Rear Toe

[SRXSRULE]

Had my car on the alignment rack today and noticed the rear toe was off. I normally just do the alignment at home with turn plates and digital camber/caster gauge so I have never checked rear toe befor. My axles slide in and out with out trouble so I have just never had a reason to check it.

Anyway, both rear rear wheel are toed out a 1/4". The wheels and tires were brand new and the alignment machine adjusts for run out in the wheels when you comp the heads. Just to be sure we rotated the wheels 180* and also double checked it with a tape measure. 1/4" toe out all three times.

Is there any reason a chassis builder would build toe-out into the rear housing? I would think all this is doing is scrubbing speed off. Any thoughts? Eric

[stockcar5]

either the housing was that way from new or it tweaked when the builder welded the mounts on and didnt recheck the straightness. i would have it straightened and call it good.

[racerkrp1]

I agree, Straighten it..

[Graff Spee]

A torch, a garden hose and about an hour,thats all you need. When you just go to town welding the axle brackets on, the housing tubes will warp. An easy fix! Take rear end housing out of car, with tires still on it put each tire on a milk crate. Use a tape measure across the tires. Spin the center section to find out how the tube is bent. Apply heat and cool with water. You will figure it out. I have done this many times with rear housings that were over an inch and a half toe out and brought them back to within an eigth of an inch with little trouble. If you run a bead of weld, it will draw that section together also. Good luck! You will be fine!!!

[SRXSRULE]

Going to try the heat/water method this week. Going to put the car back on the alignment rack and use the live toe readings to try and dial it in.

Let ya know how it turns out. Eric

[Dirtrunner35]

Have you ever used the rack to see if your thrust angle is off in the rear?

[SRXSRULE]

I sure have. Works great. Eric

[Dirtrunner35]

I sure have. Works great. Eric

So have I for ten years, they are nice.

[buterbaughb1]

Using a dummy 3rd member jig, solid rod and our own fixture is how we straighten our rears. Done hundreds of them through the street rod business, straightened mine plenty of times. The older/reused center sections tend to squirm and bend more when grinding or welding on them, obviously.