Toe In, Toe Out or Straight Ahead
10-31-06, 02:44 AM
#26
Ray, sorry i missed your question on the other page. Kentetsu caught part of the answer. On asphalt pavement, the road tends to develope grooves, (ruts), usually from the weight of semi-trucks. These grooves tend to be a little wider than our tires tread width. When the front tire rides in these grooves, the inner or outer edge of the tire will ride on up one side of the groove or the other. When this happens, the weight distribution of the tires foot print is unequal. The tire tends to pull, (turn), itself towards the uphill side of the rut.
If there is much play in the steering system, by the time one tries to correct the pull, the tire has run up the side of the rut far enough, that it wants to go back down the 'hill' it just rode up. The deeper the rut, the worse the effect. I have been on some interstate asphalt roads that were so bad that I pulled off to see if I had a low or flat tire.
Tire pressure, wear, alignment and steering loosness all contibute to the dynamics of the effect. Some roads I've been on have been grooved badly enough that in a brand new car, my driving looks like a snowboarder zigzagging from side to side going downhill in a half pike.
On the trip to the rotary meet in the rain, I discovered, much to my chargin, that the wider tires on the front of the widebody seems to ascerbate the problem. Simply put, the front end of the car was darting all over the place and there was little I could do about it, other than staying out of the ruts completely.
If there is much play in the steering system, by the time one tries to correct the pull, the tire has run up the side of the rut far enough, that it wants to go back down the 'hill' it just rode up. The deeper the rut, the worse the effect. I have been on some interstate asphalt roads that were so bad that I pulled off to see if I had a low or flat tire.
Tire pressure, wear, alignment and steering loosness all contibute to the dynamics of the effect. Some roads I've been on have been grooved badly enough that in a brand new car, my driving looks like a snowboarder zigzagging from side to side going downhill in a half pike.
On the trip to the rotary meet in the rain, I discovered, much to my chargin, that the wider tires on the front of the widebody seems to ascerbate the problem. Simply put, the front end of the car was darting all over the place and there was little I could do about it, other than staying out of the ruts completely.
10-31-06, 07:15 AM
#27
Well I've learned something today, looks like it's going to be a good one. The problem I'm having with my GSL, which is really so slight that it might not be even worth chasing, is kind of the opposite. It's like the car is riding on a pair of small ridges and wants to slip off all the time. Also the steering wheel is a few degrees off center, turned a bit to the right when you are going straight.
I just replaced the outer tie rod ends and the tires are brand new and balanced. The full alignment was recently checked by a shop, they say everything is fine. But obviously the steering wheel could be better (they didn't seem too bothered by this, but I am) and I know it can ride straighter.
I had more stability on the highway with my last set of tires and I'd like to get back to that straight ahead, no drifting feeling. You know, like when you can go a mile down the highway without touching the steering wheel.
So I'm thinking I need a bit more toe in to help the car steer itself straight, if I get a chance I'll do it after work today. But this daylight savings time isn't helping. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.
Ray
I just replaced the outer tie rod ends and the tires are brand new and balanced. The full alignment was recently checked by a shop, they say everything is fine. But obviously the steering wheel could be better (they didn't seem too bothered by this, but I am) and I know it can ride straighter.
I had more stability on the highway with my last set of tires and I'd like to get back to that straight ahead, no drifting feeling. You know, like when you can go a mile down the highway without touching the steering wheel.
So I'm thinking I need a bit more toe in to help the car steer itself straight, if I get a chance I'll do it after work today. But this daylight savings time isn't helping. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.
Ray
10-31-06, 04:03 PM
#29
Georgia is a red state, we've got lot's of buddies in Washington, at least so far. Interstate 85 from Jefferson GA into Atlanta, my daily commute, is like driving on a basketball court.
I think when I set the alignment after replacing the tie rod ends a couple weeks ago I was a little too skimpy on the toe-in, thinking that light toe-in might add to steering responsiveness, like some of the toe-out people in this post are saying.
So, I've gotta go crawl under the car again and grovel in the gravel, just a little more fussing with the alignment strings and I think I'll get it.
But the car sure rides nice with those new Yokohama Avids, I'm having a hard time keeping it under 90, it's just as smooth as can be (gonna get a ticket, I know).
Ray
I think when I set the alignment after replacing the tie rod ends a couple weeks ago I was a little too skimpy on the toe-in, thinking that light toe-in might add to steering responsiveness, like some of the toe-out people in this post are saying.
So, I've gotta go crawl under the car again and grovel in the gravel, just a little more fussing with the alignment strings and I think I'll get it.
But the car sure rides nice with those new Yokohama Avids, I'm having a hard time keeping it under 90, it's just as smooth as can be (gonna get a ticket, I know).
Ray
10-31-06, 06:07 PM
#30
Don't blame the new tires for the 90 mph. I know you had the same problem with the old tires.
If you decide to pull the steering wheel to straighten it out, I have a puller you can use. I've gotten good at removing the steering wheel to fix the combination switches. This might requirer a trip to Jeffery's (you have to live in NE Atlanta to understand the last comment).
If you decide to pull the steering wheel to straighten it out, I have a puller you can use. I've gotten good at removing the steering wheel to fix the combination switches. This might requirer a trip to Jeffery's (you have to live in NE Atlanta to understand the last comment).
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