steering rack install

[SVXMAN2001]

When i installed my p.s. rack to ensure (what i thought would ensure) that the alignment would still be correct i strapped a bungy on the steering wheel to the brake pedal so that the steering wheel would stay dead center, however after i put everything together the aligment was wayyyyy off.... what did i miss? was i supposed to manually center the rack as well? How would i know if the p.s. rack is dead center?

[Beav]

Turn it to one side, count the turns to the other side and divide by two.

p.s. The alignment is more critical than just the wheel being centered. Toe is critical to .12".

[Suby Fan]

or 0.1 degrees your going to need to get that car profesionaly aligned

[SVXMAN2001]

ok i definately need a schooling in this! Are you saying turn the actual steering rack? And how do i adjust the toe (that's the angle of the wheel correct?)

[SomethingElse]

I did that b4 the wheels were like rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr when i was driving.

[Suby Fan]

how to adjust toe:

step one buy a $5,000 drive on lift

step two buy a $5,000 alienment rack (i recomend huter or John Bean)

step three read though the 100 page manuel untill you become familar with how to set cars up messure toe messure camber and messure caster...

or you could just take it to any shop with a rack and drop fifty dollars for a one time alienment

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by Suby Fan

how to adjust toe:

step one buy a $5,000 drive on lift

step two buy a $5,000 alienment rack (i recomend huter or John Bean)

step three read though the 100 page manuel untill you become familar with how to set cars up messure toe messure camber and messure caster...

or you could just take it to any shop with a rack and drop fifty dollars for a
one time alienment

Unfortunately my experience during motor racing after and paying the so called experts with fancy gear, has been bad. The problem is that the equipment is often not properly understood and can be out of order. The requirement to at least zero the gear to a known vertical is never undertaken. I will bet a dime to a dollar that your local shop has never checked their gear for parallel, against a plumb bob, or the level of the lift in use.

Toe in/out can be exactly established with no more than a flat level floor and a length of string. With the car on the level surface, tyres at equal pressure. Run the string under the car, around behind the front tyres, positioned at the wheel centers for best accuracy, then forwards as far as possible to be anchored on something, e.g. wheel stands, bricks. whatever. Careful observation and measurement with the string in contact with the front and rear surfaces of the tyres must provide an accurate indication.

If space is limited the same arrangement can be used by running the string to the rear, provided the process is understood.

The demonstrated and thus amplified dimensions are surely obvious. The only contingency can be tyres out of true and this can be eliminated if suspected, by taking measurements at more than one point in wheel rotation. Consider the possible error against that which could apply if you pay others. Machine never checked and inaccurate. Rim edge not inspected properly and out of line, casual operator attitude and even negligence. Money does not always purchase care and attention to detail.