In article >,
The Malt Hound <Malt_Hound@*no spam please*yahoo.com> wrote:
> Stepping in here, I would say; it depends. The only real alignment
> "adjustment" on your car is the front toe-in. They can usually get
> that right OK. In fact I usually do this myself (after suspension or
> steering work) and can get it "close enough" with fishing line and a
> ruler.

Not my experience at all - if you want the steering wheel to be 'straight'
afterwards. I recently replaced the rack on my 'other' car. With the old
one on the bench, I accurately marked the distance between the track rod
end faces - ie the part the locking nut bears on. Then transferred the
ends to the new rack - since they were fairly recent - making sure the
trackrods themselves were equal. On fitting the rack, use the centre
finder to centralise the steering wheel. Then checked the distances
between the front and back of the road wheels - as best I could, given
there's an engine in the way. ;-)

A four wheel alignment showed it about 3mm out. And even after this was
corrected - using the centre finder - the steering wheel wasn't quite
straight.

I adjusted both sides equally until it was - and had it checked again for
toe-in. Finally, everything was fine.

--
*Modulation in all things *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.