[96bliss]

If I adjust the DS by turning the adjusting sleeve on the tie rod in one direction (CW), then do I turn the adjusting sleeve on the PS tie rod in the opposite direction (CCW) or in the same direction (CW)?

 

[Fix Until Broke]

Same direction.

 

[95wagon]

IF the total toe is known to be OK,
You turn the sleeves the same direction looking at the car.
As in both down at front , or both down at rear.

The way to think of this, is turn the wheels to go where the steering wheel is pointed.

If ,say, the steering wheel is pointed to the right when driving, then you need to toe in the left and toe out the right
Then the car will go right like the steering wheel and you will turn back to center to make the car go striaght.
Small adjustments make big differences.
1/4 turn is a lot, 1/2, a ton.

Figure the direction you need to go in and turn the sleeves in that direction before loosening to take up rotational slop in tierods before starting.
Mark sleeve and tie rod intersection so you are turning both sides identical amounts.
This all works fine is , as I said before, only if the total toe was right before.

If the wheel is off, then either something has altered the toe, or a crap WA was done and your toe is questionable even if you have a glossy printout from the guy who couldn't do the job right.

 

[96bliss]

Alignment on the car is good. Just trying to center the steering wheel so that it complies with my anal tendencies for straightness. Haha.

Couple of questions though:
1) Why is it important (per the service manual) that the 'break' in the clamp is not in line with the 'break' in the adjusting sleeve? Is it because of distorting the sleeve when the clamps are tightened down?
2) Why is it important (per the service manual once again) that the stud of the bolt on the clamps is facing forward (and not the bolt head)?

 

[95wagon]

Keeping the clamp opening away from the sleeve slot give the best all around squeeze on the sleeve.
They want the excess thread forward so there is no way can get caught up in the susp at weird susp+ steering positions.
You sometimes see cars with gouge marks in stationary parts that you look at and think " that would never touch that "

 

[Impala emperor]

IF the total toe is known to be OK,
You turn the sleeves the same direction looking at the car.
As in both down at front , or both down at rear.

The way to think of this, is turn the wheels to go where the steering wheel is pointed.

If ,say, the steering wheel is pointed to the right when driving, then you need to toe in the left and toe out the right
Then the car will go right like the steering wheel and you will turn back to center to make the car go striaght.
Small adjustments make big differences.
1/4 turn is a lot, 1/2, a ton.

Figure the direction you need to go in and turn the sleeves in that direction before loosening to take up rotational slop in tierods before starting.
Mark sleeve and tie rod intersection so you are turning both sides identical amounts.
This all works fine is , as I said before, only if the total toe was right before.

If the wheel is off, then either something has altered the toe, or a crap WA was done and your toe is questionable even if you have a glossy printout from the guy who couldn't do the job right.

Ok I need someone to help me understand this if I was just adjusting front passenger wheel . Let's say I wanted to adjust the wheel to toe in that's going toward driver side which way would I turn the sleeve . I'm saying this because it looks like the sleeve screws on both side of tire rod so it's kinda confusing . So if i twist sleeve which side of tie rod is it pushing or pulling

 

[1slow96]

Turn both left ,and right the same amount in the same direction. If condition worsens ,turn adjusters in opposite direction until satisfied,

 

[Impala emperor]

Turn both left ,and right the same amount in the same direction. If condition worsens ,turn adjusters in opposite direction until satisfied,

No I only need to adjust passenger front. I need to toe it in. I just don't know which direction to turn the sleeve because of how it looks

 

[Impala emperor]

Turn both left ,and right the same amount in the same direction. If condition worsens ,turn adjusters in opposite direction until satisfied,

It looks like if I turn the sleeve it will pull one end and push the other end if u know what I mean

 

[Impala emperor]

Ok on the 95 Impala the sleeve sits in the middle of the tie rod so if I twist cw is it pulling the side of the tie rod closest to the wheel in or is it pushing the tie rod side closest to the middle of the car out or is one of these sides reverse threaded . So looking from the front am I twisting right or cw to toe in or am I twisting left ccw to toe in ? Front passenger side wheel needs to be toed in

 

[95wagon]

ASSuming you know for sure you need to just adjust the right side wheel,

The inner tie rods ( from what I gleen from a search because my car is not in front of me ) are LH thread and the outers are RH thread.

