during a lapse of judgement I changed my tie rod ends and now my alignment is completely off. Is this something that a hobby mechanic such as myself can fix or is it time to go to the shop.
79 xj6 L

 

Take your car to MIDAS, they will fix it.

Walter

 

My old housemate was a mechanic. He checked the alignment on my old ute by using some chalk to mark the wheel and the ground and rolling the car back and forth.
I conclude there is a way, i dont know it though. check you tube.
A shop will get it perfect though, and for the cost of some front tyres if you get the alignment wrong, thats where i would be going.

 

get it aligned properly. By computer and a trained tecnician.

 

You can do a close setup after you have done suspension work with a sting, tape measure chauk etc. But only to ball park it so it wont wear the tires going to the shop. Go to someone that knows how to align a damn car, many do not even though they think they do...

 

Yeah.


But setting toe is as basic as it gets.


Carl

 

+1 . . . and check whether car must be "loaded" before adjusting . . . ie some models set a ground to cross-member distance by chaining down car and adjusting turnbuckles to spec while castor, camber and alignment are done. Perhaps, for front, this may be achieved by driver and front passenger adults in place. Perhaps not, but check Jaguar's specs, especially if new springs/shocks have been fitted.

For quick and fairly accurate setting of toe-in, use an adjustable rod with dog-leg ends to clear under-frames. Depending on in/out spec, first set rod to "just rubbing" inside front centre of tyres, then move and check for "rub" at opposite rear centre of tyres. Easy to set +/- 1mm with this "rod" method, but modern digitals make for greater accuracy . . . and bonus of setting steering wheel to "12 o'clock high".

Cheers,

Ken

 

Jaguar specifies use of suspension setting links to hold the suspension at xxx-height, commonly referred to as "mid-laden" tools.

Unfortunately not one shop in a thousand will have the tools, if that many. Jag dealers/specialists might.

On all my Jags I have the alignment done at existing ride height and have never suffered any bad consequences. Some shops are a bit pedantic about rules so they won't touch the Jags. Other shops might require a little encouragement to do an alignment without the tools....if they know about them to begin with, that is.

Cheers
DD

 

I use a variation of the string box. I use a piece of 3/4 EMT clamped to jack stands across the front and another accross the rear. Then I run a string between some pre-drilled holes in the EMT.

The EMT was previously clamped together and drilled through both end at the same time to ensure the holes are in exactly the same place on both pieces of EMT

This method works really well. I purchased a digital camber device on ebay.

When I had my tires installed the tire place checked the alignment and it was dead on.

I use a dial caliper instead of a ruler. I like doing it this way becasue the suspension never get unloaded.


Determining Wheel Alignment - String Your Car - Hot Rod Network

DIY Wheel Alignment It?s Easier Than You Think! | Speed Academy

 

yep and i never like that method. Why because you should have the car aligned like you normally drive it. With your fat *** in the seat. I meen what you only have good tire wear and tracking with gas in tank and mid laden like you and you fat freinds are in the car? Most of us drive around by ourselves. I do love mercedes pressor bar method though as this takes into account how "your" cars suspension will behave when driving down the road not on a alignment machine. I even found a bad outer tie rod on my jag this year(just replaced them last year) when aligning. Doh. Pushed out and the right toe swung way out. Thankfully was still under the 1yr warranty by a week so just replaced and on my way