Setting Front Toe

[RidingOnRailz]

Setting Front Toe:

If, for vehicle ABC, front toe is specified as -0.02°(slightly out) to +0.08°(in),
where would you set it?

[shorod]

The obvious answer is to choose the midpoint of the range, so +0.03 degrees.


-Rod

[Stealthee]

Everything I've always read says you want the slightest amount of toe in. When setting it manually using a tape measure it equates to about 1/8" toe in.

[maxwedge]

Correct, with rack and pinion, almost 0".

[RidingOnRailz]

Thanks for the answers. Most are in agreement with what I believe in: Aim for the middle of specified range - not 'zero°'!

I run into a lot of what I coin 'zero-heads' in forum discussions about wheel alignments. Most, including not a few ASE's, insist on setting toe to 0°, or as close as possible to straight ahead, even when such are not in the middle of specified tolerance. They argue with me on issues of suspension compliance, insisting that there's 'no such thing' in modern or new suspensions. No play, etc.

I explained to them: What if 0° is at one extreme of a specified range of toe, IE: 0° to +0.15°(in) and - the machine clearly graphically guides you where to put it? Why would you still aim for 0°, when +0.07° is more or less in the middle?

You'd think that the carmaker knew what they were doing when they built the thing, and specified angles and acceptable tolerances, so set things in the middle, and then tailor the angles(within specs) for specific handling requests, later on.