So looking at the sleeve from the front of the car , if you turned the sleeve "up" at the front face (down at the crossmember side) that would toe the RF wheel in more.

 

[Fred Kiehl]

Are you experiencing any adverse tire wear? Toe will show up as a change in both sides, no matter which side you adjust. The steering wheel will move if you adjust one side. If you are not having adverse tire wear, you need to adjust both sides equal amounts in opposite directions. A 1/4 turn of the turnbuckle on both sides will cause about 1/4-1/2 inch change at the top of the steering wheel.

I put a tire chalk mark (yellow) on both the turnbuckle and the rod end, so I can put it back to where I started if I get lost. If you put some WD40 on the threads, you can often tell which way they are threaded. With the tire chalk on the threads, you can tell if you are shortening or lengthening them, because there will be a gap when you lengthen them, and none when you shorten them.

 

[Impala emperor]

Thank you guys I'll make sure to do it all I said the passenger because the driver is dead on straight. the steering wheel is as well now the passenger is cocked right and when I drive it pulls right and I have to pull the steering wheel left to drive straight if I pull that wheel straight because it's causing me to pull right and me to adjust by turning left it makes sense I've lined up my own cars before . And no it's not any in even wear cause the tires are new and the car hasn't been driven really at all .

 

[Fred Kiehl]

Thank you guys I'll make sure to do it all I said the passenger because the driver is dead on straight. the steering wheel is as well now the passenger is cocked right and when I drive it pulls right and I have to pull the steering wheel left to drive straight if I pull that wheel straight because it's causing me to pull right and me to adjust by turning left it makes sense I've lined up my own cars before . And no it's not any in even wear cause the tires are new and the car hasn't been driven really at all .

Toe is not your problem. You have either a camber of caster issue. You should check your shims to see if any have fallen out. The nuts are known to loosen, and allow the shims to disappear. You may also have one or more failed bushing(s).

 

[95wagon]

Or you have a cord pull.
Adjusting the alignment or toe based on how the car drives while not really knowing what is going on is less than smart.
There are subtle differences between tire pull , alignment pull , and just a off center steering wheel.
Tire cord pull, you typicaly are holding the wheel the other way to go straight and if you let the steering wheel go it goes back to center, then 3,2,1 the car starts drifting off.
Alignment pull you are often holding it striaght and the car doesnt seem to wait when you let got of the wheel.
As said r+l toe will balance but with the steering wheel offset and toe allong no matter how unballanced will not make the car pull.
As odd as it sounds many people do not grasp the difference between a crooked steering wheel and a pull.
Based on your questions , may I suggest you take the car to an alignment shop?

 

[1slow96]

If alignment was not off before ,it certainly is now. These adjustments really need to be done on the alignment rack by the tech. Hopefully they're familiar with older iron like this. Included some specs to shoot for.

 

[Fred Kiehl]

One other thing you can do is to swap the front tires side to side. Sometimes a tire will pull the car to one side or the other depending on where it is on the front. Usually new tires will not pull the car to one side, but it is not unheard of. If you swap the tires, and it still pulls to the same side, there is probably a problem with your alignment.

 

[95wagon]

Ice cream anyone

So, What Is “Tire Conicity”?

Problem tires can usually be hidden on the rear.
FUN thing about that is, while you are doing a normal service on a customers car you rotate the tires because it seened like the nice thing to do.
Angry customer comes back saying " you changed my oil now my car pulls and the steering wheel is off!!!"
I SO do not miss the retail automotive world

 

[Impala emperor]

Lol yeah I got it real close it was the toe in on the front passenger tire . Also I have 24” inch rims with rotational tires so I can only swap front to back or vise Versa but it’s much better now thank you guys for helping me I really appreciate it. B body and f body love u guys are the best on here !!!