Just got back from the alignment shop. Guy there told me my ball joints needed replacing which doesn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the fact he said when he was trying to adjust the toe in when he turned the track rod link the wheels would not move? I had replaced all the steering linkage a few months ago and had set the toe in the best I could. Is it possible to have gotten the ends swapped to the incorrect side? Everything screwed on easily when I installed the new parts.

 

The correct rods are left hand thread at one end and right hand at the other. There are some less expensive rods about that are right hand thread at both ends and simply rotating them has no effect. It's necessary to remove the rod end and rotate that, which turns a nice, simple job into a real pain.

Note also that (I'm assuming you've not swapped to a rack) with the Adwest Marles Varamatic box, toe is adjusted at the outer tie rods, while with all the other steering boxes it's done with the inner (centre) rod. It's not impossible that your system has gained some non original parts over the years and/or your mechanic is twisting the wrong rod.

 

With Burman steering boxes toe is adjusted with the centre track rod. With Marles Bendix Varamatic steering the centre rod is fixed length and you first centre the drop arm with the steering box & then set toe with the two outer track rods.

They are different part numbers.

 

The outer rods on the Burman Boxes are reverse threaded so that you can replace the ball joints separately/individually.

 

Sorry for another dumb question but how does one adjust the toe in with the center track rod? I realize it's threaded but how do you adjust each side?

 

You rotate it one way and the steering will toe out and if you turn it the other way the steering will toe in. i.e by changing the length of the centre rod ~ then you tighten the 2 clamps. Being a 340 make sure it is not fitted with Varamatic steering.

 

Varamatic Steering. See detent in subframe

 

In systems other than Varamatic, the centre rod is (or should be) left hand thread one end and right hand at the other. When the rod is rotated, it increases or reduces toe in/out.

With Varamatic, because of its varying ratio, the box has to be kept 'centred'. There's a slot to ensure it's at centre. The toe is adjusted on each side of the car separately. It's the same process of rotating the rods (if they are the correct ones with left hand thread at one end and right hand at the other). If a previous owner has fitted a rod with right hand threads at both ends, it gets more difficult and less precise: it's necessary to remove the rod ends and rotate them to find the best alignment you can.

 

Mine has the setup as the one Glyn posted. I understand how the center rod works but it seems to me if either side was off somewhat from the other when the rod is turned all one is doing is to turn both wheels not really gaining anything. It seems like you'd have to get one side straight then go to the other and remove the tie rod and straighten that side to match the other. This can't be correct.

 

Working with the centre rod, you are effectively adjusting both sides at once and maintaining left-right symmetry as the outer rods would have been fixed equal at installation/manufacture.

 

Which setup that I posted? Post 6 (Burman) or post No 7. If post 7 (Varamatic) then the drop arm has to be centred to the steering box as Peter explains. And toe adjustment is on the outer tie rods.

 

Post 6.

 

Post 6 is a Burman, which should adjust on the centre rod.

 

This is from the 420 manual which describes the procedure for the Marles Adwest Variomatic power assisted steering and is the same as the S Type, 240 and 340 if fitted with the Marles Adwest Variomatic steering box. I recently did this with my S type and used a long straight piece of timber to line up the drivers side (Right side) wheels so they were both dead ahead having made sure that the steering box drop arm was lined up correctly. I then used a Dunlop AGO 40 optical alignment gauge which I bought for £25 to set the passengers side (left side) wheels toe in. The toe in is adjusted using the outer tie rod ends putting half the toe in on each side so the Steering box drop arm is still centred.
I had taken the car to a local garage to have the tracking done, but now a days everything is computerised and the 1963 to 1968 S type Jaguar was not listed on the computer. The 1968 Series 1 XJ6 was and asked them to set it up the same as this but they refused saying it was not the right car and could not accept the responsibility if anything went wrong. (Bunch of Donkeys). That said they would not have had a clue how to set up the tracking keeping the Steering box drop arm centralised.
Anyway the Dunlop AGO 40 I bought was a 1/4 of the price of the garage doing the tracking for me so I saved myself a fair bit of money and I have also used it on my mates Alvis and Bentley to check his tracking.

 

The problem with the S Type is that 4 wheel alignment is impossible at least with Hunter alignment machines. Due to the low rear wheel-arch they cannot fit the rear alignment units to the rear wheels. I gave up and just set front caster, camber & toe. Everything runs fine & I have no sign of feathering on any of the 4 tyres.

 

I have found a similar problem when you have wire wheels as the laser detectors they hang on the front wheels will not sit flat due to the protruding spinner.

 

Fortunately the Hunter machines that Tiger Wheel & Tyre (TWT) uses in SA clear the centre spinner on wires. TWT is world renowned as an alloy wheel manufacturer. Started by the late SA race driver Eddie Keizan. They even make most of Mercedes, BMW & VAG Group wheels. They have plants here and in Germany. All started here though under our local content program. Today the local plant is flat out due to our weak currency. Gone are the days that the local currency was stronger than the USD & two to one to the Pound.

 

I think various versions of the Hunter machine use different size and shape units that clamp on the wheels. I've seen some that look small enough to fit on an S type rear wheel. It might be worth trying different shops, though I appreciate that may involve driving significant distance. The Hunter machines are fast and accurate and require relatively little skill and care to operate.

 

You are absolutely correct Peter. The laser units used here are spec'd for our car pool. We have some Tata 4X4s, as an example, with hubs that stick out half a mile. Certainly further than any Jag spinner. Hunter makes a variety of laser units to suit different markets. Unfortunately the local spec units won't accommodate the S Type low rear arch.