[Roadsters] Alignment Question

[Gary and Cindy Ault]

Peter,

One of the other List members (Graeme?) asked if you had removed the 
steering (Pittman) arm or idler arm.  Did you?  If so, did you re-fit it 
(them) properly?  I can't speak to the idler shaft, but the steering shaft 
is splined.  It is only possible to put the steering arm back on properly in 
one of four positions, 90 degrees apart, because four of the splines are 
wider than the others, and the arm will not fit over the shaft correctly 
unless one of the wider grooves in the arm aligns with one of the wider 
splines.  You can, however, get the nut onto the threads, so it might appear 
that it is correctly assembled.

Are you sure you did not have the 25-degree condition before you dismantled 
the suspension?  Last summer, I replaced the steering box in my '67-1/2 
(with as used one which has virtually no play).  When I got things back 
together, I noticed a clear toe-out condition, whereas the standard is 
toe-in.  Crawled under the car and measured the difference between the rear 
edges of the tires and the front edges of the tires.  Did the same on may 
'66, which was clearly set for the correct toe-in.  I completely dismantled 
steering again, trying to figure out what I had done wrong.  I was at my 
wits' end.  Then, conferring with one of our suppliers, and a member of a 
local race team led me to conclude that the toe-out had been there all 
along, and was, indeed, OK.  (The clincher was when the racing guy said 
"I'll bet the car turns in to corners real quick.")  It does.  So I left it 
alone.

Hope that helps.  If not, at least the price wasn't so dear.

Gary

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "peter harrison" <granvillecomputing at hotmail.com>
To: "datsun" <datsun-roadsters at autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 5:59 PM
Subject: [Roadsters] Alignment Question


>I completely disassembled/reassembled front suspension (replacing lower 
>ball
> joints in process)
> Everything is bolted up and now there is at least a 25 degree toe-out!!!
>
> I realise I can adjust the center rod between the tierods - but I am just
> wondering what could have possible caused such a HUGE discrepancy.
>
> Peter (Eliza)
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