Front Eng Tie Rods Adjustments

[sonex772]

I got the front suspension put on my GTM this last weekend and hooked up the tie rods.. I screwed them all the way onto the steering rack and found that the wheels would not center, so I figured out that I must have to shorten the threaded rod.. So my question is. how do you know how much they have to be shortened?? I turned the rack all the way to one side as far as it would go and I counted the number of turns it took to get to the other side, which was 5 turns, so I am guessing that if I turn it 2 1/2 turns back that should center the rack. Then shorten the threaded rod to get the wheels straight.. Is this the correct method on how to do this?? or is there another way to do it??

Thanks for the help

Mike

[RumRunner]

Mike,

I wish I could remember how much to cut down each side, but I can't. If I recall correctly, there's about an inch of adjustment in the tie-rod end itself, so i think I started by taking a half inch off each side, checking it, and continuing until it worked. Hopefully someone that remembers will chime in.

A bit more info here:
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/42-factory-five-gtm-forum/187432-steering-rods-have-cut.html

-Michael

[Roger Reid]

Before you do you might want to check out the adjustible rod end kit that FF5 sells for the GTM.

http://www.factoryfiveparts.com/chassis-suspension-3/

This can correct for bump steer. Any toe out during suspension travel will make the car handle twitchy. 0 toe out to minimal toe in.

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

Also, you might want to re-check your total turns so you can find true center of the rack. Put a piece of masking tape on the steering wheel at the top and count.....If memory serves, it's more like 4-2/3 turns or so. Once you get the rack centered, then you can start trimming down the threads. I've seen a couple different versions of inner and outer tie rod ends supplied with the kits, so there's no single answer as to how much you need to cut off. Where your cam bolts in the lower control arm are positioned will also drastically affect your apparent toe. For a good rule of thumb to get you close, I usually run the rear cam bolt outboard as far as it will go (to achieve max caster) and run the front cam bolts straight up (or down) to center them. Then eyeball across the rotors to guess the toe and cut the threads accordingly. The last thing you want to do is get the car on the alignment rack and get thru the whole alignment and the very last thing they will do is adjust the front toe.......and find out you can't get enough adjustment out of it.

[sonex772]

I don't yet have the steering wheel hooked up, I am right at the beginning of the build.. What I did was unhooked the tie rods and then took a wrench and turned the rack all the way to one side, then turned it back all the way to the other side and it was exactly 5 turns. Then I turned it back 2 1/2 turns which should be centered. I then hooked back up the tie rod ends and one rotor is turned out more to one side than the other because the threaded rod it longer on the passenger side than it is on the drivers side.. I attached pictures for you to see..
22200
22201

Once I start cutting off the threaded rod should the rotor be straight or should the rotors be towed in a bit for adjustability for tow in and tow out for the alignment shop??

Thanks for the tips
Mike

[LCD Gauges]

Mike, I had the same thing happen. My rack was biased toward the driver's side, so you may have trim more from that side. Install on a die to chase the
thread before cutting the rod, or use one of the nuts If you don't have access to a die.

I've set the alignment for as close to zero toe as possible; I don't think the shop will care either way?