To Anybody with a recent Festy Alignment

[Levitan]

Wondering if you would do a favor for the site and help with some alignment specs, backyard style, for people on a limited budget, like me, or just trying to sell a Festy. I will do my best to try and cyber-explain what I'm asking. Not anything scientific or precise, just ballpark figures.

Pull your Festy onto a flat surface with tires straight. Using a solid straight edge that is longer than the circumference of a 12" tire, the straight edge will need 3 reference marks, one centered and other 2 front and rear of tire at a known distance, ie 24"(just guessing, you determine for all to reference from). I suppose we can say front of tire mark is (a), center mark is (b), and rear mark is (c). Center straight edge(b) on axle nut, and where (a) and (c) are, place some tape on the ground side-to-side. Plum a line down onto tape at (a) and (c) and mark those points on tape. Repeat on passenger side on passenger side.

(a) _ ..... _ (a) = tape

(b) [] ... [] (b) = tires

(c) _ ..... _ (c) = tape

What is the distance from (a) on driver's side to (a) on passenger side?
What is the distance from (c) on driver's side to (c) on passenger side?

I've heard toed in 1/8". Problem is, that is all relevant to how far out (a) and (c) are from (b)when measuring (a) to (a) and (c) to (c).

I just figured if we had some known distances and measurements, it would, at least, get the toe close.

Hope this all made sense and thanks in advance.

Dan "Levitan"

[Chobobulous]

When i did it myself this is how i did it.

I got jack stands and a piece of string that was longer than the length of the car. Tie the string to the jack stands and set them up past the front tire and behind the rear tire. If you have factory wheels take off the center caps because the middle messes up the measurement. from the center of the wheel to the string. I used 40mm and it worked out pretty good. switch to the other wheel and measure 40mm again on the front wheel. go back and confirm that it is still 40mm to the string.

After the string is set up (assuming the wheel is straight) measure along the string to the front of the rim. then measure from the rear of the string to the rim, Average your two numbers and that should be 0 toe in. be careful because as you spin the outer tie rod the steering wheel will move.

Same thing other side

When i later went to put it on an alignment machine The guy running it said it was the best he had seen for a DIY alignment, it took like 45 minutes, the hardest part was getting the string just right.

I do not have a camera so i cannot take pictures for you.
Just let me know if what i said does not make sence and i will try to explain it for you.

[Movin]

?? Just spin the tire with car jacked up. Make a ring of rattle can paint in
the middle of the tread. Scribe the paint with a nail or whatever
Use a tape measure as high up behind the tires as possible but not
bending the tape on the bottom of the car. measure rear say 60 1/8
Measure front at the same height as the rear and lets say its 60 even
you have an 1/8 total toe. That is as accurate as any we do with pro
equipment for total toe..nothing else. After spinning painting and scribing
drop the car and roll it back a foot or so, then push it forward again
before taping it, that will settle the suspension. Its easy, quick, requires
no special tools and will give accurate total toe.
Yes, there are lots of other things pro's look at and recognize from
experience but I don't think the OP asked about that.

[Movin]

Chobo, I was not responding to you, you are saying the same thing
and it will be just as accurate for total toe as well, as long as you
spin the wheel to make sure it is not bent..excellent suggestion as well

[Chobobulous]

Chobo, I was not responding to you, you are saying the same thing
and it will be just as accurate for total toe as well, as long as you
spin the wheel to make sure it is not bent..excellent suggestion as well

I am pretty sure my wheels are bent and i have lifetime alignments anyways, after doing my inner and outer tie rods my wheels looked like this

/\

so i had to do something quick and i didnt know when i was going to be able to get there so i just tried to do a decent job

[georgeb]

My way is easier than the above and it's passed the anal MD state insp. Get your 16 yr.-old daughter to drive it forward a few feet onto a flat surface holding the wheel straight and not braking. Get a piece of whacker line about 10 feet long and tie a bungie hook to one end. Hook it in the back wheel and pull it forward just touching the front tire. It should touch in back but not the front. It should be about an eighth-inch away in front. All the tie rod stuff is right hand thread. The driving forward part must be repeated after every adjustment to eliminate tire friction. Drive car. Wheel should be pointing straight while driving straight.

[Movin]

^^^ again, great idea, but spin all four tires first to make sure there
are no bends or in your case side wall bulges..american ingenuity!!

[Chobobulous]

My way is easier than the above and it's passed the anal MD state insp. Get your 16 yr.-old daughter to drive it forward a few feet onto a flat surface holding the wheel straight and not braking. Get a piece of whacker line about 10 feet long and tie a bungie hook to one end. Hook it in the back wheel and pull it forward just touching the front tire. It should touch in back but not the front. It should be about an eighth-inch away in front. All the tie rod stuff is right hand thread. The driving forward part must be repeated after every adjustment to eliminate tire friction. Drive car. Wheel should be pointing straight while driving straight.

I thought it was an 1/8th inch total so half 1/8th on each side

[georgeb]

I thought it was an 1/8th inch total so half 1/8th on each side

It's 1/16th at the rim so I use 1/8th at the tire because the string won't touch the rim. Mine is currently at 0 because the outsides of the tires were wearing from a previous camber issue and I want the wear to equalize.

[twopass]

88-93 festiva Wheel Alignment Specifications
lug torque 65-87 ft. lbs
front castor 1.58+0.25-1.25
front camber 0.67+-0.92
front toe in inches 0.18"+-0.15"
SAI 14-3/16 (14.2)
rear camber -0.25+-0.75
rear toe 5/32"+-5/32"

[twopass]

good links here

http://www.familycar.com/Alignment.htm

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/97217-toe-adjust-techniquest.html?perpage=20

http://www.elantragtclub.com/id554.html

[91blufestiva]

Sorry I don't have anything useful to add to the thread, but, Hey Dan!!!

[Movin]

The 1/16 per side or 1/8 total has to be figured at the
tread, not the wheel, but really, its close enough.


The OP is looking for non pro easy set ups that can
be done at home, and some great ways of achieving
that have been given. The complete package that some
of us went to college for and spent years learning
what to watch for in the real world is not what
is asked for and should still be brought to a pro and paid for!

[Levitan]

Did the string method and worked great! Sc72 helped me do it that way one time and i had forgotten. Imagine that...lol! Thanks for the help.

And hi backatchya Josh. Gonna try to get back on here more often. The last year has been very busy. Best year as a heavy equipment operator by far!