like
> > it had a mind of its own and didn't want to go straight down the road.
> > I haven't noticed this before, but I had a weekends worth of stuff in
> > the boot and my wife in the right seat. I must have had about 450 lbs
> > in the car, (of course my wife added very little of the total). It was
> > suggested that the toe may need to be set, can I just do this with a
> > ruler at the front and rear of the wheel? Any idea what spec. is for
> > measuring it this way? (Do I remember 1/4 inch wider in the back than
> > the front?) Shocks are good, upper bushings are new, wheels and tires
> > are new, 3/4 anti-sway bar, new wheel bearings and no play in the king
> > pin joints or any where else that I can find.
> >
> Mark
>
> You should fell them at 100 MPH!!! They feel airborn.
> You can check and adjust your toe-in with a tape measure at home on flat
> ground.
> Drive the car onto a flat surface, do NOT jack it up. Measure as close
> to the center of the wheel as possible and to the outermost tire tread
> from wheel to wheel.
> Remember this number, no repeat this across the beack of the front
> wheels, the number should be 1/8" less in the front then in the back.
> 1/16 to 1/8" toe in is correct.
> You should measure something like 50 7/8" in across the front and 50
> 3/4" across the back.
>
> Mind you this is not super accurate laser front end alignment but it is
> a reasonably close home alternative.
>
> It has worked for me for years, I never had a spridget to a front end
> shop and never had any tire wear due to out of whack toe.
> --
> Frank Clarici
> Toms River, NJ
> Bugeye Sprite
> 67 Sprite
> 59 A40
> http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut/
>
Ulix __/__,__ ___/__|__
..............................................(_o____o_)....<_O_____O_/...
http://students.washington.edu/~ulix/ '67 Sprite '74 X1/9
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