Definitive Tracking/Toe Adjustment Procedure

[lewvw 10]

Right, for those of you that don't know this, the tracking/toe on the Corrado must only be adjusted on the RIGHT track rod end. The left must be measured from the base of where the track rod meets the rack when installed (ie not including thread) to the dead centre of the track rod end spindle.

 

VR6 must be 406mm +/-1mm

 

G60 with 185/60 and 195/60 tyres must be 379.5mm +/-1mm

 

G60 with 205/60 tyres must be 383mm +/-1mm

 

(This is from the Bentley manual so does not contain 16v :( although i'm certain someone will know whether the G60 measurements apply)

 

Once you have this measurement on the left side you must bring the right into the correct toe spec as normal.

 

This will keep your rack nice and central :)

 

I thought this should be said as I have adjusted mine a few times recently the usual way thinking 'oh it'll be fine theres plenty of thread/rack to go around' but there really isn't and now I have an awful left hand lock :( And it keeps taking me by suprise when I keep nearly crashing into stuff :lol:

 

Seriously though do it properly or at least make sure your garage know the procedure.

[24V Renshaw 0]

Good post, so many "expert" garages don't know this info.

 

Jay

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You should use nearside or offside because left and right differ depending on which end of the car you are referencing.

 

Weren't the factory fitted tie rods 'fixed' (no thread adjustment) on one side to accomodate that requirement?

 

TBH I don't think it makes any odds when you've fitted a new tie rod (with thread adjustment) so long as it's all setup on a 4 wheel alignment jig afterwards. I've never followed that procedure and the car tracks and steers perfectly.

[RW1 0]

All track rods both left and right hand (as reference as part numbers) are the adjusterable type for all models throughout the production years, but the left hand track rod is set to a prescribed length at the factory for the fit of tyre width. As above 4 wheel track should be OK but when I had it done with the left changed, I got tyre wear. Soon after it was put back to factory setting and tyre wear stopped.

 

The 205 mm tyre width for 16v/G60 was an optional extra fit at the factory. So unless originally factory supplied, the 185/195 dimension will apply to the original fitted left hand track rod.

 

16v figures are as above. 8v is based on 195mm tyre width, so 379.5mm +/-1mm.

 

Correct to bulletin in November 1992.

 

.

Edited May 25, 2012 by RW1

[Jim Bowen 1]

Do I need to remove the rubber boots and new clips I spent ages doing to measure this? Lol.

 

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[davidwort 0]

it's quite handy to have more right hand lock for mini-roundabouts :)

I've never set the track rods to the correct measurement and never noticed any issue (195 50 15 tyres on 4 cyl), certainly not tyre wear, I guess it may be more important on 205 tyres though where wheel clearance could be more of an issue.

Might as well set it up to spec if you get the chance though.

 

can someone explain why the wider tyres on the G60 would need a larger measurement? the rack, track rods and hubs are the same, wheel offset isn't going to change how far away the ball joints are from the rack :scratch:

Edited May 25, 2012 by davidwort

[RW1 0]

Do I need to remove the rubber boots and new clips I spent ages doing to measure this? Lol.

 

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Unfortunately ---- yes. The inner measurement datum is inside the rubber boot.

 

VR6's are more prone to tyre wear, as the torque/power amplifies the effect of any error.

 

If the track rod hasn't been disturbed, then why measure.

 

.

[VW_OwneR_85 2]

lol can some one measure there right side on there vr6 and post up the measurements, it might put my wheel straight....

[lewvw 10]

You should use nearside or offside because left and right differ depending on which end of the car you are referencing.

 

Weren't the factory fitted tie rods 'fixed' (no thread adjustment) on one side to accomodate that requirement?

 

TBH I don't think it makes any odds when you've fitted a new tie rod (with thread adjustment) so long as it's all setup on a 4 wheel alignment jig afterwards. I've never followed that procedure and the car tracks and steers perfectly.

 

Yeah mine did too, until I messed with it one too many times. Now it drives perfectly until I need full left hand lock.

 

Left is always left on a vehicle regardless of which end you are at. It's always from a drivers perspective.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

OK so left is always considered nearside then, which ever way you're facing.

 

I'll give this a go next time I get an alignment done. Can't hurt to have it done as per spec. So I assume putting the nearside tie rod to that measurement should set it to zero toe?, or it will come to zero as total toe when the offside one is suitably adjusted?

