Rear Toe Adjustment
 

Does anyone have any idea what the tool for adjusting the rear wheel alignment looks like. I assume it fits between the to raised grooves in the knuckle bracket.

The local place used something similar to a tuning fork but with shorter legs when they did mine. They fitted it to the holes in the trailing arm.

macafee2

Autodata show an illustration of a tool 64.021 which looks like an elliptical tube.


Sorry I couldn't find any further reference, other than an expired eBay advert in Germany.


Alf

I see you've been on the forum quite a while so I guess you know about the ---How-To----section.--:D

Lots of questions about wheel adjustment and the answer you seek might be in there.--;)

https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/98...r7q980g06g.jpg

I believe there are other 'unofficial' tools that are used. I've used a rubber mallet.

TC

T-Cut
How is the tool used?

macafee2

Looking at the photograph, I'd say the one of the bolts where the two raised grooved are located on the plate, is removed and replaced with a stud, the tool located over that, and then with the other bolts slackened, the plate can be moved in a controlled fashion with a t bar or similar turning the cam of the tool.

Slacken the adjuster plate bolts, lube the plate with a spray and tap the trailing arm near the front bush. I would only do this to 'tune' them following a tracking station session. Only gentle taps. I use the Gunson Trakrite for tuning.


TC

Rear Toe Adjustment
 

Thanks for the photo of the official tool. I asked because I have all the suspension off for a rebuild with new links and wondered if I could make a tool. Whenever I have had the alignment done in the past I think they use the 'hammer' method which I guess makes it difficult to get the adjustment spot on.

Get a Gunson Trakrite shear gauge and you'll get it better than the local depot. The primary issue with DIY tracking is to have the Thrust Angle in spec first. I can't see a reliable DIY method of doing that - I suppose sombody will tell us how? So it needs a professional setup before you do the final tweek. This 'tune' as I call it is the difference between the toes being within spec and hitting the sweet spot for your particular car.


TC

Sorry T-cut but is the tool for slackening the bolts?


According to the Gunson web site it is for the front wheels (steered wheels)https://www.gunson.co.uk/product/G4008

macafee2

Not for slackening the bolts. For adjustment only.

The Gunson item for tracking only.---:}

but how does the Rover tool work/get used?

macafee2

It detects tyre-to-road shear when rolling fowards, so the priciple applies to any wheels with adjustable toe. For most cars, this is the front ones, but the 75/ZT has toe adjustable front and rear wheels. Hope this clarifies.


TC

Good question. I've not seen nor used the 'official' tool, but I believe the raised lugs/loops on the baseplate are somehow engaged by the tool to allow the plate to be adjusted sideways. This causes the angle of the trailing arm to change and thus the rear wheel toe. A different tool I noted online several years ago had 'claws' to engage in the loops. It was basically a lever that allows you to pull the plate in/out.



TC

Rear Toe Adjustment
 

The bore of the tool scales the same as the washer face of the fixing bolts so with the bolt backed out 3/4mm the tool can be engaged.
The tool looks the same as that advertised in the U.S. for the Mini so may be worth checking with dealers here to see if the sizes are the same.

Use this calculator https://robrobinette.com/DIYAlignmentCalculator.htm with parallel strings and You wil have a very good 4 wheel alignment DIY tool.
I am using the calculator with a couple of wood strips to keep the strings parallel each other and a good digital caliper for measurements. The results are excellent: ALL of my cars drives straight and no abnormal wear on tyres (front and rear). A nightmare everytime I have been for a wheel alignment in a garage. Hope this helps