DIY Adjusting the tracking,
 

Hi all,

The tracking on my Z28 is out and I wondered if there was a DIY way to do it.

At the moment I have to hold the steering wheel slightly off centre to go in a straight line.

I have rhino ramp equivalents for going underneath the car safely.

Is there a a way I can adjust the tracking myself?

Thanks

Alex

No, you need a alignment machine. At bare minimum you need free floating turn table to allow the suspension to be free floating while you adjust. If you had that you could get pretty close with string and a tape measure it with Camber and toe. The thread to explain how to use the string and tape measure RIGHT would start to look like a book.

Step one on any alignment is checking for play. As a general rule cars do not just go out of alignment they get knocked out. In those cases its replace part(s) then align.

Since you car has not rear adjustment do not let the shop nail you for a 4 wheel alignment. Its a rip off. They may try to tell you the 4 wheel alignment is better. BS. Get their two wheel alignment price.

are we talking about the steering wheel being out of center or is the car running sideways down the road. ummm well sideways under normal driving conditions,,, umm ok the rear wheels are not following the front if you drive straight. lol. you get the idea, right.

If I hold the steering wheel perfectly straight then the car will drive as if I turned to the right, so to go in a straight line i hold the steering wheel slightly to the left

sounds like its toed out to much or something is worn out or bent. measure from the front of one front tire to the other, make sure to get the measure points up as far as you can and take note of where you measure from on the tread. then measure front the back of the front tire in the same locations, both tread and hight. measurements should be very close to the same. if not check your tie rod ends for play, car not running, have someone bounce the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the tierod ends. if theres play you will see it. if there is play replace tie rod ends. mark the location of the tierod end threads on the tie rod, most times the dirt will mark so long as it stays. also count the number of turns it takes to get them off and see how close they end to where the old one was when installing new ones. i just take them up to where the old one was and set toe in with a tape measure like i explained. when i had the front alignment done i was within 1/32 in of spot on and within specs. while adjusting make sure to adjust both sides the same number of turns unless the wheel is not centered. then you turn one side and see if it gets better or worse. if better continue adjusting from that side untill its centered. remember the angle of the road will cause the wheel to pull to the low side.