[corrado wannabe 12]

Offside and nearside are relative to the pavement/kerb apparently. Its the only piece of "old school" motoring terms I have remembered from the mountains of info my old man heaps on me!

[davidwort 0]

OK so left is always considered nearside then, which ever way you're facing.

but not on a lhd car, or should that be not on a car in a lhd country :)

 

I'll give this a go next time I get an alignment done. Can't hurt to have it done as per spec. So I assume putting the nearside tie rod to that measurement should set it to zero toe?, or it will come to zero as total toe when the offside one is suitably adjusted?

you can't set toe without the other wheel :)

it's just about rack position as far as I can see, it doesn't matter how long the track rod is set to as long as the wheels end up parallel, I still don't understand what rw1 says, I can't see how tyre wear could happen if the rod isn't set to spec if the toe is still zero. I can only see that tyre fouling might happen on full lock.

[lewvw 10]

OK so left is always considered nearside then, which ever way you're facing.

 

I'll give this a go next time I get an alignment done. Can't hurt to have it done as per spec. So I assume putting the nearside tie rod to that measurement should set it to zero toe?, or it will come to zero as total toe when the offside one is suitably adjusted?

 

Yeah I guess that once the nearside is correct that should be zero toe with the rack central so then the offside is just adjusted into zero also and away you go :)

 

I'm doing it tomorrow so i'll let you know if it's as simple as it sounds!

[STU175 0]

i need to set mine up roughtly to drive to get full wheel allignment done.

 

i have 195 45 16 so how does that adjust the measurement?

 

why dont they supplie measurement for other side even a rough measurement would be handy

[lewvw 10]

i need to set mine up roughtly to drive to get full wheel allignment done.

 

i have 195 45 16 so how does that adjust the measurement?

 

why dont they supplie measurement for other side even a rough measurement would be handy

 

Tyre size shouldn't be relevant really (if it is I can't understand why), just apply the correct measurement for the G60.

[fla 9]

i would like to get my car done from basics. Is there any way to centralise the rack it self and then adjust the tierods accordingly?

[Jim Bowen 1]

Don't know where to start doing mine, have removed everything from the steering wheel to the road wheels, so have nothing at the moment lol.

 

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[Jim Bowen 1]

Could you count the turns from lock to lock, then go from full lock to half the number of turns.

 

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[davidwort 0]

Looking at the rack end when I did a track rod a few weeks ago I'd say just measure from the end of the actual toothed rack to the surrounding rack body on both sides, I don't see any reason why one end would stick out further than the other when central.

[DriverVR6 11]

lewvw is both right, and wrong. He is correct in using this method when the car is all to spec and brand new. However, as it ages and parts of the suspension get worn, then the better method is to measure the racks exposed arms on both sides to centralise the rack like davidwort says. If you then screw on the left track rod end by say 5 turns, then do the same to the right one, and the rack then always stays central.

VW used to have a similar method on the 8v Golf GTi's were on one side the track rod end was fixed and could not be adjusted. However, when the track rod end wore out you had to replace it with an adjustable track rod end, and the fixed method of tracking no longer applied. And you could never get the steering wheel to sit straight unless you went for adjustable track rod ends on both sides as the steering wheel rod was hexagonal and not finely splined.

The reason manufaturers used a fixed method for one side is simply due to costs and the time it takes on a production line to get the tracking set.

The problem of the rack becoming uncentral is because some garages keep adjusting the tracking from the same side, which is normally unseized as it has been undone before, then it gets done again and again everytime the tracking is done. Then one day you run out of adjustment and the rack is no longer central.

Edited May 30, 2012 by DriverVR6

[Jim Bowen 1]

Deffo going to take my rubber boots off again then. Bummer, but I want the car as correct as possible.

 

I have spare track rods and was trying to think up a way of using them to work out lengths without exposing the ones I just fitted.

 

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[STU175 0]

Deffo going to take my rubber boots off again then. Bummer, but I want the car as correct as possible.

 

I have spare track rods and was trying to think up a way of using them to work out lengths without exposing the ones I just fitted.

 

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im same situation as you mate taken everything off to refurb rack replaced steering rack etc.

its a shame the measurement doesnt go from trackrod end to that hexagonal part half way you can put your spanner on.

wish id researched before putting boot and clips back on too!

[Jim Bowen 1]

Think I managed to get my rack central now, by measuring the spare rack and rods. Rack poked out 41mm each end of the rack body.

 

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